Biography of Eleanor Cobham Duchess of Gloucester 1400-1452

On 16th December 1431 Henry VI (age 10) was crowned II King France: Lancaster at Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral [Map] by Cardinal Henry Beaufort (age 56). A somewhat futile exercise; the last gasps of the Hundred Years War. The ceremony had been arranged by [her brother-in-law] John Lancaster 1st Duke Bedford (age 42). His wife Anne Valois Duchess of Bedford (age 27) attended.

Walter Hungerford 1st Baron Hungerford (age 53) was appointed Carver.

Thomas Harrington (age 31), Richard Archer (age 44), Hugh Courtenay 12th Earl Devon and his son Thomas (age 17) attended.

On 22nd April 1433 [her brother-in-law] John Duke Bedford (age 43) and Jacquetta Luxemburg (age 18) were married at Thérouanne [Map]. She by marriage Duchess Bedford. The difference in their ages was 25 years. She the daughter of Peter Luxemburg I Count Saint Pol (age 43) and Margherita Baux (age 39). He the son of King Henry IV of England and Mary Bohun. They were half fifth cousins. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

The marriage caused a rift with Philip "Good" Duke Burgundy (age 36), John's late wife's brother, who regarded the marriage, some five months after his sister's death, an insult to her memory. There was no issue from the marriage with John dying a year and a half later.

On 14th September 1435 [her brother-in-law] John Lancaster 1st Duke Bedford (age 46) died at Rouen Castle [Map] without legitimate issue. Duke Bedford, Duke Bedford, Earl Kendal and Earl Richmond extinct. [her husband] Humphrey Lancaster 1st Duke Gloucester (age 44) became heir to the throne.

Before 27th October 1441 Eleanor Cobham Duchess of Gloucester (age 41), wife of the heir presumptive [her husband] Humphrey 1st Duke Gloucester (age 51), brother of the deceased King Henry V of England, uncle of King Henry VI of England and II of France (age 19), was tried for predicting the future of the King; in reality a veiled attack on her husband who had over-reached himself. She had consulted two astrologers Thomas Southwell and Roger Bolingbroke. All three were arrested, tried and found guilty. Eleanor denied most of the charges but confessd to obtaining potions from Margery Jourdemayne "The Witch of Eye" (age 26). She was sentenced to do public penance, divorce her husband and remain confined for the remainder of her life.

Chronicle of Gregory. 1441. And in the same year there were take certayne traytourys, the whyche purposyd to slee our lege lord the kyng (age 19) by crafte of egremauncey¹, and there instrumentys were opynly shewyde to alle men at the Crosse [Map] in Powlys chyrche yerde a-pon a schaffolde i-made there-for. Att the whyche tyme was present one of the same traytours, whiche was callyd Roger Bulbroke, a clerke of Oxforde, and for that same tresoun my Lady of Glouceter (age 41) toke sayntwerye at Westemyster; and the xj day of Auguste thenne next folowynge she toke the way to the castelle of Lesnes [Map].

Note 1. Necromancy.

Chronicle of Gregory. 13th November 1441. Ande in that same year the Lady of Glouceter (age 41) for the same treson she was juggyde by the spyrytualle lawe to iij sondyr or dyvers placys, that is to wete, on Mondaye, the xiij daye of Novembyr, to Powlys; and on the Wanysday i-sygnyd unto Crychyrche; and on the Fryday nexte folowyng to Synt Mychellys in Cornehylle.

On 23rd February 1447 [her husband] Humphrey Lancaster 1st Duke Gloucester (age 56) died at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk [Map]. He was possibly poisoned although more likely he died from a stroke. Duke Gloucester, Earl Pembroke extinct. His death left England with no heir to the throne in a direct line. Richard Plantagenet 3rd Duke of York (age 35) became heir presumptive until the birth of Edward of Westminster Prince of Wales six years later.