Thomas de Berkeley (c. 1293 or 1296 – 27 October 1361), known as ''The Rich'', feudal baron of Berkeley, of

Berkeley Castle Berkeley Castle ( ; historically sometimes spelled as ''Berkley Castle'' or ''Barkley Castle'') is a castle in the town of Berkeley, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom. The castle's origins date back to the 11th century, and it has been desi ...

in Gloucestershire, England, was a peer. His

epithet An epithet (, ), also byname, is a descriptive term (word or phrase) known for accompanying or occurring in place of a name and having entered common usage. It has various shades of meaning when applied to seemingly real or fictitious people, di ...

, and that of each previous and subsequent head of his family, was coined by John Smyth of Nibley (d. 1641), steward of the Berkeley estates, the biographer of the family and author of ''Lives of the Berkeleys''.

Origins

He was the eldest son and heir of

Maurice de Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley Maurice de Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley (April 1271 – 31 May 1326), ''The Magnanimous'', feudal baron of Berkeley, of Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire, England, was a peer. He rebelled against King Edward II and the Despencers. His epith ...

by his wife, Eva la Zouche.

Career

In 1327 he was made joint custodian of the deposed 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 ...

, whom he received at

. He was later commanded to deliver custody of the king to his fellow custodians, namely

John Maltravers, 1st Baron Maltravers John Maltravers, 1st Baron Maltravers (1290?–1364) was an English nobleman and soldier. Early life He was son of Sir John Maltravers (1266–1343?) of Lytchett Matravers, Dorset, born by his first wife Eleanor, about 1290. He was knighted, as ...

and Sir Thomas Gournay. He left the king at Berkeley Castle and ''with heavy cheere perceiving what violence was intended'' he journeyed to Bradley. The king was murdered at Berkeley Castle during his absence. As an accessory to the murder of the deposed king, he was tried by a jury of 12 knights in 1330 and was honourably acquitted.

Marriages and children

He married twice: *Firstly to Margaret Mortimer, daughter of

Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March Roger Mortimer, 3rd Baron Mortimer of Wigmore, 1st Earl of March (25 April 1287 – 29 November 1330), was an English nobleman and powerful Marcher Lord who gained many estates in the Welsh Marches and Ireland following his advantageous marria ...

and

Joan de Geneville Joan de Geneville, 2nd Baroness Geneville, Countess of March, Baroness Mortimer (2 February 1286 – 19 October 1356), also known as Jeanne de Joinville, was the daughter of Sir Piers de Geneville and Joan of Lusignan. She inherited the estates ...

, by whom he had five children: **

Maurice de Berkeley, 4th Baron Berkeley Maurice de Berkeley, 4th Baron Berkeley (c. 1330 – 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, ...

(born 1320,- 8 June 1368), ''The Valiant'', eldest son and heir. ** Thomas de Berkeley (born c. 1325, date of death unknown) ** Roger de Berkeley (born 1326, date of death unknown) ** Alphonsus de Berkeley (born 1327, date of death unknown) ** Joan de Berkeley (born 1330, date of death unknown), wife of

Reginald de Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham Reynold Cobham, 1st Baron Cobham of Sterborough, KG (c.1295–1361) was a medieval English knight and diplomat. Life He was the son of Sir Reynold Cobham by Joan, the daughter and heir of William de Evere. This Reynold was the second son of J ...

. *Secondly on 30 May 1347 he married Catherine Clevedon (1321 – 13 March 1428.) C/Katharine founded a school that still operates. They had four children as follows: ** Thomas Berkeley (born 7 June 1348, date of death unknown) ** Maurice de Berkeley (27 May 1349 – 3 June 1368) ** Edmund de Berkeley (born 10 July 1350, date of death unknown) ** John Berkeley (1352 – 1428) of

Beverstone Castle Beverston Castle, also known as Beverstone Castle or Tetbury Castle, was constructed as a medieval stone fortress in the village of Beverston, Gloucestershire, England. The property is a mix of manor house, various small buildings, extensive gar ...

, Gloucestershire, a secondary residence of his father's.

Death and succession

He died on 27 October 1361 in Gloucestershire and was succeeded by

(born 1320, date of death unknown), eldest son and heir from his first marriage.

References

*Ancestral roots of certain American colonists who came to America before 1700, Frederick Lewis Weis, 1992, seventh edition. *Ancestral roots of sixty colonists who came to New England 1623–1650. Frederick Lewis Weis (earlier edition). *Magna Charta Sureties, 1215, Frederick Lewis Weis, Walter Lee Sheppard, Jr., William R. Beall, 1999, 5th Ed. *Magna Charta Sureties, 1215, Frederick Lewis Weis, 4th Ed. *The Complete Peerage, Cokayne. *Burke's Peerage, 1938. *Plantagenet Ancestry of Seventeenth-Century Colonists, David Faris, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1996. *Royal Genealogy information held at University of Hull. {{DEFAULTSORT:Berkeley, Thomas de Berkeley, 3rd Baron 1290s births 1361 deaths Year of birth uncertain 3 People from Berkeley, Gloucestershire

Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...