Biography of Audrey Boteler Countess Chichester -1652

Paternal Family Tree: Boteler

Maternal Family Tree: Audrey Saunders 1551-1588

Audrey Boteler Countess Chichester was born to [her father] John Boteler 1st Baron Boteler and [her mother] Elizabeth Villiers Baroness Boteler Brantfield.

Before 1600 [her father] John Boteler 1st Baron Boteler (age 33) and [her mother] Elizabeth Villiers Baroness Boteler Brantfield (age 26) were married.

Before 1608 Francis Anderson (age 26) and Audrey Boteler Countess Chichester were married.

In 1608 [her son] Stephen Anderson was born to [her husband] Francis Anderson (age 27) and Audrey Boteler Countess Chichester.

On 22nd December 1615 [her husband] Francis Anderson (age 34) died.

In July 1616 [her future husband] Francis Leigh 1st Earl Chichester (age 18) and Susan Northam were married.

On 31st July 1617 Francis Leigh 1st Earl Chichester (age 19) and Audrey Boteler Countess Chichester were married.

In 1618 [her husband] Francis Leigh 1st Earl Chichester (age 19) was created 1st Baronet Leigh of Newnham in Warwickshire.

After 1618 [her brother-in-law] James Ley 1st Earl of Marlborough (age 66) and [her sister] Jane Boteler Countess Marlborough were married.

The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy

The Gesta Normannorum Ducum [The Deeds of the Dukes of Normandy] is a landmark medieval chronicle tracing the rise and fall of the Norman dynasty from its early roots through the pivotal events surrounding the Norman Conquest of England. Originally penned in Latin by the monk William of Jumièges shortly before 1060 and later expanded at the behest of William the Conqueror, the work chronicles the deeds, politics, battles, and leadership of the Norman dukes, especially William’s own claim to the English throne. The narrative combines earlier historical sources with firsthand information and oral testimony to present an authoritative account of Normandy’s transformation from a Viking settlement into one of medieval Europe’s most powerful realms. William’s history emphasizes the legitimacy, military prowess, and governance of the Norman line, framing their expansion, including the conquest of England, as both divinely sanctioned and noble in purpose. Later chroniclers such as Orderic Vitalis and Robert of Torigni continued the history, extending the coverage into the 12th century, providing broader context on ducal rule and its impact. Today this classic work remains a foundational source for understanding Norman identity, medieval statesmanship, and the historical forces that reshaped England and Western Europe between 800AD and 1100AD.

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On 11th January 1620 [her daughter] Elizabeth Leigh Countess Southampton was born to [her husband] Francis Leigh 1st Earl Chichester (age 21) and Audrey Boteler Countess Chichester. She married before 1646 Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester, son of Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton and Elizabeth Vernon Countess Southampton, and had issue.

On 12th April 1620 [her father] John Boteler 1st Baron Boteler (age 54) was created 1st Baronet Boteler of Hatfield Woodhall in Hertfordshire. [her mother] Elizabeth Villiers Baroness Boteler Brantfield (age 47) by marriage Lady Boteler of Hatfield Woodhall in Hertfordshire.

On 5th February 1626 [her brother-in-law] James Ley 1st Earl of Marlborough (age 74) was created 1st Earl Marlborough by King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland (age 25). [her sister] Jane Boteler Countess Marlborough by marriage Countess Marlborough.

On 7th February 1626 [her brother-in-law] Mountjoy Blount 1st Earl Newport (age 29) and [her sister] Anne Boteler Countess Newport and Portland (age 26) were married. He the illegitmate son of Charles Blount 1st Earl Devonshire and Penelope Devereux Countess Devonshire.

In July 1627 [her brother-in-law] Mountjoy Blount 1st Earl Newport (age 30) was created 1st Earl Newport in the Isle of Wight. [her sister] Anne Boteler Countess Newport and Portland (age 27) by marriage Countess Newport in the Isle of Wight.

In 1628 [her husband] Francis Leigh 1st Earl Chichester (age 29) was created 1st Baron Dunsmore of Dunsmore in Warwickshire with special remainder to his stepson [her son] John Anderson 1st Baronet who was the son of his second wife Audrey Boteler Countess Chichester and [her former husband] Francis Anderson. John Anderson 1st Baronet predeceased Francis Leigh 1st Earl Chichester so the remainder had no effect.

On 30th July 1628 [her father] John Boteler 1st Baron Boteler (age 62) was created 1st Baron Boteler of Brantfield. [her mother] Elizabeth Villiers Baroness Boteler Brantfield (age 55) by marriage Baroness Boteler of Brantfield.

In 1630 [her son] John Anderson 1st Baronet died. Baronet Anderson of St Ives in Huntingdonshire extinct.

On 27th May 1637 [her father] John Boteler 1st Baron Boteler (age 71) died at St Martin in the Fields Church [Map]. He was buried at Higham Gobion, Bedfordshire. His son [her brother] William succeeded 2nd Baron Boteler of Brantfield, 2nd Baronet Boteler of Hatfield Woodhall in Hertfordshire.

In 1644 [her husband] Francis Leigh 1st Earl Chichester (age 45) was created 1st Earl Chichester with special remainder to [her future son-in-law] Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester (age 36) who was the husband of his daughter [her daughter] Elizabeth Leigh Countess Southampton (age 23). Audrey Boteler Countess Chichester by marriage Countess Chichester.

Before 1646 [her son-in-law] Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester (age 38) and [her daughter] Elizabeth Leigh Countess Southampton (age 25) were married. She by marriage Countess of Southampton. She the daughter of [her husband] Francis Leigh 1st Earl Chichester (age 47) and Audrey Boteler Countess Chichester. He the son of Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton and Elizabeth Vernon Countess Southampton (age 73).

Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall

The Chronicle of Abbot Ralph of Coggeshall (Chronicon Anglicanum) is an indispensable medieval history that brings to life centuries of English and European affairs through the eyes of a learned Cistercian monk. Ralph of Coggeshall, abbot of the Abbey of Coggeshall in Essex in the early 13th century, continued and expanded his community’s chronicle, documenting events from the Norman Conquest of 1066 into the tumultuous reign of King Henry III. Blending eyewitness testimony, careful compilation, and the monastic commitment to record-keeping, this chronicle offers a rare narrative of political intrigue, royal power struggles, and social upheaval in England and beyond. Ralph’s work captures the reigns of pivotal figures such as Richard I and King John, providing invaluable insights into their characters, decisions, and the forces that shaped medieval rule. More than a simple annal, Chronicon Anglicanum conveys the texture of medieval life and governance, making it a rich source for scholars and readers fascinated by English history, monastic authorship, and the shaping of the medieval world.

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In 1647 [her brother] William Boteler 2nd Baron Boteler died. Baron Boteler of Brantfield, Baronet Boteler of Hatfield Woodhall in Hertfordshire extinct.

On 16th September 1652 Audrey Boteler Countess Chichester died.

On 21st December 1653 [her former husband] Francis Leigh 1st Earl Chichester (age 55) died. Baronet Leigh of Newnham in Warwickshire, Baron Dunsmore of Dunsmore in Warwickshire extinct.

His son-in-law [her son-in-law] Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester (age 46) succeeded 2nd Earl Chichester.

[her daughter] Mary Leigh Viscountess Grandison was born to Francis Leigh 1st Earl Chichester and Audrey Boteler Countess Chichester. She married her first cousin once removed George Villiers 4th Viscount Grandison and had issue.

[her son] John Anderson 1st Baronet was born to Francis Anderson and Audrey Boteler Countess Chichester.