The Constable of Chester was a mediaeval hereditary office held by the

Barons of Halton The Barony of Halton, in Cheshire, England, comprised a succession of 15 barons and hereditary Constables of Chester under the overlordship of the Earl of Chester. It was not an English feudal barony granted by the king but a separate class of ...

. The functions of the Constable are unclear, possibly they related to the custody of

Chester Castle Chester Castle is in the city of Chester, Cheshire, England. It is sited at the southwest extremity of the area bounded by the city walls. The castle stands on an eminence overlooking the River Dee. In the castle complex are the remaining par ...

(built in 1070 by

Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester Hugh d'Avranches ( 1047 – 27 July 1101), nicknamed ''le Gros'' (the Large) or ''Lupus'' (the Wolf), was from 1071 the second Norman Earl of Chester and one of the great magnates of early Norman England. Early life and career Hugh d'Avra ...

), as was the main function of most mediaeval

constable A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...

s, but Sanders (1960) says the office-holder was constable for the entire

County Palatine In England, Wales and Ireland a county palatine or palatinate was an area ruled by a hereditary nobleman enjoying special authority and autonomy from the rest of a kingdom. The name derives from the Latin adjective ''palātīnus'', "relating to ...

Creation of office

In 1071

Hugh d'Avranches, Earl of Chester Hugh d'Avranches ( 1047 – 27 July 1101), nicknamed ''le Gros'' (the Large) or ''Lupus'' (the Wolf), was from 1071 the second Norman Earl of Chester and one of the great magnates of early Norman England. Early life and career Hugh d'Avra ...

(c. 1047–1101), (also known as "Hugh Lupus"), received from his maternal half-uncle King

William the Conqueror William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first House of Normandy, Norman List of English monarchs#House of Norman ...

the whole of the

of Chester (excluding episcopal lands) "to hold as freely by the sword as he (the king) himself held the Kingdom of England by the crown" and was appointed

Earl of Chester The Earldom of Chester was one of the most powerful earldoms in medieval England, extending principally over the counties of Cheshire and Flintshire. Since 1301 the title has generally been granted to heirs apparent to the English throne, and a ...

and

Count Palatine A count palatine (Latin ''comes palatinus''), also count of the palace or palsgrave (from German ''Pfalzgraf''), was originally an official attached to a royal or imperial palace or household and later a nobleman of a rank above that of an ord ...

. Hugh is believed to have appointed eight hereditary barons to serve under him, one of whom was William fitz Nigel,

Baron of Halton The Barony of Halton, in Cheshire, England, comprised a succession of 15 barons and hereditary Constables of Chester under the overlordship of the Earl of Chester. It was not an English feudal barony granted by the king but a separate class o ...

, Hereditary Constable and Marshal.Cokayne, ''

Complete Peerage ''The Complete Peerage'' (full title: ''The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom Extant, Extinct, or Dormant''; first edition by George Edward Cokayne, Clarenceux King of Arms; 2nd edition revis ...

'', new ed., Vol.III, p.165, note (b) Many sources place Nigel of Cotentin (fl.c. 1071–1080), the father of William fitz Nigel, as the first Hereditary Constable of Chester. Before the end of the 14th century the office changed to

Governor of Chester The Governor of Chester was a military officer responsible for the garrison at Chester Castle. The equivalent or related role from the 11th to 14th centuries was Constable of Chester. Governors * 1399: John Montagu, 3rd Earl of Salisbury * 1643: ...

, a military officer responsible for the garrison at Chester Castle, later assisted by a Lieutenant-Governor.

List of Constables

The list of Hereditary Constables of Chester is as follows:

Nigel of Cotentin (fl.c. 1071–1080)

Nigel of

Cotentin The Cotentin Peninsula (, ; nrf, Cotentîn ), also known as the Cherbourg Peninsula, is a peninsula in Normandy that forms part of the northwest coast of France. It extends north-westward into the English Channel, towards Great Britain. To its w ...

(fl.c. 1071/80), from the

Cotentin Peninsula The Cotentin Peninsula (, ; nrf, Cotentîn ), also known as the Cherbourg Peninsula, is a peninsula in Normandy that forms part of the northwest coast of France. It extends north-westward into the English Channel, towards Great Britain. To its w ...

in Normandy, of

Halton Castle Halton Castle is a castle in the village of Halton, part of the town of Runcorn, Cheshire, England. The castle is on the top of Halton Hill, a sandstone prominence overlooking the village. The original building, a motte-and-bailey castle beg ...

in Cheshire (situated on the

River Mersey The River Mersey () is in North West England. Its name derives from Old English and means "boundary river", possibly referring to its having been a border between the ancient kingdoms of Mercia and Northumbria. For centuries it has formed part ...

, 13 miles (21 km) north-east of Chester Castle), is believed to have been the first Constable of Chester and was the 1st

, one of the feudal baronies of the

County Palatine of Chester Cheshire ( ) is a ceremonial and historic county in North West England, bordered by Wales to the west, Merseyside and Greater Manchester to the north, Derbyshire to the east, and Staffordshire and Shropshire to the south. Cheshire's county town ...

established by Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester. In 1077 Nigel fought against the

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...

at the Battle of

Rhuddlan Rhuddlan () is a town, community, and electoral ward in the county of Denbighshire, Wales, in the historic county of Flintshire. Its associated urban zone is mainly on the right bank of the Clwyd; it is directly south of seafront town Rhyl. I ...

, as part of the Earl's campaign to conquer North Wales, the mountainous terrain to the west of Chester. It was almost certainly he who built the

motte-and-bailey A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade. Relatively easy to ...

castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

on Halton Hill.

William fitz Nigel (d. 1134)

William fitz Nigel William fitz Nigel (died 1134), of Halton Castle in Cheshire, England, was Constable of Chester and Baron of Halton within the county palatine of Chester ruled by the Earl of Chester. Origins Traditionally, he succeeded his father Nigel as bar ...

(d. 1133/4), son and heir, of

, 2nd Baron of Halton, 2nd Constable of Chester. From his wife, believed to have been the eldest daughter and heiress of Yorfid, baron of

Widnes Widnes ( ) is an Industrial city, industrial town in the Borough of Halton, Cheshire, England, which at the 2011 United Kingdom census, 2011 census had a population of 61,464. Historic counties of England, Historically in Lancashire, it is on t ...

he inherited the

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

manors of Widnes, Appleton,

Cronton Cronton is a village and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Knowsley, Merseyside, in England. The village is surrounded by green belt land. Over the county border in Cheshire, Widnes town centre is to the south-southeast. History H ...

and

Rainhill Rainhill is a village and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of St Helens, in Merseyside, England. The population of the civil parish taken at the 2011 census was 10,853. Historically part of Lancashire, Rainhill was formerly a townsh ...

. In 1115 he founded

Runcorn Priory Norton Priory is a historic site in Norton, Runcorn, Cheshire, England, comprising the remains of an abbey complex dating from the 12th to 16th centuries, and an 18th-century country house; it is now a museum. The remains are a scheduled a ...

of the

Augustinian Augustinian may refer to: *Augustinians, members of religious orders following the Rule of St Augustine *Augustinianism, the teachings of Augustine of Hippo and his intellectual heirs *Someone who follows Augustine of Hippo * Canons Regular of Sain ...

Order of

Canons Regular Canons regular are priests who live in community under a rule ( and canon in greek) and are generally organised into religious orders, differing from both secular canons and other forms of religious life, such as clerics regular, designated by a ...

, 1.5 miles west of Halton (which his son later moved to Norton), which the foundation charter states to have been done at the suggestion of

Robert de Limesey __NOTOC__ Robert de Limesey (died 1117) was a medieval cleric. He became Bishop of Chester in 1085, then his title changed to Bishop of Coventry when the see was moved in 1102.Fryde, et al. ''Handbook of British Chronology'' p. 253 Robert was a ...

, Bishop of Chester, and with the consent of

Richard d'Avranches, 2nd Earl of Chester Richard d'Avranches, 2nd Earl of Chester (1094 – 25 November 1120) was the son of Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester, and his wife, Ermentrude of Clermont. Early life He was seven years old when his father, known as Hugh the Fat, died. Due ...

(1094–1120). He was buried at Chester.

William fitz William (d. 1149/50)

William fitz William (d. 1149/50), son, of

, 3rd Baron of Halton, 3rd Constable of Chester. In 1134 he moved Runcorn Priory 2.2 miles (3.5 km) to the east at Norton, when it became

Norton Priory Norton Priory is a historic site in Norton, Runcorn, Cheshire, England, comprising the remains of an abbey complex dating from the 12th to 16th centuries, and an 18th-century country house; it is now a museum. The remains are a scheduled ...

, making it 0.9 miles north-east of Halton Castle. The move was done "at the request and on the advice of"

Roger de Clinton Roger de Clinton (died 1148) was a medieval Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield. He was responsible for organising a new grid street plan for the town of Lichfield in the 12th century which survives to this day. Life Clinton was the nephew of Geof ...

, Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry (whose diocese then covered Chester), probably to provide the canons with a larger and healthier site. He died in Normandy,Starkey, p.30 without issue, when his titles and offices passed to his brother-in-law

Eustace fitz John Eustace fitz John (died 1157), Constable of Chester, was a powerful magnate in northern England during the reigns of Henry I, Stephen and Henry II. From a relatively humble background in South East England, Eustace made his career serving Henry I ...

, husband of his sister Agnes.

Eustace fitz John (died 1157)

(died 1157), ''

jure uxoris ''Jure uxoris'' (a Latin phrase meaning "by right of (his) wife"), citing . describes a title of nobility used by a man because his wife holds the office or title ''suo jure'' ("in her own right"). Similarly, the husband of an heiress could becom ...

'' 4th Baron of Halton, 4th Constable of Chester, was a powerful

magnate The magnate term, from the late Latin ''magnas'', a great man, itself from Latin ''magnus'', "great", means a man from the higher nobility, a man who belongs to the high office-holders, or a man in a high social position, by birth, wealth or ot ...

northern England Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North Country, or simply the North, is the northern area of England. It broadly corresponds to the former borders of Angle Northumbria, the Anglo-Scandinavian Kingdom of Jorvik, and the ...

during the reigns of

Henry I Henry I may refer to: 876–1366 * Henry I the Fowler, King of Germany (876–936) * Henry I, Duke of Bavaria (died 955) * Henry I of Austria, Margrave of Austria (died 1018) * Henry I of France (1008–1060) * Henry I the Long, Margrave of the No ...

Stephen Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...

and Henry II. He was a son of

Domesday Domesday Book () – the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book" – is a manuscript record of the "Great Survey" of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 by order of King William I, known as William the Conqueror. The manusc ...

landholder

John fitzRichard John fitzRichard (fl. 1076) was an Anglo-Norman nobleman who became a landowner in England following the Norman Conquest. Biography He was a son of Richard fitzRanulf, and nephew of Waleran fitzRanulf, whose father Ranulf 'the Moneyer' had b ...

. King William II (1087-1100) granted Eustace custody of

Bamburgh Castle Bamburgh Castle is a castle on the northeast coast of England, by the village of Bamburgh in Northumberland. It is a Grade I listed building. The site was originally the location of a Celtic Brittonic fort known as ''Din Guarie'' and may have ...

in Northumberland, which he rebuilt in stone and in 1130 Eustace acquired the

fee farm A fee is the price one pays as remuneration for rights or services. Fees usually allow for overhead, wages, costs, and markup. Traditionally, professionals in the United Kingdom (and previously the Republic of Ireland) receive a fee in contra ...

of the feudal barony of

Knaresborough Knaresborough ( ) is a market and spa town and civil parish in the Borough of Harrogate, in North Yorkshire, England, on the River Nidd. It is east of Harrogate. History Knaresborough is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as ''Chenares ...

in Yorkshire. By his first marriage to the heiress Beatrice de Vesci he acquired

Malton Castle Malton Castle was a castle in Malton, North Yorkshire, England. A wooden motte and bailey castle was built by William Tyson, lord of Alnwick in the 11th century, on the site of the Roman fort of Derventio Brigantum. The castle was given to Eus ...

in Yorkshire and

Alnwick Castle Alnwick Castle () is a castle and country house in Alnwick in the English county of Northumberland. It is the seat of the 12th Duke of Northumberland, built following the Norman conquest and renovated and remodelled a number of times. It is a G ...

in Northumberland, and became ''

feudal baron A feudal baron is a vassal holding a heritable fief called a ''barony'', comprising a specific portion of land, granted by an overlord in return for allegiance and service. Following the end of European feudalism, feudal baronies have largely been ...

of Alnwick. He founded Malton Priory and Watton Priory.Cokayne, ''Complete Peerage'', new ed., Vol.XII, part 2, pp. 269-272 He had a son by Beatrice de Vesci, namely William de Vesci I (d.1183), who took his mother's surname and succeeded her as feudal baron of

Alnwick Alnwick ( ) is a market town in Northumberland, England, of which it is the traditional county town. The population at the 2011 Census was 8,116. The town is on the south bank of the River Aln, south of Berwick-upon-Tweed and the Scottish bor ...

Northumberland Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey. It is bordered by land on ...

.Sanders, p.103 He served jointly with

Walter Espec Walter Espec (died 1153) was a prominent military and judicial figure of the reign of Henry I of England. His father was probably William Speche (William Espec), who joined William the Conqueror in the Norman conquest of England. The senior S ...

justiciar Justiciar is the English form of the medieval Latin term ''justiciarius'' or ''justitiarius'' ("man of justice", i.e. judge). During the Middle Ages in England, the Chief Justiciar (later known simply as the Justiciar) was roughly equivalent ...

of the North. From about 1144 he became one of the main followers of

Ranulf de Gernon, 4th Earl of Chester Ranulf II (also known as Ranulf de Gernon), 4th Earl of Chester (1099–1153), was an Anglo-Norman baron who inherited the honour of the palatine county of Chester upon the death of his father Ranulf le Meschin, 3rd Earl of Chester. He was des ...

(1099–1153), from whom he gained much land. He married as his second wife Agnes, the elder of two daughters of William fitz Nigel of Halton, and on the childless death of her brother William fitz William, Eustace received much of the inheritance, including the barony of Halton and Chester constableship, as well as the manor of Donnington in Leicestershire, where he built

Donington Castle Donington Castle was in the village of Castle Donington in Leicestershire, England to the north of East Midlands Airport (). This early 12th-century castle was held by the de Lacy family. It was attacked around the time of '' Magna Carta''. ...

.Nichols, History of Leicester, vol.III, p.770 quoted in Farnham & Thompson, ''The Castle and Manor of Castle Donnington'', pp.32-

/ref>

Richard fitz Eustace (d. circa 1163)

Richard fitz Eustace Richard fitz Eustace (died circa 1163) was Constable of Chester and Baron of Halton within the County Palatine of Chester ruled by the Earl of Chester. He was a son of Eustace fitz John (died 1157), hereditary Constable of Chester, by his second w ...

(d. circa 1163), of

, 5th Baron of Halton, 5th Constable of Chester, son of Eustace fitz John by his second wife Agnes de Halton, heiress of Halton. He married as his second wife Aubrey/Albreda de Lissours, daughter of Robert de Lissours by his wife Aubrey/Albreda

de Lacy de Lacy (Laci, Lacie, Lascy, Lacey, Lassey) is the surname of an old Norman family which originated from Lassy, Calvados. The family took part in the Norman Conquest of England and the later Norman invasion of Ireland. The name is first recorde ...

, daughter and eventual sole heiress of Robert de Lacy I (d.pre-1130),

Sanders, p.138 of

Pontefract Pontefract is a historic market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England, east of Wakefield and south of Castleford. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is one of the towns in the City of Wake ...

in Yorkshire and

lord of Bowland The Lordship of Bowland is a feudal barony associated with the Forest of Bowland in Lancashire, England. The lordship fell into disuse between 1885 and 2008, during which time it was widely believed to have lapsed; it was revived in 2008. In 18 ...

("lord of the Fells"), who founded

Pontefract Priory Pontefract Priory was a Cluniac monastery dedicated to St. John the Evangelist, founded about 1090 by Robert de Lacy, 2nd Baron of Pontefract, and located in Yorkshire, England. It existed until the dissolution of the monasteries. The Church an ...

and built

Clitheroe Castle Clitheroe Castle is a ruined early medieval castle in Clitheroe in Lancashire, England. It was the ''caput'' of the Honour of Clitheroe, a vast estate stretching along the western side of the Pennines. Its earliest history is debated but it is ...

. Aubrey/Albreda de Lacy was the heiress of her childless first cousin Robert de Lacy II (d.1193), baron of Pontefract and lord of Bowland, buried in

Kirkstall Abbey Kirkstall Abbey is a ruined Cistercian monastery in Kirkstall, north-west of Leeds city centre in West Yorkshire, England. It is set in a public park on the north bank of the River Aire. It was founded ''c.'' 1152. It was disestablished during ...

, Yorkshire, built by his father (and Aubrey's youngest brother) Henry de Lacy (d.1177). Arms of John de Lacy

John fitz Richard (died 1190)

John fitz Richard John fitz Richard (died 11 October 1190) was an Anglo-Norman soldier, Baron of Halton and hereditary Constable of Chester. Historical records refer to him as "John, Constable of Chester". He died at Acre in the Holy Land. Origins He was ...

(died 1190), 6th Baron of Halton, 6th Constable of Chester, son of Richard fitz Eustace by Albreda de Lissours. He was the chief official of

Hugh de Kevelioc, 5th Earl of Chester Hugh of Cyfeiliog, 5th Earl of Chester (1147 – 1181), also written Hugh de Kevilioc, was an Anglo-French magnate who was active in England, Wales, Ireland and France during the reign of King Henry II of England. Origins Born in 1147, he was ...

(1147-1181) and of his son and heir

Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester and 1st Earl of Lincoln (1170–26 October 1232), known in some references as the 4th Earl of Chester (in the second lineage of the title after the original family line was broken after the 2nd Earl), w ...

(1170–1232). Historical records refer to him as 'John, Constable of Chester'; He founded Stanlow Abbey, a

Cistercian The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...

abbey An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christian monks and nuns. The conce ...

situated on Stanlow Point, on the banks of the

in Cheshire, near today's

Ellesmere Port Ellesmere Port ( ) is a port town in the Cheshire West and Chester borough in Cheshire, England. Ellesmere Port is on the south eastern edge of the Wirral Peninsula, north of Chester, south of Birkenhead, southwest of Runcorn and south of ...

, 11 km north of Chester Castle and 12 km south-west of Halton. He married Alice of Essex, a daughter of Robert of Essex by his wife Alice and died in 1190 at the

Siege of Acre Siege of Acre may refer to: * Siege of Acre (1104), following the First Crusade *Siege of Acre (1189–1191), during the Third Crusade * Siege of Acre (1263), Baibars laid siege to the Crusader city, but abandoned it to attack Nazareth. *Siege of A ...

whilst on Crusade in the

Holy Land The Holy Land; Arabic: or is an area roughly located between the Mediterranean Sea and the Eastern Bank of the Jordan River, traditionally synonymous both with the biblical Land of Israel and with the region of Palestine. The term "Holy ...

Roger de Lacy (1170–1211)

Roger de Lacy Roger de Lacy (died after 1106) was an Anglo-Norman nobleman, a Marcher Lord on the Welsh border. Roger was a castle builder, particularly at Ludlow Castle. Lands and titles From Walter de Lacy (died 1085) he inherited Castle Frome, Herefor ...

(1170–1211), 7th Baron of Halton, 7th Constable of Chester, feudal baron of Pontefract, eldest son and heir of

. Also known as ''Roger le Constable''. He also served as

Sheriff of Yorkshire The Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred elsewhere o ...

and

Sheriff of Cumberland The high sheriff, sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferre ...

. He married Maud de Clere and was buried at Stanlow Abbey. Lacy Coat of arms

John de Lacy, 2nd Earl of Lincoln (c. 1192–1240)

Roger de Lacy's son and heir was

John de Lacy, 2nd Earl of Lincoln John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...

(c. 1192-1240) 8th Baron of Halton, 8th Constable of Chester, feudal baron of Pontefract. He was one of the 25 barons who forced King John to sign

Magna Carta (Medieval Latin for "Great Charter of Freedoms"), commonly called (also ''Magna Charta''; "Great Charter"), is a royal charter of rights agreed to by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on 15 June 1215. First drafted by the ...

in 1215. He married (as his second wife)

Margaret de Quincy Margaret de Quincy, suo jure 2nd Countess of Lincoln (c. 1206 – March 1266) was a wealthy English noblewoman and heiress having inherited in her own right the Earldom of Lincoln and honours of Bolingbroke from her mother Hawise of Chester, ...

, only daughter and heiress of Robert de Quincy (d.1217) (son and

heir apparent An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...

Saer de Quincy, 1st Earl of Winchester Saer de Quincy, 1st Earl of Winchester (c. 11553 November 1219) was one of the leaders of the baronial rebellion against John, King of England, and a major figure in both the kingdoms of Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland and Kingdom of England, Engla ...

who had been one of the leaders of the baronial rebellion against King John).

Edmund de Lacy (c.1230–1258)

Edmund de Lacy, Baron of Pontefract Edmund de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln (c.1230–1258) was an important landholder in Northern England, with a strategic manor at Stanbury which was important for east–west communication, and as Lord of the Honour of Pontefract he possessed Pontefract ...

(c.1230–1258), 9th Baron of Halton, 9th Constable of Chester, feudal baron of Pontefract, son and heir. A minor at the death of his father he entered wardship, which was purchased by his mother. He married

Alésia of Saluzzo Alesia may refer to: Places France * Alesia (city), an ancient city in Gaul * Alésia (Paris Métro), a station in the Paris Métro * Rue d'Alésia, Paris * Le quartier Alésia, an unofficial district of Paris that mostly overlaps Petit-Montrou ...

, a Savoyard he met at the royal court of King Henry III, a daughter of

Manfred III of Saluzzo Manfred III (died 1244) was the third Marquess of Saluzzo, from 1215 to his death. He was the son of Boniface of Saluzzo and Maria di Torres of Sassari (in Sardinia). Since his father died in 1212, he succeeded his grandfather Manfred II as marq ...

Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln (c. 1251–1311)

Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln (c. 1251February 1311), Baron of Pontefract, Lord of Bowland, Baron of Halton and hereditary Constable of Chester, was an English nobleman and confidant of King Edward I. He served Edward in Wales, France, and Sc ...

(c. 1251-1311), 10th Baron of Halton, 10th Constable of Chester, feudal baron of Pontefract, son and heir. He was a confidant of King

Edward I Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassal o ...

. By his first wife

Margaret Longespée Margaret is a female first name, derived via French () and Latin () from grc, μαργαρίτης () meaning "pearl". The Greek is borrowed from Persian. Margaret has been an English name since the 11th century, and remained popular througho ...

he had an only daughter and heiress

Alice de Lacy, 4th Countess of Lincoln Alice de Lacy, '' suo jure'' Countess of Lincoln, ''suo jure'' 5th Countess of Salisbury (25 December 1281 – 2 October 1348) was an English peeress. Life Born on Christmas Day 1281 at Denbigh Castle, Alice was the only daughter and heir o ...

Alice de Lacy, 4th Countess of Lincoln (1270–1348)

(1270–1348) was the daughter and sole heiress of the 4th Earl, her two brothers having died in childhood. She married

Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster Thomas of Lancaster, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl of Derby, ''jure uxoris'' 4th Earl of Lincoln and ''jure uxoris'' 5th Earl of Salisbury (c. 1278 – 22 March 1322) was an English nobleman. A member of the House of Pl ...

, but they had no children. Thomas became one of the leaders of the

baron Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knig ...

ial opposition to his first cousin, King

Edward II Edward II (25 April 1284 – 21 September 1327), also called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1307 until he was deposed in January 1327. The fourth son of Edward I, Edward became the heir apparent to t ...

and his estates were forfeited to the crown, but that could not legally include his wife's estates. On her death without children her titles became extinct and many of her estates passed to Thomas's heirs the Earls and Dukes of Lancaster.

References

{{Reflist ;Sources *Sanders, I.J. English Baronies: A Study of their Origin and Descent 1086–1327, Oxford, 1960.