William la Zouche, 1st Baron Zouche
William la Zouche | |
|---|---|
| 1st Baron Zouche of Harringworth | |
 | |
| Born | 1277[2] Harringworth[2] |
| Died | 10 March 1352[3] |
| Spouse(s) | Maud Lovell[4] Joan Leybourne |
| Father | Eudo la Zouche |
| Mother | Millicent de Cantilupe |
William la Zouche, 1st Baron Zouche of Harringworth was a Parliamentary Baron and soldier of the Wars of Scottish Independence.
Ancestry
William was the son of Eudo la Zouch and Millicent, daughter of William III de Cantilupe, a close friend of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester.
William's younger brother was Roger la Zouch, Lord of Lubbesthorpe (d.1303), father of Roger la Zouch the instigator of the murder of Roger de Beler in 1326. William's sister, Eva, was married to the rebel Maurice de Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley who was imprisoned in Wallingford Castle and died there also in 1326.
Career and life
William inherited the manor of Harringworth including a park and wood upon the death of his mother Millicent de Monte Alto (née. Cantilupe) in 1299.[2]
He was summoned to Parliament as Baron Zouche of Harringworth from 1308 to 1325[5] and to serve against the Scottish from 1314 (after the disastrous Battle of Bannockburn) to 1317.[5]
He was pardoned for his role in the death of Piers Gaveston in October 1313[5] but made a Conservator of the Peace in Northamptonshire from 1317 to 1321 and ordered to suppress illegal meetings.[5]
In February 1322 William was ordered to muster as many men-at-arms and foot soldiers as he could and to march to the King to aid in the suppression of the rebels of Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster.[5] William declined and sent two men-at-arms in June, claiming ill health as his excuse.[5]
Later in 1322 he was summoned to serve against the Scots and against Lancaster's rebels.[5] He was summoned to defend Aquitane in 1324, which was lost under the poor leadership of Hugh le Despenser, 1st Earl of Winchester, and to go to Gascony in 1325.[5]
After Queen Isabella and Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March's successful overthrow of her husband, Edward II, Sir William la Zouch was summoned to the Parliament held in January 1327[5] which decided it had lost confidence in the rule of Edward and forced his abdication.
William died on 10 March 1352 and Inquisition Post-Mortems found he held land in Shropshire, Wiltshire, Norfolk, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Rutland, Warwickshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Worcestershire.[3]
Family
He had the following issue:
- Ivo/Eudo la Zouch (d.April 1326 Paris, France[6]). m. Joan d and h of William Inge.[6] Succeeded by his son William la Zouche, 2nd Baron Zouche
- William la Zouch[5]
- John la Zouch, elder[5]
- Roger la Zouch[5]
- Thomas la Zouch[5]
- John la Zouch, younger[5]
- Edmund la Zouch[5]
- Millicent la Zouch[5] m. William Deyncourt
- Isabel la Zouch[5]
- Thomasina la Zouch[5]
Ivo/Eudo la Zouch was a member of the Folville Gang that assassinated the corrupt Baron of the Exchequer, Sir Roger de Beler in January 1326 shortly before the overthrow of Edward II by his wife, Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March.[7] The Gang fled from England in March 1326 to Paris where Isabella and Mortimer were in court.[8]
References
- ^ Harley MS 5803, London: British Library, Harl MS 5803
- ^ a b c Cal Inq PMs III 1912.
- ^ a b Cal Inq PMs X.
- ^ Cal Inq PMs V 1908.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Parl Writs II Digest 1834.
- ^ a b Cal Inq PMs VI.
- ^ Patent Rolls 1232–1509.
- ^ Nichols 1795
Bibliography
- Banks, Thomas Christopher (1808). Dormant and Extinct Baronage. Vol. 2. London: J.White.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Cokayne, George Edward (1893). Complete Peerage. Vol. 12. London: George Bell & Sons.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Dugdale, William (1675). The Baronage of England. Vol. I. London: Thomas Newcombe.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem. Vol. III. London: HMSO. 1912.
- Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem. Vol. V. London: HMSO. 1908.
- Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem. Vol. VI. London: HMSO. 1910.
- Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem. Vol. X. London: HMSO. 1921.
- Moor, Charles (1929). The Knights of Edward I. London: Harleian Society.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Nichols, John (1795). The History and Antiquities of the County of Leicester. Vol. IV. Leicester: John Nichols.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help) - Patent Rolls. Westminster: Parliament of England. 1232–1509.
- Parliamentary Writs Alphabetical Digest. Vol. II. London: Public Record Office. 1834.