Edward Despenser (died 1342)

Edward le Despenser (c. 1310 – 30 September 1342) was a son of Hugh le Despenser the Younger by his wife Eleanor de Clare. His father, a favourite of Edward II of England, was executed in 1326. Through his mother, he was a great-grandson of Edward I of England.

Edward le Despenser
Arms of Despenser
Born	c. 1310
Died	30 September 1342 Morlaix, Brittany
Wars and battles	War of the Breton Succession Battle of Morlaix †
Spouse(s)	Anne Ferrers
Issue	Edward Despenser, 1st Baron Despenser Hugh Despenser Thomas le Despenser Henry le Despenser, Bishop of Norwich
Father	Hugh le Despenser the Younger
Mother	Eleanor de Clare

Early life

Although his exact whereabouts before the execution of his father are unknown, it is believed that he was among the children living with their mother Eleanor during her imprisonment in the Tower of London (November 1326 – February 1328). He was clearly too young to be seen as a threat to Queen Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer, unlike his older brother, Hugh (who was imprisoned by the two in 1327).

Marriage and children

After coming into his estates in November 1334, he soon married Anne Ferrers of Groby (sister of Henry, Lord Ferrers). They had four surviving sons:

• Edward le Despenser, 1st Baron Despenser (1336–1375); inherited the Despenser estates from his paternal uncle Hugh.
• Hugh le Despenser (died 1374), married Alice Hotham, had issue.
• Thomas le Despenser
• Henry le Despenser, Bishop of Norwich

Later life

Like a few of his brothers, Edward served in Edward III's military campaigns. In 1342, he accompanied his older brother Hugh to mainland Europe. Although they were originally heading for Gascony, they were diverted to Brest to aid King Edward's ally the Countess of Montfort in the Breton Civil War. On 30 September 1342, they helped achieve a victory against the French army at the Battle of Morlaix, but Edward was killed during the fighting.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Edward Despenser (died 1342)

16. Hugh le Despenser 8. Hugh le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer 4. Hugh le Despenser, 1st Earl of Winchester 18. Philip Basset 9. Aline Bassett 19. Hawise de Louvain 2. Hugh Despenser the Younger 20. William de Beauchamp 10. William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick 21. Isabel Mauduit 5. Isabella de Beauchamp 22. John Fitzgeoffrey 11. Maud FitzJohn 23. Isabel Bigod 1. Edward le Despenser 24. Gilbert de Clare, 4th Earl of Hertford 12. Richard de Clare, 5th Earl of Hertford 25. Isabel Marshal 6. Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford 26. John de Lacy, 1st Earl of Lincoln 13. Maud de Lacy 27. Margaret de Quincy, Countess of Lincoln 3. Eleanor de Clare 28. Henry III of England 14. Edward I of England 29. Eleanor of Provence 7. Joan of Acre 30. Ferdinand III of Castile 15. Eleanor of Castile 31. Joan, Countess of Ponthieu

References

Works cited

• Burke, Bernard (1885). A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage. Vol. 47. Harrison and Sons.
•  Poole, Reginald Lane (1900). "Despenser, Henry le (DNB00)". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
• Pugh, T. B. (2004). "Despenser, Edward, first Lord Despenser (1336–1375)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/7550. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)