Maurice de Berkeley, 4th Baron Berkeley

Restored effigy of Maurice de Berkeley, 4th Baron Berkeley, "The Valiant", in St Augustine's Abbey (now Bristol Cathedral), founded by his ancestor. Adjacent at his right hand is the effigy of his mother Margaret Mortimer(died 1337). The arms of Berkeley are shown on his tunic. His head rests on his helm atop which is visible the crest of Berkeley a bishop's mitre

Arms of Berkeley: Gules, a chevron between ten crosses pattée six in chief and four in base argent

Chest tomb supporting restored effigies of Maurice Berkeley, Baron Berkeley(died 1368) "The Valiant", and his mother Margaret Mortimer(died 1337), St Augustine's Abbey (Bristol Cathedral), Lady Chapel, south wall

Maurice de Berkeley, 4th Baron Berkeley (c. 1320 – 8 June 1368), The Valiant, feudal baron of Berkeley, of Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire, was an English peer. His epithet, and that of each previous and subsequent head of his family, was coined by John Smyth of Nibley (died 1641), steward of the Berkeley estates, the biographer of the family and author of "Lives of the Berkeleys".

Career

He was the eldest son and heir of Thomas de Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley by his wife Lady Margaret Mortimer.

In the early 1340s he was one of the English knights who joined the forces of Alfonso XI of Castile in his crusade against the Moorish kingdom of Algeciras. He was subsequently retained by the Black Prince and in 1355 joined his campaign in France. Wounded and captured at Poitiers, it took him over three years to raise the money for his ransom. Ill health apparently prevented his taking an active role in public life, following his return to England.

Marriage and Children

In August 1338 Berkeley married Elizabeth le Despenser, daughter of Hugh Despenser the younger by his wife Eleanor de Clare. By Elizabeth he had four sons and three daughters:

• Thomas de Berkeley, 5th Baron Berkeley
• Sir James de Berkeley (d. 13 June 1405) married Elizabeth Bluet; one of their sons was James Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley
• John de Berkeley died on campaign in France in the reign of Richard II
• Maurice de Berkeley married Jone Hereford
• Catherine became a nun at Wherwell Abbey
• Agnes died unmarried
• Elizabeth died unmarried

Ancestry

Ancestors of Maurice de Berkeley, 4th Baron Berkeley

16. Sir Maurice de Berkeley 8. Thomas de Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley 17. Isabel FitzRoy 4. Maurice de Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley 18. William de Ferrers, 5th Earl of Derby 9. Joan de Ferrers 19. Margaret de Quinci 2. Thomas de Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley 20. 10. Eon la Zouche 21. 5. Eve la Zouche 22. 11. Millicent de Cauntelo 23. 1. Maurice de Berkeley, 4th Baron Berkeley 24. Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Mortimer 12. Edmund Mortimer, 2nd Baron Wigmore 25. Maud de Braose 6. Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March 26. William de Fiennes, Baron of Tingry and Fiennes 13. Margaret de Fiennes 27. Blanche de Brienne 3. Margaret Mortimer 28. Geoffrey de Geneville, 1st Baron Geneville 14. Sir Piers de Geneville 29. Maud de Lacy 7. Joan de Geneville, Baroness Geneville 30. Hugh XII of Lusignan 15. Jeanne of Lusignan 31. Jeanne de Fougères

Sources

• Richardson, Douglas, Kimball G. Everingham, and David Faris. Plantagenet Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families. Royal ancestry series. (p. 99) Baltimore, Md: Genealogical Pub. Co, 2004. Retrieved April 21, 2008