Biography of Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster 1281-1345

In 1269 Henry I King Navarre (age 25) and [his mother] Blanche Capet Queen Navarre (age 21) were married. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Robert Capet Count of Artois and [his grandmother] Matilda Reginar Countess Saint Pol (age 45). He the son of Theobald IV King Navarre and Margaret Bourbon Queen Consort Navarre. They were half third cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King William "Conqueror" I of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

On 8th April 1269 [his father] Edmund "Crouchback" Plantagenet 1st Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Lancaster (age 24) and Aveline Forz 6th Countess Albemarle and Lancaster were married. She by marriage Countess Lancaster. She the daughter of William Forz 4th Earl Albemarle and Isabella Redvers 8th Countess Devon and Albemarle (age 31). He the son of [his grandfather] King Henry III of England (age 61) and [his grandmother] Eleanor of Provence Queen Consort England (age 46). They were half fourth cousin twice removed. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

On 3rd February 1276 [his father] Edmund "Crouchback" Plantagenet 1st Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Lancaster (age 31) and [his mother] Blanche Capet Queen Navarre (age 28) were married. She by marriage Countess Lancaster. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Robert Capet Count of Artois and [his grandmother] Matilda Reginar Countess Saint Pol (age 52). He the son of King Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence Queen Consort England (age 53). They were second cousin once removed. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

Around 1281 Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster was born to [his father] Edmund "Crouchback" Plantagenet 1st Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Lancaster (age 35) and [his mother] Blanche Capet Queen Navarre (age 33). He a grandson of King Henry III of England.

On 16th August 1284 [his brother-in-law] King Philip IV of France (age 16) and [his half-sister] Joan Blois I Queen Navarre (age 11) were married. She by marriage Queen Consort of France. She the daughter of Henry I King Navarre and [his mother] Blanche Capet Queen Navarre (age 36). He the son of King Philip III of France (age 39) and Isabella Barcelona Queen Consort France. They were second cousins. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

On 5th October 1285 King Philip III of France (age 40) died of dysentery; see Annals of Dunstable. His son [his brother-in-law] Philip (age 17) succeeded IV King France: Capet. [his half-sister] Joan Blois I Queen Navarre (age 12) by marriage Queen Consort of France.

On 30th December 1292 Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 11) and Maud Chaworth (age 10) were married. He the son of Edmund "Crouchback" Plantagenet 1st Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Lancaster (age 47) and Blanche Capet Queen Navarre (age 44).

In 1294 [his brother] Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln (age 16) and [his sister-in-law] Alice Lacy Countess Leicester, and Lancaster 5th Countess of Salisbury 5th Countess Lincoln (age 12) were married. She the daughter of Henry Lacy 4th Earl Lincoln, Earl Salisbury (age 43) and Margaret Longespée 4th Countess of Salisbury and Lincoln. He the son of [his father] Edmund "Crouchback" Plantagenet 1st Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Lancaster (age 48) and [his mother] Blanche Capet Queen Navarre (age 46). They were half second cousin twice removed. He a grandson of King Henry III of England. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

On 5th June 1296 [his father] Edmund "Crouchback" Plantagenet 1st Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Lancaster (age 51) died at Bayonne [Map]. He was buried at Westminster Abbey [Map]. His son [his brother] Thomas (age 18) succeeded 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster. [his sister-in-law] Alice Lacy Countess Leicester, and Lancaster 5th Countess of Salisbury 5th Countess Lincoln (age 14) by marriage Countess of Leicester, Countess Lancaster.

On 2nd May 1302 [his mother] Blanche Capet Queen Navarre (age 54) died.

In 1305 [his daughter] Blanche Plantagenet Baroness Wake Liddell was born to Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 24) and [his wife] Maud Chaworth (age 22). She a great granddaughter of King Henry III of England. She married after 1305 her half third cousin once removed Thomas Wake 2nd Baron Wake of Liddell, son of John Wake 1st Baron Wake of Liddell and Joan Fiennes Baroness Wake Liddell.

After 1305 [his son-in-law] Thomas Wake 2nd Baron Wake of Liddell (age 8) and Blanche Plantagenet Baroness Wake Liddell were married. She by marriage Baroness Wake of Liddell. She the daughter of Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 24) and Maud Chaworth (age 22). They were half third cousin once removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King John of England. She a great granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

On 2nd April 1305 [his half-sister] Joan Blois I Queen Navarre (age 32) died.

Around 1310 [his daughter] Maud Plantagenet Countess Ulster was born to Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 29) and [his wife] Maud Chaworth (age 27). She a great granddaughter of King Henry III of England. She married (1) 16th November 1327 her second cousin once removed William Donn Burgh 3rd Earl of Ulster and had issue (2) in or before 1345 Ralph Ufford, son of Robert Ufford 1st Baron Ufford and Cecily Valoignes Baroness Ufford, and had issue.

Around 1310 [his son] Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster was born to Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 29) and [his wife] Maud Chaworth (age 27) at Grosmont Castle [Map]. He a great grandson of King Henry III of England. He married 1328 his fourth cousin Isabel Beaumont Duchess Lancaster, daughter of Henry Beaumont Earl Buchan and Alice Comyn Baroness Beaumont, and had issue.

In February 1311 Henry Lacy 4th Earl Lincoln, Earl Salisbury (age 60) died at Lincoln's Inn. His daughter [his sister-in-law] Alice (age 29) succeeded 5th Countess Salisbury, 5th Countess Lincoln, 10th Baroness Pontefract, 11th Baroness Halton. [his brother] Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln (age 33) by marriage Earl Salisbury, Earl Lincoln.

In February 1311 [his brother] Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln (age 33) by marriage Earl Salisbury, Earl Lincoln.

Around 1312 [his daughter] Joan Plantagenet Baroness Mowbray was born to Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 31) and [his wife] Maud Chaworth (age 29) at Grosmont Castle [Map]. She a great granddaughter of King Henry III of England. She married before 24th June 1340 her half third cousin twice removed John Mowbray 3rd Baron Mowbray, son of John Mowbray 2nd Baron Mowbray and Aline de Braose Baroness Mowbray, and had issue.

Around 1317 [his daughter] Isabel Plantagenet was born to Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 36) and [his wife] Maud Chaworth (age 34). She a great granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

In 1318 [his brother] Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln (age 40) and [his sister-in-law] Alice Lacy Countess Leicester, and Lancaster 5th Countess of Salisbury 5th Countess Lincoln (age 36) were divorced.

On 11th September 1318 [his daughter] Eleanor Plantagenet Countess Arundel and Surrey was born to Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 37) and [his wife] Maud Chaworth (age 36). She a great granddaughter of King Henry III of England. She married (1) 6th November 1330 her fourth cousin John Beaumont 2nd Baron Beaumont, son of Henry Beaumont Earl Buchan and Alice Comyn Baroness Beaumont, and had issue (2) 5th April 1345 her half third cousin Richard Fitzalan 3rd or 10th Earl of Arundel 8th Earl of Surrey, son of Edmund Fitzalan 2nd or 9th Earl of Arundel and Alice Warenne Countess Arundel, and had issue.

Around 1320 [his daughter] Mary Plantagenet Baroness Percy was born to Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 39) and [his wife] Maud Chaworth (age 37) at Tutbury Castle, Staffordshire [Map]. She a great granddaughter of King Henry III of England. She married before 10th November 1341 her half third cousin once removed Henry Percy 11th and 3rd Baron Percy, son of Henry Percy 10th and 2nd Baron Percy and Idonia Clifford Baroness Percy, and had issue.

On 3rd December 1322 [his wife] Maud Chaworth (age 40) died.

On 29th March 1324 Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 43) was restored 3rd Earl of Leicester.

Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Thus the noble Lord Edward, formerly king, patiently accepted the deprivation of the royal crown and his liberty for the love of Jesus Christ, the poor crucified one. He remained with his kinsman, Henry (age 45), Earl of Leicester, needing nothing more than what was fitting for a recluse, living almost monastically. In the depths of his misfortune, this servant of God lamented nothing, except that his wife, whom he could not help but love, refused to see him. He had lived bereft of her embrace for more than a year, and she did not allow their son, the new king, nor any of their children, to offer him the comfort of their presence. How many tender laments did he utter in a soft voice, like a second Orpheus, but in vain. How often did he weep, mourning aloud, that one so noble and so endowed by nature with beauty could become embittered with the gall of betrayal. When others listened to him, he did not keep silent under oath, declaring that after first seeing her, he had never been able to love another woman. The love of this suffering man, his patience in all other misfortunes, so moved the earl his keeper and all their household, that they could not keep from informing his wife of the noble knight's lingering affection. But she, not moved by love but stirred by fury, the iron virago, began in secret thought to fear¹ that the Church, accustomed to showing mercy to the wretched, might someday compel her to take back her rejected husband to her marriage bed. For she reasoned that even stronger men, indifferent or innocent of pity, might be turned to mercy by the sight of his suffering. And indeed, he had, through the endurance of his trials and the rich fragrance of every virtue, already won the pity of many who once were his enemies, whom she herself had appointed as his keepers.

Itaque generosus dominus Edwardus, quondam rex, regie corone atque libertatis privacionem pro amore Iesu Christi pauperis crucifixi pacienter admittens, cum suo consanguineco comite Leicestrie Henrico mansit, nullo egens quo reclusus et quasi monasticus indigebat. Nullum infortunium in ima depressus deplanxit Dei servus, nisi quod uxor sua, quam non potuit non amare, nolebat ipsum videre, cuius amplexibus plus quam per annum vixit viduatus, et quod nec illa permisit filium suum novum regem aut aliquem suorum liberorum sibi presenciale solacium prebere. Quot amorosa teleumata voce submissa tamquam alter Orfeus concinuit, set incassum Haa quociens deflevit querulus quod tam generosa et tot nature dotibus tam speciosa potuit prodicionis amaricari felle Auscultantibus quandoque non siluit sub iuramento quod, postquam primo vidit illam, nunquam aliam mulicrem potuit amare. Amor languentis, in ceteris adversis paciencia, comitem custodem et omnes illorum familiares ad miseracionem tantam provocarunt, quod generosi militis amorem languidum uxoris sue cordi duriori incude adamantino non dimiserunt nunciare. Unde, non amore mota set furore commota, ferrea virago secreto cogitatu cepit expavescere, ne unquam per ecclesiam, miseris consuetam misereri, foret compulsa viro repudiato iterum impertire torum. Excogitavit enim quod a forciori homines indifferentes et pietatis alumnos in sui miseracionem provocaret, qui suos inimicos, quos ipsa supra ministros ordinavit, per adversitatum tolleranciam et omnium virtutum uberem fragranciam ad pietatem sui inclinavit.

Note 1. One of the charges to which Orleton answered in his apology was that the queen was prevented from returning to her husband through his influence. Scriptores 10.2766-8: "As to the third charge, which is falsely alleged. The said libel claims that, through my false and deceitful preaching and assertions, I instilled such fear in the Lady Queen, the mother of our lord the king, while she was at Wallingford, that she did not dare approach her husband, the aforesaid king; and that, as a result, the good of the marriage, both in terms of the procreation of offspring and of mutual fidelity and the sacrament, was impeded. In reply, I say and assert that when the said Queen Isabella was staying at Wallingford with her son, our present lord the king, and heard certain criticisms concerning the fact that she had not gone to her husband in person, she took counsel with deliberate intent. With the advice of the reverend fathers of blessed memory, Walter, then Archbishop of Canterbury, John, then Bishop of Winchester, now Archbishop-elect of Canterbury, William, Bishop of Norwich; and the noble lords the Earls of Lancaster, Kent, and other nobles of her council, at which I myself, then Bishop of Hereford, was present, it was enjoined upon me to publicly state certain specific reasons by which the queen could justly fear the cruelty of the said king, which she had frequently experienced. I was to defend her against such slanders and accusations. This I did, in accordance with the information given to me, in the presence of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the nobles named above, adding nothing of my own, and omitting nothing that had been instructed. Furthermore, while I was outside the kingdom of England, the said Lady Queen, because of continued criticism, caused a great assembly to be held at Stamford [23–24 April 1327], summoning the same bishops and nobles, along with many other prelates, earls, barons, and nobles of the realm, in great number. There, after careful discussion, it was unanimously agreed and advised to the said Lady Queen that under no circumstances should she be permitted to approach the said king, even though she had offered herself ready and willing to do so, if it could be done in safety. All these things are so public and well known throughout the kingdom of England that there is no room for denial. From this, it is manifestly clear how false and malicious are the inventions and fabrications of those things contained in the third part of the said appeal or scandalous libel. Moreover, the aforesaid Lady Queen, long before the said sermon [of Bishop Orleton], while she was still in France, had a just fear of the cruelty of the king, her husband, as is evident from a letter sent on this matter to the late reverend father Lord W[alter], by the grace of God, Archbishop of Canterbury, of blessed memory, containing the following: 'Reverend father in God, we have carefully read your letter, in which you request that we return to the company of our most dear lord and husband, and you inform us that Sir Hugh le Despenser is not our enemy, but rather wishes us well, as you say. Of this we greatly marvel, for neither you nor anyone of sound understanding ought to believe that we would leave the company of our said lord without very great and reasonable cause. And if it were not to avoid danger to our person, and out of fear of the said Hugh, who had the governance of our said lord and of the whole realm, and who sought to dishonour us to the utmost of his power, as we are certain, and have well proven, though we long dissembled it to avoid danger. Indeed, we desire above all things, after God and the salvation of our soul, to be in the company of our said lord, to live and die in it. Therefore, we beg you as much as we can that you excuse us for not being able to do what you request in this matter, for we cannot in any way return to the company of our said lord without putting ourselves in danger of death, of which we are in such great peril that we cannot even write more fully." Given at Paris, Wednesday after Candlemas [5th February 1326].

It has already been seen, from Dene's account, that Orleton declared in the parliament of the 7th January that the queen would be murdered by her husband, if she returned to him. In the judgement passed upon Mortimer in the parliament of November 1330, one of the charges was [Parliament Rolls, 2.53.]: "The said Roger [de Mortimer], falsely and maliciously, sowed discord between our lord the king's father and the queen his wife, and made her believe that, if she were to come to him, he would kill her with a knife or murder her in some other way. Because of this, and by his other deceits, he caused the said queen never to come to her said lord, to the great dishonour of the king and of the queen his mother, and to the great harm of the entire realm, with consequences that may arise in time to come, God forbid."

A touching passage of the Brute chronicle (Harley MS. 2279) may also here be quoted: "And this Edwarde of Carnarvon was in the castel of Barkelegh, under the kepyng of sir Morice of Berkelee and of sir John of Mautravers; and to hem he made his compleynt of his sorowe and his disease. And ofte tymes he axede of his wardeyns what he had trespassed ayens dame Isabelle his wife and sir Edward his sone, that was newe made kyng, that thei wolde noujte visite him. Tho answerde on of his wardeynes: 'Mi worthi lorde, displese yow noughte that I shalle yow telle the incheson is, for hit is done hem to understonde that if my ladie your wife come eny thing nygh yow that ye wolde hire strangle and quelle; and also that ye wolde done to my lorde youre sone.' Then answerde he with simple chere and seide: 'Alas! alas! Am I nought in prison and alle atte youre owene wille? Now God hit wote, I thoujte hit never; and now I wolde that I were dede, so wolde God that I were, for than were alle my sorowe passede.'"

In 1327 Melbourne Castle [Map] was given to Henry of Lancaster (age 46) by the Crown.

After 27th January 1327 Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 46) was restored 3rd Earl Lancaster.

On 16th November 1327 [his son-in-law] William Donn Burgh 3rd Earl of Ulster (age 15) and Maud Plantagenet Countess Ulster (age 17) were married. She by marriage Countess of Ulster. She the daughter of Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 46) and Maud Chaworth. They were second cousin once removed. He a great grandson of King Edward I of England. She a great granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

Around 1328 Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster (age 18) and Isabel Beaumont Duchess Lancaster (age 8) were married. She the daughter of Henry Beaumont Earl Buchan (age 49) and Alice Comyn Baroness Beaumont. He the son of Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 47) and Maud Chaworth. They were fourth cousins. He a great grandson of King Henry III of England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

On 6th November 1330 [his son-in-law] John Beaumont 2nd Baron Beaumont (age 12) and Eleanor Plantagenet Countess Arundel and Surrey (age 12) were married. She the daughter of Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 49) and Maud Chaworth. He the son of Henry Beaumont Earl Buchan (age 51) and Alice Comyn Baroness Beaumont. They were fourth cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England. She a great granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

Before 24th June 1340 [his son-in-law] John Mowbray 3rd Baron Mowbray (age 29) and Joan Plantagenet Baroness Mowbray (age 28) were married. She by marriage Baroness Mowbray. She the daughter of Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 59) and Maud Chaworth. They were half third cousin twice removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

Before 10th November 1341 [his son-in-law] Henry Percy 11th and 3rd Baron Percy (age 20) and Mary Plantagenet Baroness Percy (age 21) were married. She by marriage Baroness Percy of Alnwick. She the daughter of Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 60) and Maud Chaworth. They were half third cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a great granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

In or before 1345 [his son-in-law] Ralph Ufford (age 42) and Maud Plantagenet Countess Ulster (age 34) were married. She the daughter of Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 63) and Maud Chaworth.

In 1345 [his daughter] Isabel Plantagenet (age 28) died.

On 5th April 1345 [his son-in-law] Richard Fitzalan 3rd or 10th Earl of Arundel 8th Earl of Surrey (age 39) and Eleanor Plantagenet Countess Arundel and Surrey (age 26) were married at Ditton Church, Stoke Poges. She by marriage Countess Arundel. She the daughter of Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 64) and Maud Chaworth. He the son of Edmund Fitzalan 2nd or 9th Earl of Arundel and Alice Warenne Countess Arundel. They were half third cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King John of England. She a great granddaughter of King Henry III of England.

On 22nd September 1345 Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster (age 64) died at Leicester Castle [Map]. His son Henry (age 35) succeeded 4th Earl of Leicester, 4th Earl Lancaster.

Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. In this year, after the feast of Saint Martin, there assembled at Calais¹ the Bishop of Norwich (age 50), the Earl of Lancaster, the Earl of Suffolk (age 50), and Lord Walter Mauny (age 38) on the part of the English; and on the part of the French, the Bishop of Lyon, the Duke of Bourbon, the Duke of Dauphiné, the Count of Guînes, the Lord of Tancarville, and Lord Geoffrey de Charny (age 42), for the purpose of renewing the truces. But the Earl of Lancaster refused to give his assent until two fortifications at Calais, which were harmful and built contrary to the terms of the previous truces, had been demolished. Once that had been done, the truces were renewed, set to last until the first day of December of the following year.

Isto anno, post festum sancti Martini, convenerunt apud Calesiam episcopus Norwycensis, comes Lancastrie, comes Suthfolchie, et dominus Walterus Magne, ex parte Anglorum; item, episcopus Lugdunensis, dux de Burbone et dux Dactenes et comes de Gynes et dominus de Tankerville et dominus Galfridus de Charny, ex parte Francorum, pro treugis renovandis; quibus noluit comes Lancastrie assentire, quousque duo fortalicia Calesie nociva et contra formam pristinarum treugarum edificata fuerant diruta. Quo facto, renovate sunt treuge, usque ad primum diem Decembris anni proximo futuri durature.

Note 1. The commission to the English envoys is dated 25th September 1348. The French envoys were Hugues, bishop of Laon, Jean de Nesle, sire d'Offemont, Geoffroi de Charny, and the master of the crossbowmen. The prolongation of the truce to the 1st September (not December) of the following year was agreed to on the 13th November. Rymer's Fœdera 3.173, 177. Baker appears to have confused the negotiations of this and the next year.

After 1353 Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster was reburied at Church of the Annunciation of our Lady of the Newark [Map].