Biography of William de Valence 1st Earl Pembroke -1296

Paternal Family Tree: Lusignan

Maternal Family Tree: Helene du Donjon 1095-1189

William de Valence 1st Earl Pembroke was born to Hugh X of Lusignan V Count La Marche and Isabella of Angoulême Queen Consort England.

On 4th June 1246 [his mother] Isabella of Angoulême Queen Consort England (age 58) died at Fontevraud Abbey [Map]. Her son [his brother] Hugh (age 25) succeeded II Count Angoulême. Yolande Capet Countess Lusignan, La Marche and Angoulême (age 27) by marriage Countess Angoulême.

In 1247 William de Valence 1st Earl Pembroke was created 1st Earl Pembroke. [his wife] Joan Munchensi Countess Pembroke (age 17) by marriage Countess Pembroke.

In 1247 William de Valence 1st Earl Pembroke and Joan Munchensi Countess Pembroke (age 17) were married. He the son of Hugh X of Lusignan V Count La Marche (age 64) and Isabella of Angoulême Queen Consort England.

On 5th June 1249 [his father] Hugh X of Lusignan V Count La Marche (age 66) died. His son [his brother] Hugh (age 28) succeeded XI Seigneur of Lusignan, VI Count La Marche. Yolande Capet Countess Lusignan, La Marche and Angoulême (age 30) by marriage Seigneur of Lusignan, Countess La Marche.

In 1250 [his daughter] Agnes Valence died.

Battle of Lewes

On 14th May 1264 the army of Simon de Montfort 6th Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Chester (age 56) including Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford (age 20), Henry Hastings (age 29) and Nicholas Segrave 1st Baron Segrave (age 26) defeated the army of [his half-brother] King Henry III of England (age 56) during the Battle of Lewes at Lewes [Map].

King Henry III of England, his son, the future, King Edward I of England (age 24), Humphrey Bohun 2nd Earl Hereford 1st Earl Essex (age 60), [his half-brother] Richard of Cornwall 1st Earl Cornwall (age 55), John "Red" Comyn 1st Lord Baddenoch (age 44), Philip Marmion 5th Baron Marmion (age 30) and John Giffard 1st Baron Giffard Brimpsfield (age 32) were captured. John Warenne 6th Earl of Surrey (age 33), John Balliol (age 56), Robert Bruce 5th Lord Annandale (age 49), Roger Leybourne (age 49) and William de Valence 1st Earl Pembroke fought for the King. [his brother] Guy Lusignan was killed. Fulk IV Fitzwarin (age 44) drowned. Bishop Walter de Cantelupe (age 73) was present and blessed the Montfort army before the battle.

Around 1275 [his son] Aymer de Valence 2nd Earl Pembroke was born to William de Valence 1st Earl Pembroke and [his wife] Joan Munchensi Countess Pembroke (age 45).

In January 1277 [his son] John Valence died.

Before 1282 [his son-in-law] John Hastings 13th Baron Abergavenny 1st Baron Hastings (age 19) and [his daughter] Isabel Valence Baroness Bergavenny Baroness Hastings were married. She by marriage Baroness Abergavenny Feudal Creation. She the daughter of William de Valence 1st Earl Pembroke and [his wife] Joan Munchensi Countess Pembroke (age 51). They were sixth cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

Battle of Llandeilo Fawr

                    On 17th June 1282 the army of Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford (age 38) were ambushed by the Welsh at Llandeilo.
                
                    [his son] William "The Younger" Valence was killed.
                
                    Much of Gilbert Clare's army of 1600 men was destroyed.

Before 1295 [his son] Aymer de Valence 2nd Earl Pembroke (age 19) and [his daughter-in-law] Béatrix de Clermont were married. He the son of William de Valence 1st Earl Pembroke and [his wife] Joan Munchensi Countess Pembroke (age 64). They were fourth cousin once removed. She a great x 5 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

On 13th June 1296 William de Valence 1st Earl Pembroke died or was killed at Bayonne [Map]. He was buried at the west side of the door to Chapel of St Edmund, Westminster Abbey [Map] where there is an altar-tomb of stone, surmounted by a broken sarcophagus, on which is a recumbent effigy of the earl. The figure is of wood, and was originally covered with copper-gilt, as was the chest on which it lies. An indulgence of one hundred days was granted to all devout people who should offer up prayers for his soul.

Effigy of William de Valence, Earl of Pembroke. WILLIAM DE VALENCE, son of [his father] Hugh de Brun, Earl of March, and half-brother by his mother, [his mother] Isabel d'Angouleme, to [his half-brother] Henry III, in 1247, came to England. Soon after his arrival he was with great state and solemnity knighted by the king at Westminster, who continuing to lavish favours on him and his brothers, and also giving himself too much to their counsels, the indignation and hatred of the barons was raised against them. In consequence William de Valence was obliged to quit the kingdom, but returning three or four years after, commanded in the king's army at the battle of Lewes, 1264. On seeing the day lost he fled to Pevensey, and from thence to France; but it appears he did not remain there any time, being at the battle of Evesham, 1265, which restored to Henry III. his regal authority. William de Valence, 10th of Edward I, 1283, was in the expedition against the Welsh, and in 1296 being at Bayonne, was there slain by the French.

His monument is composed of an altar tomb of stone, on which is raised a superstructure of oak, bearing the effigy of the deceased, formed of the same material: the whole of this wood-work was once covered with plates of copper enamelled and gilt; but of these splendid decorations, there is scarcely any thing left but what is to be found on the figure, which has also suffered in parts. The human form is rudely expressed, a costly display of materials and workmanship appears to have been the principal object of the artist who executed it; and it indeed gives a very high idea of the goldsmith's art at that early period. William de Valence is represented entirely in mail. On his head is a rich circle, once adorned with stones or glass, but the empty collets now only remain. The surcoat has been powdered with a number of little escutcheons bearing the arms of De Valence, only three of these are left; the situation and number of those gone may be easily traced. The rich lacing about the surcoat and arms, appears to have been used for the purpose of concealing the unsightly joinings of the plates which cover the figure. In the spurs it is remarkable that they have been fastened on with cloth, in form of straps of an extraordinary thickness; of these, as might be expected, but a small portion remains. The table of the tomb has been covered with a fret of the arms of England and De Valence; it is possible that on the raised border which surrounded it, was the inscription, perfect in Weever's time, who says, "about the verge or side of his monument these verses are inlayed with brasse."

Click to read complete text ...

/_PHOTOS/20221024-Stothard/20221014-William_de_Valence.jpg

On 20th September 1307 [his former wife] Joan Munchensi Countess Pembroke (age 77) died. Her son [his son] Aymer (age 32) succeeded 2nd Earl Pembroke.

John Hastings 2nd Earl Pembroke 1347 1375 Arms. Quartered 1&4 Hastings Arms 2&3 Valence Arms. Valence for his birthplace Sutton Valence Castle [Map], and was a great great grandson of William de Valence 1st Earl Pembroke. Source.

[his daughter] Margaret Valence was born to William de Valence 1st Earl Pembroke and Joan Munchensi Countess Pembroke.

[his son] William "The Younger" Valence was born to William de Valence 1st Earl Pembroke and Joan Munchensi Countess Pembroke.

[his son] John Valence was born to William de Valence 1st Earl Pembroke and Joan Munchensi Countess Pembroke.

[his daughter] Joan Valence Lady Baddenoch was born to William de Valence 1st Earl Pembroke and Joan Munchensi Countess Pembroke.

[his daughter] Isabel Valence Baroness Bergavenny Baroness Hastings was born to William de Valence 1st Earl Pembroke and Joan Munchensi Countess Pembroke.

[his daughter] Agnes Valence was born to William de Valence 1st Earl Pembroke and Joan Munchensi Countess Pembroke.