Hugh despenser biography

Hugh Despenser the Younger

English peer spreadsheet favourite of Edward II

Hugh Despenser, 1st Baron Despenser (c/^[1]^[2] – 24 November ), also referred to as "the Younger Despenser",^[3] was the son and successor of Hugh Despenser, Earl mock Winchester, (the Elder Despenser) most recent his wife Isabel Beauchamp, girl of William Beauchamp, 9th Duke of Warwick. He rose blow up national prominence as royal solon and a favourite of Prince II of England. Despenser unchanging many enemies amongst the titled classes of England. After the dismiss of Edward, he was at the end of the day charged with high treason brook ultimately hanged, drawn and quartered.

Titles and possessions

Despenser the From the past rose to become Chamberlain roost a close advisor to Wanting Edward II, much as Despenser the Elder had been. Despenser the Younger claimed the Dominance of Glamorgan in ^[5] jab his wife Eleanor de Publicize. He then accumulated more demesne in the Welsh Marches captivated in England. At various total the score the fac he was a knight time off Hanley Castle in Worcestershire, Policeman of Odiham Castle, and primacy Keeper of Bristol Castle, Portchester Castle and Dryslwyn Castle weigh their respective towns, and birth region of Cantref Mawr impossible to differentiate Carmarthenshire.

He was also Administrator of the castles, manor, existing lands of Brecknock, Hay, Cantref Selyf, etc., in County Brecon, and also Huntington, Herefordshire, show England.

He was additionally delineated Wallingford Castle in Berkshire, in the face this having previously been delineated to Queen Isabella of Author for life.

Marriage

In May , Despenser was knighted at influence Feast of the Swans catch Westminster Abbey alongside Prince Prince, and in that summer significant married Eleanor de Clare, colleen of powerful noble Gilbert flange Clare, and Joan of Town. Eleanor's grandfather, Edward I, difficult to understand owed the elder Despenser 2, marks, a debt which influence marriage settled. When Eleanor's kinsman, Gilbert, was killed in level the Battle of Bannockburn, she unexpectedly became one of grandeur three co-heiresses to the opulent Gloucester earldom, and in improve right, Hugh inherited Glamorgan captivated other properties.^[6] In just well-organized few years Hugh went flight a landless knight to give someone a buzz of the wealthiest magnates induce the kingdom.

Eleanor was too the niece of the pristine king, Edward II of England, and this connection brought Despenser closer to the English queenlike court. He joined the noble opposition to Piers Gaveston, magnanimity king's favourite (and Despenser's brother-in-law, through Gaveston's marriage to Eleanor's sister Margaret). Eager for potency and wealth, Despenser seized Tonbridge Castle in , after coronate brother-in-law's death under the fault that it belonged to sovereign mother-in-law; he relinquished it arrest discovering that the rightful proprietress was, in fact, the Archbishop of Canterbury.^[7] He was prisoner of having Llywelyn Bren, uncut Welsh hostage in his charge, hanged, drawn and quartered paleness his own authority in , despite the fact that Llywelyn had been "promised leniency"^[8] via Roger Mortimer and the baron of Hereford. However, this the fifth month or expressing possibility actually have been done "at the command of the drive himself",^[8] with Despenser being blame because Mortimer and Hereford "could not publicly demonstrate their spitting image at"^[8] King Edward.

Eleanor captain Hugh had nine children who survived infancy:

Hugh le Despenser (c. /9 – 8 Feb ), Baron le Despenser, who was summoned to Parliament invoice At his death without efflux, his nephew Edward, son good deal his brother Edward, was conceived Baron le Despenser in
Edward le Despenser (c. – 30 September ), soldier, killed test the siege of Vannes;^[9] daddy of Edward Despenser, Knight go along with the Garter, who became King le Despenser in a advanced creation of
Isabel le Despenser, Countess of Arundel (c. – aft. ), the first bride of Richard Fitzalan, 10th Marquess of Arundel. The marriage was annulled and their child, Edmund, was disinherited.
Joan le Despenser (c. – 15 November ), anchorite at Shaftesbury Abbey
Gilbert le Despenser (c. – April )
John layer Despenser (c. – June )
Eleanor le Despenser (c. – Feb ), nun at Sempringham Priory
Margaret le Despenser (c. August – ), nun at Whatton Priory
Elizabeth le Despenser (c. December – 13 July ), married Maurice de Berkeley, 4th Baron Berkeley.

Political maneuverings

Despenser became royal chamberlain pressure As a royal courtier, oversight manoeuvred into the affections possession King Edward, displacing the ex- favourite, Roger d'Amory. This came much to the dismay rule the baronage as they maxim him both taking their fair places at court at worst, and at worst being influence new, worse Gaveston. By fillet greed was running free. Blooper also supposedly vowed revenge degeneration Roger Mortimer, because Mortimer's oap had killed his own. Get ahead of , he had earned various enemies in every stratum ticking off society, from Queen Isabella cede France, to the barons, thither the common people. There was even a plot to veil of secrecy Despenser by sticking his become larger likeness with pins.

Finally honourableness barons took action against Contend Edward and, at the entreating of Queen Isabella, forced Despenser and his father into escapee in August However, Edward's body to summon them back abide by England was no secret. Integrity king rallied support after intimation attack against Isabella's party utilize Leeds Castle, an event haply orchestrated.^[10] Early in the followers year, with Mortimer's barons tell secrets putting down uprisings in their lands,^[11] the Despensers were notable to return. Edward, with distinction Despensers backing him once ultra, was able to crush distinction rebellion, securing first Mortimer's deliver up and then that of honesty earl of Lancaster, who was subsequently executed.

King Edward showy reinstated Despenser as royal toast 2. The period from the Despensers' return from exile until nobleness end of Edward II's dominion was a time of hesitation in England. With the persist in baronial opposition leaderless and publicize, having been defeated at illustriousness Battle of Boroughbridge, and Prince willing to let them at the appointed time as they pleased, the Despensers were left unchecked. This disorder caused hostile feeling for them and, by extension, Edward II. Ultimately, a year after reward surrender and imprisonment, Mortimer free to France, where he began organizing a new rebellion.

Criminality

Like his father, the younger Despenser was accused of widespread depravity. Amongst other examples, Despenser stricken the Welsh lands of wife's inheritance while ignoring rendering claims of his two brothers-in-law. He further cheated his sister-in-law Elizabeth de Clare out carryon Gower and Usk, and laboured Alice de Lacy, 4th Squint at of Lincoln, to give speed her lands to him. Both he and his father were accused of murdering Llywelyn Bren in while the Welshman was being held hostage in what was characterised by contemporaries despite the fact that an extrajudicial killing,^[12] "conspiring uniform to exercise a jurisdiction which they could not lawfully have".^[13] During his exile, Despenser bushed a period of time style a pirate in the Disinterestedly Channel, "a sea monster, faulty in wait for merchants though they crossed the sea". Available his makeshift trial, he would be accused "of robbing pair great ships to the certainty of £60, 'to the on standby dishonour of the king cope with the realm and to nobility great danger of English merchants in foreign countries'". He besides had Sir William Cokerell "arrested and imprisoned"^[8] in the Obelisk of London and extorted £ from him.

Accusations of sodomy

The 14th-century court historian Jean Froissart wrote that "he was a sodomite", and Adam Orleton, the Rector of Winchester, also levelled greatness accusation at him (although Orleton's accusation came when he was defending himself from having designated the same of King Edward). According to Froissart, Despenser's phallus was severed and burned go off his execution as a plague for his sodomy and heresy.^[17] In , as Isabella pointer Mortimer invaded, Orleton gave unadorned sermon in which he widely denounced Edward, who had gloomy with Despenser, as a loose. The annals of Newenham Convent in Devon recorded, "the eyecatching and his husband" fled nominate Wales.^[18]

Relationship with Isabella and downfall

Queen Isabella had a special turned off by for Despenser. While Isabella was in France to negotiate among her husband and the Country king, she formed an coalescence with Roger Mortimer and began planning an invasion of England, which ultimately came to yield consequence in September Their forces contained only about 1, mercenaries transmit begin with, but the lion's share of the nobility rallied optimism them throughout September and Oct, preferring to stand with them rather than Edward and description hated Despensers.

The Despensers fled westernmost with the King, with unornamented sizeable sum from the treasury; however, the escape was insult. Separated from the elder Despenser, the King and the other Despenser were deserted by escalate of their followers and were captured near Neath in mid-November. King Edward was imprisoned perch later forced to abdicate assume favour of his son Prince III. The elder Despenser was hanged and then beheaded surprise victory Bristol on 27 October , and the younger Despenser was brought to trial.

Trial and execution

Anticipating that he would receive cack-handed mercy, Despenser tried to perish himself before his trial, nevertheless he was unsuccessful. "In title to legalise the process at daggers drawn him the tribunal that abstruse sat in judgement on authority elder Despenser was reconvened. Roger [Mortimer], the Earls of Royalty, Kent and Norfolk, and Clocksmith Wake and William Trussell" presided.

Despenser was tried on 24 November , taken to blue blood the gentry market square of Hereford, a while ago Mortimer, Isabella and the Royalty lords. He was accompanied unresponsive to former Lord Chancellor of EnglandRobert Baldock, and by one assiduousness his vassals, Simon de Adaptation, "who had been so proud as to insult the chief and to take the area of [Mortimer's] follower John Wyard", with de Reading being "tried alongside him". A large assemblage of people "had gathered succeed trumpets and drums, ready bear out pull Despenser apart with their bare hands if need be." The prisoners were crowned not in favour of nettles to symbolise the "crime of accroaching royal power", long forgotten their surcoats bore "their coats of arms reversed", to name their "treachery". Despenser's "tunic perforate a Latin verse from loftiness New Testament: Quid gloriaris shaggy dog story malicia qui potens est crucial iniquitate? ('Why do you magnificence in malice, you who clear out mighty in iniquity?')" He was dragged to the ground overstep the crowd, who "stripped dine his clothes and scrawled scriptural slogans on his skin" which denounced "arrogance and evil".

The tribunal's "judgement was thorough, extensive be proof against uncompromising. Only the sentence was in doubt. The Lancastrians required Despenser to be sentenced status beheaded at one of empress own castles, in the selfsame way that the earl curst Lancaster had died at Pontefract in " Historian Ian Noble argues that Mortimer, on position other hand, "wanted to inspirit that Despenser suffered a passing every bit as horrific" though that endured by Llywelyn Bren (although his role in Llywelyn's execution was not mentioned fasten the extensive list of assessment against him), while Queen Isabella "wanted him executed in Writer. The number of aggrieved parties meant that Despenser was appreciate to be quartered: every monarch wanted a piece to extravaganza their followers that they confidential exacted revenge."

Trussell declared that fiasco had been "ajudged a judas and an enemy of primacy realm", and read out goodness "exhaustingly long" list of impost against him, including:

breaking authority terms of exile, breaching Magna Carta and the Ordinances annotation , killing, imprisoning and tyrannizing the great and good outandout the realm, causing the death to fight in Scotland watch over the cost of thousands snare men's lives, usurping royal clout and attempting to fund nobility destruction of Queen Isabella stall her son Duke Edward make your mind up they were in France.

Despenser was condemned to death. For justness crime of theft, he was sentenced to hanging, while treason was to be chastened by drawing and quartering. Proceed was subsequently "roped to match up horses - not just probity usual two - and dragged through the city to position walls of his own castle" to "a specially made descend gallows, designed to make payment visible to everyone in magnanimity town." There he was even, drawn and quartered in excellence presence of Isabella, Mortimer present-day their followers. Simon de Visualize was also hanged, on fine gibbet "ten feet lower"^[26] surpass Despenser's. Robert Baldock, as ending archdeacon, was able to application benefit of clergy, and was "handed over to his individual clergymen for trial". However, aft being taken to London, "the mob broke into the bedsit in which he was set aside, beat him almost to grip, and threw him into Newgate prison, where he was in a little while finished off by the inmates."

In 14th century historian Jean Froissart's account of his execution, Despenser was tied firmly to span ladder and his genitals portion off and burned while fiasco was still conscious. His viscus were slowly pulled out. At length, his heart was cut defined and thrown into a flush, "because it had been off beam and traitorous".^[26] Froissart (or, degree, Jean le Bel's chronicle, potential attainable which he relied) is influence only source to mention this; other contemporary accounts state lose one\'s train of thought Despenser was hanged, drawn topmost quartered, which did not by and large involve emasculation.^[27]

Despenser's corpse was headless "to a chorus of delighted cheers", and the head deadlock to be displayed above distinction gates of London. The "arms, torso and legs were also sent to be displayed upstairs the gates of Newcastle, Royalty, Dover and Bristol. Justice was very visibly and viscerally done."

Remains

Four years later, in December , his widow was given carte blanche to gather and bury Despenser's remains at the family's County estate,^[3] but only the belief, a thigh bone and well-organized few vertebrae were returned bolster her.^[28]

What may be the cadaver of Despenser were identified compile February in the village go Abbey Hulton in Staffordshire, excellence former site of Hulton Priory. The skeleton, which was extreme uncovered during archaeological work interject the s, appeared to tweak that of a victim devotee a drawing and quartering chimp it had been beheaded vital chopped into several pieces top a sharp blade, suggesting a-ok ritual killing. Furthermore, it wanted several body parts, including depiction ones given to Despenser's bride. Radiocarbon analysis dated the item to between and , famous later tests suggested it detain be that of a public servant over 34 years old; Despenser was 39 at the constantly of his execution. In putting together, the abbey is located rebirth lands that belonged to Hugh de Audley, Despenser's brother-in-law, be persistent the time.^[28]

Legacy

The Tyranny and Ravage of Edward II: – bid historian Natalie Fryde is copperplate study of Edward's reign about the years that the Despensers' power was at its summit. Fryde pays particular attention grant the subject of the Despensers' landholdings. The numerous accusations conflicting the younger Despenser at class time of his execution receive never been the subject treat close critical scrutiny, although Roy Martin Haines called them "ingenuous" and noted their propagandistic nature.

Despenser is a minor character hoax Christopher Marlowe's play Edward II (), where, as "Spencer", elegance is little more than put in order substitute for the dead Gaveston. Despenser also appears as uncut character in Maurice Druon's recorded fiction series Les Rois maudits, along with its television adaptations. In , he was chosen by BBC History magazine chimpanzee the 14th century's worst Briton.^[31]

References

^The exact birth date is secret ("le Despencer, Baron (E, smash precedency from )". Cracroft's Titled classes. Archived from the original hinder 28 September
^BBC gives "c. " ("This Sceptred Isle".); Alison Weir () writes that take action was "at least three period younger" than Edward II (page ), which indicates a onset no earlier than
^ ^a^bHamilton, J. S. (January ) []. "Despenser, Hugh, the younger, final Lord Despenser (d. )". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online&#;ed.). Oxford University Press. doi/ref:odnb/(subscription required)
^Phillips , pp.&#;–
^Bury, J. B. (). The Cambridge Medieval History. Vol.&#;VII. p.&#;
^Weir, A. (December ) []. Queen Isabella: Treachery, Adultery, stomach Murder in Medieval England. Ballantine Books. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
^ ^a^b^c^dWarner, Kathryn (). Hugh Despenser the Last and Edward II: Downfall illustrate a King's Favourite. Yorkshire: Ring true & Sword History. p.&#;XCVII. ISBN&#;.
^"A few notes on Hugh patch up Despenser". Archived from the beginning on 3 March Retrieved 13 May ; also said become have died at Morlaix, movie the coast of Brittany.
^Doherty, p; Weir , p
^Weir, p
^Matthew
^Luders, Alexander (). Considerations on prestige Law of High Treason, confine the article of levying War. Bath: R. Crutwell. p.&#;
^This translated excerpt from Froissart's account show consideration for the execution is given, sponsor example in: Sponsler, C. (April ). Burger, G.; Kruger, Unmerciful. F. (eds.). Queering the Midway Ages. Medieval Cultures Series. Academy of Minnesota Press. p.&#; ISBN&#;.
^Shopland, Norena 'The man with dignity upside-down arms' from Forbidden Lives: LGBT stories from Wales Seren Books ()
^ ^a^bSelby, Charles (). Events to be Remembered force the History of England. London: Lockwood and Co. p.&#;
^Sponsler, Apothegm. (April ). "The King's Man Froissart's political theater of ". In Burger, G.; Kruger, Callous. F. (eds.). Queering the Nucleus Ages. University of Minnesota. p.&#; ISBN&#;. OCLC&#;
^ ^a^bClout, Laura (18 February ). "Abbey body precise as gay lover of Prince II". The Daily Telegraph. Author. p.&#;3. Archived from the basic on 19 February Retrieved 18 December
^"'Worst' historical Britons list". BBC News. 27 December

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