Britain's Royal Families Read online

  5 Mary (d.1405); she married William VI, Duke of Juliers (d.1393), and had issue.

  6 Isabella, Abbess of Graventhal.

  Eleanor died on 22 April, 1355, at Deventer Abbey, Gueldres, where she was buried.

  4 Joan (under David II of Scotland, see here).

  Edward II also had the following illegitimate issue:

  By an unknown mother:

  1 Adam (c.1310–after 1322).

  EDWARD II

  He was murdered on 21 September, 1327, at Berkeley Castle, Gloucs., by having a red-hot spit thrust into his bowels; this was probably done on the orders of the Regent, Roger Mortimer, Earl of March, with the collusion of Queen Isabella, who was Mortimer’s mistress. Edward was buried in Gloucester Cathedral.

  He was succeeded by his son Edward, in whose favour he had abdicated on 25 January, 1327.

  Edward III

  * * *

  FATHER: Edward II ( see here).

  MOTHER: Isabella of France (under Edward II, see here).

  SIBLINGS: (under Edward II, see here).

  EDWARD III

  He was born on 13 November, 1312, at Windsor Castle. He was created Earl of Chester on 24 November (?), 1312, and Count of Ponthieu and Montreuil on 2 September, 1325. He was created Duke of Aquitaine on 10 September, 1325. He succeeded his father as King of England on 25 January, 1327, Edward II having abdicated in favour of his son on that day. Edward III was crowned on 1 February, 1327, in Westminster Abbey. On 20 October, 1330, he assumed personal rule after overthrowing the regents, his mother Queen Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer, Earl of March. He formally assumed the title King of France, which he claimed through his mother, in January, 1340, thus starting the Hundred Years War.

  Edward III married, on 24 January, 1328, at York Minster:

  Philippa

  She was the daughter of William V ‘the Good’, Count of Hainault and Holland, by Joan, daughter of Charles of France, Count of Valois, and she was born in c.1313/14 either at Valenciennes or at Mons in Flanders. She was crowned on 2 or 20 February, 1328, at Westminster Abbey, and again on 4 March, 1330, also at Westminster Abbey. She died on 15 August, 1369, at Windsor Castle, of a dropsy-like illness, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

  Issue of marriage:

  1 Edward

  Known from the 16th century onwards as ‘the Black Prince’ (because of the colour of his armour), he was born on 15 June, 1330, at Woodstock Palace, Oxon. He was created Earl of Chester on 18 May, 1333, Duke of Cornwall on 3 March, 1337, and Prince of Wales on 12 May, 1343, being invested with the principality on the same day. He was made a Knight of the Garter when his father first founded the Order in 1348. He was created Prince of Aquitaine on 19 July, 1362, and was created Lord of Biscay and Castro Urdiales in Castile by Peter I, King of Castile, on 23 September, 1366. He resigned the principality of Aquitaine because of ill-health before 28 December, 1375. He died on 8 June, 1376, at the Palace of Westminster, and was buried in Canterbury Cathedral, Kent.

  Edward married, on 10/11 October, 1361, probably at St Stephen’s Chapel in the Palace of Westminster, or – less probably – at Canterbury Cathedral or at Windsor Castle:

  Joan

  She was the daughter of Edmund, Earl of Kent, son of Edward I, by Margaret Wake, and she was born on 29 September, 1328. She married firstly Sir Thomas Holland or Holand of Broughton, Bucks. (d.1360), in c.1339 or in the Spring of 1340, according to her testimony of 1347. She then married secondly, and bigamously, William de Montacute, Earl of Salisbury (1328–1397), in c.1340/1 or 1346 (?) (probably before 10 February, 1341, and certainly by 15 October, 1348). Her marriage to Montacute was annulled by Papal Bull on 13 November, 1349, whilst her marriage to Holland was at the same time pronounced valid. The Pope accordingly ordered Joan to return to Holland and cohabit with him as his lawful wife, which she did around 1349, and had issue:

  1 Edmund (b. before 1352; d. young).

  2 Thomas, Earl of Kent (c.1355–1397); he married Alice (c.1350–1414/16), daughter of Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel and a descendant of Henry III, and had issue.

  3 Joan (c.1356–1384); she married John de Montfort IV, Duke of Brittany (1339–1399) (who afterwards married Joan, later the wife of Henry IV).

  4 John, Duke of Exeter (c.1358–executed 1400); he married Elizabeth, daughter of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster ( see here), and had issue.

  5 Matilda (c.1359–1391); she married firstly Sir Hugh de Courtenay (d.1377), and secondly Waleran of Luxembourg, Count of St Pol and Ligny (d.1415), and had issue by her second husband.

  Joan succeeded her brother John (under Edward I, see here) as Baroness Wake of Liddell and Countess of Kent on 26/27 December, 1352, and was confirmed in her new titles on 22 February, 1353. She was made a Lady of the Garter in 1378. She died on 7, 8 or 21 August, 1385, at Wallingford Castle, Berks., and was buried in Greyfriars Church, Stamford, Lincs. It is likely that her remains were shortly afterwards removed to London, although the site of their final resting place is not recorded.

  Issue of marriage:

  (i) Edward

  He was born on 27 January, 1365, at Angoulême in France, and died in January, 1371/2, at Bordeaux, Gascony. He was buried at Bordeaux, but later removed to the Church of the Austin Friars in London.

  (ii) Richard II ( see here).

  Edward also had the following illegitimate issue:

  By Edith de Willesford (d. after 1385):

  1 Sir Roger de Clarendon (1345/60–executed 1402); he married Margaret (d.1382), daughter of John Fleming, Baron de la Roche.

  By unknown mothers:

  2 Edward (b.c.1349; d. young).

  3 Sir John Sounders, or John de Galeis (Calais?).

  2 Isabella

  She was probably born in March (her mother was churched before 30 April), 1332, at Woodstock Palace, Oxon. She married Enguerrand II, Lord of Coucy, Count of Soissons and Earl of Bedford (1339?–1397), on 27 July, 1365 at Windsor Castle, and had issue:

  1 Mary (1366–1404); she married Henry of Bar, Marquess of Pont-à-Mousson (d.1401), and had issue.

  2 Philippa (1367–1411); she married Robert de Vere, Earl of Oxford and Duke of Ireland (1362–1392).

  Isabella was made a Lady of the Garter in 1376. She died between 17 June and 5 October, 1382, and was buried in Greyfriars Church, Newgate, London.

  3 Joan

  She was probably born in February (certainly before 30 May), 1335, at Woodstock Palace, Oxon., not in the Tower of London as is sometimes stated. She died on 2 September, 1348, at Loremo, Bordeaux, Gascony, of the Black Death (bubonic plague), and was buried either at Loremo, or Bordeaux, or in Bayonne Cathedral, Gascony.

  4 William

  He was born around 1334/6, certainly before 16 February, 1337, at Hatfield, Yorkshire, where he died before 3 March, 1337. He was buried in York Minster.

  5 Lionel

  He was born on 29 November, 1338, at Antwerp in Brabant. He was styled Earl of Ulster in right of his wife from c.26 January, 1347. He was made a Knight of the Garter in c.April, 1361, and created Duke of Clarence on 13 November, 1362. He died on 17 October, 1368, at Alba, Piedmont, Italy, and was buried at Pavia, Italy. His remains were later removed to Clare Priory, Suffolk.

  Lionel married firstly, on 15 August, 1342, in the Tower of London, and again on 9 September, 1342, at Reading Abbey, Berkshire:

  Elizabeth

  She was the daughter of William de Burgh, Earl of Ulster, by Matilda of Lancaster, a descendant of Henry III, and she was born on 6 July, 1332, probably at Carrickfergus Castle in Ulster. She succeeded her father as Countess of Ulster on 6 June, 1333. She died on 10 December (?), 1363, in Dublin, and was buried at Clare Priory, Suffolk.

  Issue of marriage:

  (i) Philippa

  She was born on 16 August, 1355, at Eltham Palace, Kent. She married Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March (1352–1381) (grandson of the Regent Mortimer – see here, under Edward II), after 15 February, 1359, and probably in May, 1368, at the
Queen’s Chapel, Reading Abbey, Berkshire. Philippa died between 21 November, 1378 (date of Will), and 9 February, 1381, and was buried at Cork in Ireland. Her remains were later removed to Wigmore, Herefordshire.

  The House of York would one day base its claim to the throne on its descent from Edward III through Philippa, therefore her issue is included here in full:

  (a) Elizabeth

  She was born on 12 February, 1371, at Usk, Monmouthshire. She married firstly Sir Henry (‘Hotspur’) Percy (1361–1403: killed at the Battle of Shrewsbury) before 1 May, 1380, and had issue:

  1 Henry, 2nd Earl of Northumberland (1394–1455); he married Eleanor (d.1472), daughter of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland, and had issue. Eleanor was a granddaughter of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster ( see here).

  2 Elizabeth (d.1436); she married firstly John, 7th Baron Clifford (d.1421/2), and had issue, and secondly Ralph Neville, 2nd Earl of Westmorland (1408–1485), and had issue.

  Elizabeth married secondly Thomas, 1st Baron Camoys (d.1419), and had issue:

  3 Son (name not known); he is said to have died young.

  Elizabeth died on 20 April, 1417, and was buried at Trotton, Sussex.

  (b) Roger

  He was born on 1 September, 1373, or 11 April, 1374, at Usk, Monmouthshire. He succeeded his mother as Earl of Ulster between 21 November, 1378, and 9 February, 1381, and his father as Earl of March on 27 December, 1381. He was killed on 20 July, 1398, at Kenlis during a skirmish with the Irish, and was buried at Wigmore, Herefordshire.

  Roger married, on c.7 October, 1388 (although no record exists as to where):

  Eleanor

  She was the daughter of Thomas Holland, 1st Earl of Kent, by Alice, daughter of Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel and granddaughter of Eleanor of Lancaster, a descendant of Henry III, and she was born in c.1373. After Roger’s death, she married secondly Edward de Cherleton, 4th Baron Cherleton of Powys (d.1421), after 19 June, 1399, and had issue:

  1 Joan; she married Sir John Grey, Count of Tancarville (d.1421).

  2 Joyce (1403?–1446); she married Sir John Tiptoft (d.1443), and had issue.

  Eleanor died on 6, 18 or 23 October, 1405.

  Issue of marriage:

  (i) Anne

  She married Richard, Earl of Cambridge ( see here).

  (ii) Edmund

  He was born on 4 or 6 November, 1391, in the New Forest, Hampshire, and succeeded his father as Earl of March and Ulster on 20 July, 1398. He died on 18/19 January, 1425, at Trim Castle, Co. Meath, Ireland, of plague, and was buried in the Collegiate Church of Stoke Clare, Suffolk.

  Edmund married, in c.1415 (although no evidence exists as to where):

  Anne

  She was the daughter of Edmund, 5th Earl of Stafford, by Anne, Countess of Buckingham ( see here), and was born in c.1398/1403. After the death of Edmund, she married secondly John Holland, Earl of Huntingdon and 3rd Duke of Exeter (1395?–1447), grandson of John of Gaunt ( see here), before 5 March, 1427, and had issue:

  1 Henry (1430–1475), 4th Duke of Exeter; he married Anne Plantagenet, sister of Edward IV, and had issue. Afterwards divorced.

  Anne died on 20 or 24 September, 1432, and was buried in the Church of St Katherine-by-the-Tower, London.

  (iii) Roger

  He was born on 24 March or 23 April, 1393, at Netherwood, and died unmarried around c.1409/10.

  (iv) Eleanor

  She was born in c.1395. She married Edward, Baron Courtenay (d.1418), in 1408/9, and died after 1414, perhaps having become a nun after her husband’s death.

  (v) Alice

  She is mentioned only by the Tudor chronicler Robert Fabyan, therefore her existence is doubtful.

  (c) Philippa

  She was born on 21 November, 1375, at Ludlow Castle, Shropshire. She married firstly John Hastings, 3rd Earl of Pembroke (1372–1389), in c.1385. She married secondly Richard FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel (c.1348–executed 1397) (a descendant of Henry III), before 15 August, 1390, and had issue:

  1 John (c.1394–d. young after 1397).

  Philippa married thirdly Thomas Poynings, 5th Baron St John of Basing (d.1429) before 24 November, 1399. She died around 24/26 September, 1400/1 at Halnaker, Sussex, and was buried in Boxgrove Priory, Lewes, Sussex.

  (d) Edmund

  He was born on 9 November, 1376/7, at Ludlow Castle, Shropshire, and was made a knight. He died before 13 May, 1411, possibly in 1409, at Harlech Castle, Wales.

  Edmund married, in c.November, 1402, although no record exists as to where:

  Katherine

  She was the daughter of Owen Glendower by Margaret, daughter of Sir David Hanmer of Hanmer, Co. Flint. She died before 1 December, 1413, and was buried in St Swithun’s Church, London.

  Issue of marriage:

  (i) Lionel (d. young).

  (ii) Daughter (name not known) (d. young, 1413).

  (iii) Daughter (name not known) (d. young, 1413).

  (iv) Possibly more daughters who died young before 1413.

  Lionel married secondly, on 28 May or 5 June, 1368, at the Church of St Maria Maggiore, Milan, Italy:

  Yolande or Violante

  She was the daughter of Galleazzo Visconti II, Duke of Milan, by Bianca Maria, daughter of Aimone, Count of Savoy, and she was born in c.1353. After the death of Lionel, she married secondly Ottone Paleologo, Marquess of Montferrat (murdered 1378), on 2 August, 1377, at Pavia, Italy. She married thirdly Ludovico Visconti, Lord of Lodi (1358–1381), on 18 April, 1381, and had issue:

  1 John (Giovanni).

  Yolande died in November, 1386.

  6 John

  Known as John of Gaunt, he was born in February or March (certainly before 28 May), 1340, at St Bavon’s Abbey, Ghent, Flanders, and was created Earl of Richmond on 20 September, 1342. He was made a Knight of the Garter in c. April, 1361. He was first styled Earl of Derby, a title he held in right of his first wife, on 21 July, 1361. He was created Earl of Lancaster in right of his first wife before 14 August, 1361, and Lord of Beaufort and Nogent, also in right of his first wife, on 14 August, 1361. He succeeded his sister-in-law, Matilda of Lancaster (under Henry III, see here), as Earl of Derby, Earl of Leicester and Earl of Lincoln on 10 April, 1362, and was created Duke of Lancaster on 13 November, 1362. He was created Lord of Bergerac and Roche-sur-Yon on 8 October, 1370. He surrendered the earldom of Richmond on 5 June, 1372. He assumed the style and title of King of Castile and Léon, in right of his second wife, before 6 October, 1372. He was created Duke of Aquitaine on 2 March, 1390. He died on 3/4 February, 1399, probably at Leicester Castle, or – less probably – at Ely Place, Holborn, London, and was buried in Old St Paul’s Cathedral, London.

  John had the following illegitimate issue:

  By Marie de St Hilaire (d. after 1399):

  1 Blanche (before 1360–1388/9?); she married Sir Thomas Morieux.

  John married firstly, on 19 May, 1359, at Reading Abbey, Berkshire:

  Blanche

  She was the daughter of Henry of Grosmont, Duke of Lancaster, by Isabella de Beaumont (under Henry III, see here), and she was born on 25 March, 1345. She died on 12 September, 1369, at Bolingbroke Castle, Lincs., of the Black Death (bubonic plague), and was buried in Old St Paul’s Cathedral, London.

  Issue of marriage:

  (i) Philippa

  She was born on 31 March, 1360, at Leicester Castle. She was made a Lady of the Garter in 1378. She married John I, King of Portugal (1357/8–1433), on 14 February, 1387, at Oporto Cathedral, Portugal, and had issue:

  1 Blanche (1388–1389).

  2 Alfonso (1390–1400).

  3 Edward I, King of Portugal (1391–1438); he married Eleanor (d.1445), daughter of Ferdinand I, King of Aragon and Sicily, and had issue.

  4 Peter, Duke of Coimbra (1392–1449); he married Isabella (1409–1443), daughter of James II, Count of Urgel, and had issue.

  5 Henry ‘the Navigator’, Duke of Viseu (1394–1460).

  6 Isabella (1397–1471); she married Phi
lip III, Duke of Burgundy (d.1467), and had issue.

  7 John, Duke of Beja, Constable of Portugal (1400–1442); he married Isabella (d.1445), daughter of Alfonso I, Duke of Braganza, and had issue.

  8 Ferdinand, Grand Master of Aviz (1402–1443).

  Philippa died on 19 July, 1415, at Odivelas, near Lisbon, Portugal, of plague, and was buried in Odivelas Abbey. Her remains were later removed to Batalha Abbey, Portugal.

  (ii) John

  He was born in c.1362 or c.1364, and died young. He was buried in St Mary’s Church, Leicester.

  (iii) Elizabeth

  She was born before 21 February, 1363, at Burford, Shropshire. She was made a Lady of the Garter in 1378. She married firstly John Hastings, 3rd Earl of Pembroke (1372–1389), in 1380 at Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire, but the marriage was annulled after 24 September, 1383. Hastings afterwards married Philippa Mortimer ( see here). Elizabeth married secondly John Holland, 1st Duke of Exeter (1352?–executed 1400) (son of Joan, Princess of Wales – see here), on 24 June, 1386, at Plymouth, Devon, and had issue:

  1 John, 3rd Duke of Exeter (1395–1447); he married firstly Anne, daughter of Edmund, 5th Earl of Stafford, by Anne, Countess of Buckingham ( see here), and widow of Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March and Ulster ( see here), and had issue. He married secondly Beatrice of Portugal (d.1439). He married thirdly Anne (d.1457), daughter of John de Montacute, 3rd Earl of Salisbury, and had issue.