William Longespée 1207-1250

In 1196 [his father] William Longespée Earl Salisbury [aged 20] and [his mother] Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury [aged 9] were married. He by marriage Earl Salisbury. She the daughter of [his grandfather] William of Salisbury 2nd Earl Salisbury [aged 46] and [his grandmother] Eleanor Vitre Countess of Salisbury [aged 38]. He the illegitmate son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England and Ida Tosny Countess Norfolk [aged 40]. They were fifth cousin once removed.

On 8th December 1207 William Longespée was born to William Longespée Earl Salisbury [aged 31] and Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury [aged 20]. He a grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

In 1224 [his daughter] Ela Longespée was born to William Longespée [aged 16] and [his future wife] Idoine Camville [aged 15]. She a great granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She married (1) James Audley and had issue (2) after 1256 her first cousin twice removed Philip Basset.

On 7th March 1226 [his father] William Longespée Earl Salisbury [aged 50] died at Old Sarum [Map]. Roger of Wendover in his Flowers of History writes that some accused Hubert de Burgh Count Mortain 1st Earl Kent [aged 56] of having poisoned him.

Effigy at Salisbury Cathedral [Map].

Around 1228 [his son] William Longespée was born to William Longespée [aged 20] and [his future wife] Idoine Camville [aged 19]. He a great grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. He married before June 1257 his half second cousin once removed Maud Clifford, daughter of Walter Clifford 3rd Baron Clifford and Margred verch Llewellyn Baroness Clifford, and had issue.

On 10th June 1240 William Longespée [aged 32] left England in the service of Richard of Cornwall 1st Earl Cornwall [aged 31] with roughly a dozen English barons and several hundred knights.

Before 8th October 1240 William Longespée [aged 32] and Idoine Camville [aged 31] were married. He the son of William Longespée Earl Salisbury and Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury [aged 53].

On 8th October 1240 William Longespée [aged 32] landed at Acre [Map].

In 1247 William Longespée [aged 39] went on pilgrimage.

On 1st January 1251 [his former wife] Idoine Camville [aged 42] died.

Around 1300. Salisbury Cathedral [Map]. Monument to Unknown Knight. Early Medieval Period. Right Leg over Left. Formerly thought to be of William Longespée - see Effigy of William Longespee The Younger.

Effigy of William Longespee The Younger. This effigy is on the south side of the nave of Salisbury Cathedral [Map]; it is ascribed, with some uncertainty, to William, eldest son of William Longespee, Earl of Salisbury, by his wife Ela. He was girt with the sword of knighthood in 1233, but could not enforce his claim with King Henry III. to succeed his father as Earl of Salisbury. He married Idonea, daughter and heiress of Richard de Camville. He took the cross, joined the expedition of St. Louis to the Holy Land, and after many deeds of valour, perished in 1250, in an engagement with the Saracens at a fortress called Massourah, between Damietta and Cairo. Matthew Paris, and a poem recently published^a, which accord together in the main particulars, give a circumstantial relation of the manner of his death. It appears that great jealousy of Longespee and his English companions was entertained by the Count d'Artois, who, on more than one occasion, derided them as a race to whom the curse of Heaven adhered in the form of tails of beasts alluding to the ridiculous legend of St. Augustine and the Kentish boors. The Count d'Artois urged, with many sneers at the Templars and their master, and many vulgar taunts at Longespee, similar to those described, an attack on the fortified town of Mansour or Massourah. The gallant Englishman exclaimed, "Lead on, Sir Count, I will set my foot in danger thus far to day that you shall not dare to touch a hair even of my horse's tail according to your vulgar jest." The Christians rushed forward into the fortress, where they met with so warm a reception that the Count d'Artois was the first to fly, and plunging his horse into the neighbouring river, perished by the weight of his harness in his attempt to escape. Longespee resisted all proposals of retreat, "Never," said he, "shall the son of my father flee before a Saracen!" Supported by a few knights, and surrounded by a host of infidels, his valour could purchase nothing for itself but honourable death. His right foot at first was cut off; sustained by Richard de Ascalon he still fought on; a Saracen sabre disabled his right arm, he grasped his sword in his left hand until that also was separated from his body. Then fell the valiant grandson of Plantagenet, and on his honoured corpse fell also Richard de Ascalon and De Guise his banner-bearer, disdaining to survive a master so noble. He was interred in the church of St. Cross at Acre, and it is conjectured that his mother Ela, the Abbess of Laycock, caused this monument to be placed in the cathedral of Salisbury to his memory. The figure is in the attitude of a Crusader, and the style of its costume very well agrees with the period in which Longespee the younger died. The hauberk, which before this time was entirely of chain mail, has now portions of plate armour attached, covering the knees and elbows. The triangular shield with curved sides, reaches, now, only from the shoulder to the middle of the thigh.

Note a. See Matt. Paris, edit. Watts, pp. 785, 791. Excerpta Historica. Bentiey, 1830, p. 66.

[his son] Edmund Longespée was born to William Longespée and Idoine Camville. He a great grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

[his son] Richard Longespée was born to William Longespée and Idoine Camville. He a great grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. He married before 27th December 1261 Alice Le Rus.