William Montagu, alias de Montacute, 1st Earl of Salisbury, 3rd Baron Montagu, King of Man (1301 – 30 January 1344) was an English nobleman and loyal servant of King
Edward III
Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring r ...
.
The son of
William Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu
William Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu ( 1275 – 18 October 1319) (''alias'' de Montagu, de Montacute, Latinized to ''de Monte Acuto'' ("from the sharp mountain")), was an English peer, and an eminent soldier and courtier during the reigns of Edwar ...
, he entered the royal household at an early age and became a close companion of the young
Prince Edward. The relationship continued after Edward was crowned king following the deposition of
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 ...
in 1327. In 1330, Montagu was one of Edward's main accomplices in the coup against
Roger Mortimer, who until then had been acting as the king's protector.
In the following years Montagu served the king in various capacities, primarily in the
Scottish Wars
The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.
The First War (1296–1328) began with the English invasion of ...
. He was richly rewarded, and among other things received the lordship of the
Isle of Man
)
, anthem = "O Land of Our Birth"
, image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg
, image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg
, mapsize =
, map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe
, map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green)
in Europe ...
. In 1337, he was created Earl of Salisbury, and given an annual income of 1000
marks
Marks may refer to:
Business
* Mark's, a Canadian retail chain
* Marks & Spencer, a British retail chain
* Collective trade marks, trademarks owned by an organisation for the benefit of its members
* Marks & Co, the inspiration for the novel ...
to go with the title. He served on the
Continent
A continent is any of several large landmasses. Generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, up to seven geographical regions are commonly regarded as continents. Ordered from largest in area to smallest, these seven ...
in the early years of the
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French Crown, ...
, but in 1340 he was captured by the French, and in return for his freedom had to promise never to fight in France again. Salisbury died of wounds suffered at a
tournament
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...
early in 1344.
Legend has it that Montagu's wife
Catherine
Katherine, also spelled Catherine, and other variations are feminine names. They are popular in Christian countries because of their derivation from the name of one of the first Christian saints, Catherine of Alexandria.
In the early Christ ...
was raped by Edward III, but this story is almost certainly French propaganda. William and Catherine had six children, most of whom married into the nobility. Modern historians have called William Montague Edward's "most intimate personal friend"
and "the chief influence behind the throne from Mortimer's downfall in 1330 until his own death in 1344."
Family background
William Montagu, born at
Cassington
Cassington is a village and civil parish in Oxfordshire about northwest of Oxford. The village lies on gravel strata about from the confluence of the River Evenlode with the River Thames. The parish includes the hamlet of Worton northeast of ...
, Oxfordshire in 1301, was the second but eldest surviving son of
William Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu
William Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu ( 1275 – 18 October 1319) (''alias'' de Montagu, de Montacute, Latinized to ''de Monte Acuto'' ("from the sharp mountain")), was an English peer, and an eminent soldier and courtier during the reigns of Edwar ...
, and
Elizabeth de Montfort
Lady Elizabeth de Montfort, Baroness Montagu (died August 1354) was an English noblewoman.
Life
Elizabeth Montfort was the daughter of Peter de Montfort (d. before 4 March 1287) of Beaudesert Castle in Warwickshire and his wife, Maud de la Mar ...
, daughter of Sir Peter Montfort of
Beaudesert, Warwickshire
Beaudesert (pronounced Highways and Byways in Shakspeares Country, Hutton 1914In the Forest of Arden, John Burman, 1948) is a village, civil parish and former manor in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England, immediately east a ...
,
by Matilda/Maud de la Mare, daughter and heiress of Henry de la Mare of Ashtead, Surrey, Royal Justice, Seneschal of William Longspree II, Earl of Salisbury. The Montagu family, a
West Country
The West Country (occasionally Westcountry) is a loosely defined area of South West England, usually taken to include all, some, or parts of the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Bristol, and, less commonly, Wiltshire, Gloucesters ...
family with roots going back to the
Conquest
Conquest is the act of military subjugation of an enemy by force of arms.
Military history provides many examples of conquest: the Roman conquest of Britain, the Mauryan conquest of Afghanistan and of vast areas of the Indian subcontinent, t ...
, held extensive lands in
Somerset
( en, All The People of Somerset)
, locator_map =
, coordinates =
, region = South West England
, established_date = Ancient
, established_by =
, preceded_by =
, origin =
, lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset
, lord_ ...
, Dorset and
Devon
Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...
. The father, William Montagu, distinguished himself in the
Scottish Wars
The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.
The First War (1296–1328) began with the English invasion of ...
during the reign of
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 ...
, and served as steward of
Edward II's household. Some members of the nobility, including
Thomas 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 ...
, viewed Montagu with suspicion, as a member of a court party with undue influence on the king.
For this reason he was sent to
Aquitaine
Aquitaine ( , , ; oc, Aquitània ; eu, Akitania; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Aguiéne''), archaic Guyenne or Guienne ( oc, Guiana), is a historical region of southwestern France and a former administrative region of the country. Since 1 January ...
, to serve as
seneschal
The word ''seneschal'' () can have several different meanings, all of which reflect certain types of supervising or administering in a historic context. Most commonly, a seneschal was a senior position filled by a court appointment within a royal, ...
. Here he died on 18 October 1319.
Even though he sat in parliament as a baron, the second lord Montagu never rose above a level of purely regional importance.
Early service
The younger William was still a minor at the time of his father's death, and entered the royal household as a
ward
Ward may refer to:
Division or unit
* Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward
* Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...
of the king in 1320.
On 21 February 1323 he was granted his father's lands and title.
His service to
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 ...
took him abroad to the Continent in both 1320 and 1325.
In 1326 he was knighted.
After the deposition of Edward II in 1327, Montagu continued in the service of Edward's son
Edward III
Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring r ...
. He helped the new king in repelling the
Scottish invasion of 1327, and was created
knight banneret
A knight banneret, sometimes known simply as banneret, was a medieval knight ("a commoner of rank") who led a company of troops during time of war under his own banner (which was square-shaped, in contrast to the tapering standard or the penn ...
in 1328.
Montagu enjoyed a close relationship with Edward III, and accompanied him abroad on a diplomatic mission in 1329. That same year he was sent on an embassy to negotiate a marriage alliance with King
Philip VI of France
Philip VI (french: Philippe; 1293 – 22 August 1350), called the Fortunate (french: le Fortuné, link=no) or the Catholic (french: le Catholique, link=no) and of Valois, was the first king of France from the House of Valois, reigning from 1328 ...
.
His most important task, however, came in connection with a mission to the Papacy in
Avignon
Avignon (, ; ; oc, Avinhon, label=Provençal dialect, Provençal or , ; la, Avenio) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region of So ...
. The young king—along with his government—was under the dominance of his mother
Isabella
Isabella may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Isabella (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Isabella (surname), including a list of people
Places
United States
* Isabella, Alabama, an unincorpor ...
and her lover
Roger Mortimer, who had been responsible for the deposition of the king's father. Montagu explained the king's situation, and
Pope John XXII
Pope John XXII ( la, Ioannes PP. XXII; 1244 – 4 December 1334), born Jacques Duèze (or d'Euse), was head of the Catholic Church from 7 August 1316 to his death in December 1334.
He was the second and longest-reigning Avignon Pope, elected by ...
asked for a special signal that assure him that he was dealing with the king in person. After Montagu's return,
Richard Bury
Richard de Bury (24 January 1287 – 14 April 1345), also known as Richard Aungerville or Aungervyle, was an English priest, teacher, bishop, writer, and bibliophile. He was a patron of learning and one of the first English collectors of books. ...
,
Keeper of the Privy Seal, wrote to inform the pope that only letters containing the words ''pater sancte'' (holy father), in Edward's own handwriting, were indeed from the king. Only Edward, Bury and Montagu were party to the scheme.
Coup against Mortimer
When Mortimer discovered the conspiracy against him, Montagu was brought in for interrogationalong with the kingbut gave nothing away.
Afterward he supposedly advised Edward to move against his protector, because "It was better that they should eat the dog than that the dog should eat them".
On 19 October 1330, while Mortimer and Isabella were entrenched in
Nottingham Castle
Nottingham Castle is a Stuart Restoration-era ducal mansion in Nottingham, England, built on the site of a Norman castle built starting in 1068, and added to extensively through the medieval period, when it was an important royal fortress and o ...
, the constable of the castle showed Montagu a secret entrance through a tunnel. Along with
William de Bohun,
Robert Ufford, and John Neville and others, he entered the castle, where he met up with the king.
A short brawl followed before Mortimer was captured. The queen stormed into the chamber shouting "Good son, have pity on noble Mortimer". Edward did not obey his mother's wishes, and a few weeks later Mortimer was executed for treason in London. As a reward for his part in the ''coup,'' Montagu was given lands worth £1000, including the Welsh
lordship of Denbigh
The Lordship of Denbigh was a marcher lordship in North Wales created by Edward I in 1284 and granted to the Earl of Lincoln. It was centred on the borough of Denbigh and Denbigh Castle. The lordship was held successively by several of England's ...
that had belonged to Mortimer. His family also benefited; his brother
Simon Montacute
Simon Montacute (died 1345) was a medieval Bishop of Worcester and Bishop of Ely.
Montacute was the third son of William Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu (d. 18 October 1319), by Lady Elizabeth Montacute, Elizabeth Montfort (d. August 1354), daughter o ...
became
Bishop of Worcester
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...
and later of
Ely. Another brother,
Edward Montagu, 1st Baron Montagu
Edward Montagu (or Edward de Montacute), 1st Baron Montagu (d. 14 July 1361) was an English peer. He fought at the Battle of Crecy. His assaulted his first wife, Alice of Norfolk, who died as a result.
Life
Edward Montagu was the youngest son of ...
, married
Alice of Norfolk
Alice may refer to:
* Alice (name), most often a feminine given name, but also used as a surname
Literature
* Alice (''Alice's Adventures in Wonderland''), a character in books by Lewis Carroll
* ''Alice'' series, children's and teen books by ...
, a co-heir of
Thomas of Brotherton, 1st Earl of Norfolk
Thomas of Brotherton, 1st Earl of Norfolk (1 June 13004 August 1338), was the fifth son of King Edward I of England (1239–1307), and the eldest child by his second wife, Margaret of France, the daughter of King Philip III of France. He was, t ...
.
[Douch (1951), p. 87.]
Service under Edward III
In the years to come, Montagu acted as Edward's closest companion.
In April 1331, the two went on a secret expedition to France, disguised as merchants so they would not be recognised. In September of the same year, Montagu held a
tournament
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...
at
Cheapside
Cheapside is a street in the City of London, the historic and modern financial centre of London, which forms part of the A40 London to Fishguard road. It links St. Martin's Le Grand with Poultry. Near its eastern end at Bank junction, where ...
, where he and the king were costumed as Tartars.
From 1333 onwards, Montagu was deeply engaged in the
Scottish Wars
The Wars of Scottish Independence were a series of military campaigns fought between the Kingdom of Scotland and the Kingdom of England in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.
The First War (1296–1328) began with the English invasion of ...
, and distinguished himself at the
Siege of Berwick and the
Battle of Halidon Hill
The Battle of Halidon Hill took place on 19 July 1333 when a Scottish army under Sir Archibald Douglas attacked an English army commanded by King Edward III of England () and was heavily defeated. The year before, Edward Balliol had seized ...
. It was after this event that his lordship over the
Isle of Man
)
, anthem = "O Land of Our Birth"
, image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg
, image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg
, mapsize =
, map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe
, map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green)
in Europe ...
was recognised, a right he held from his grandfather.
The lordship was at the moment of a purely theoretical nature, however, since the island was still under Scottish control.
In February 1334 Montagu was sent on a commission to Edinburgh, to demand Edward Balliol's homage to Edward. In the great summer campaign of 1335, it was Montagu who provided the largest English contingent, with 180
men-at-arms and 136 archers.
He was well rewarded for his contributions: after Edward Balliol ceded the
Lowlands
Upland and lowland are conditional descriptions of a plain based on elevation above sea level. In studies of the ecology of freshwater rivers, habitats are classified as upland or lowland.
Definitions
Upland and lowland are portions of p ...
, Montagu was granted the county of
Peeblesshire
Peeblesshire ( gd, Siorrachd nam Pùballan), the County of Peebles or Tweeddale is a historic county of Scotland. Its county town is Peebles, and it borders Midlothian to the north, Selkirkshire to the east, Dumfriesshire to the south, and Lan ...
. He was also allowed to buy the
wardship
In law, a ward is a minor or incapacitated adult placed under the protection of a legal guardian or government entity, such as a court. Such a person may be referenced as a "ward of the court".
Overview
The wardship jurisdiction is an ancient jur ...
of Roger Mortimer's son
Roger
Roger is a given name, usually masculine, and a surname. The given name is derived from the Old French personal names ' and '. These names are of Germanic origin, derived from the elements ', ''χrōþi'' ("fame", "renown", "honour") and ', ' ( ...
for 1000
marks
Marks may refer to:
Business
* Mark's, a Canadian retail chain
* Marks & Spencer, a British retail chain
* Collective trade marks, trademarks owned by an organisation for the benefit of its members
* Marks & Co, the inspiration for the novel ...
, a deal that turned out to be very lucrative for Montagu. At this point, however, the fortunes were turning for the English in Scotland. Montagu campaigned in the north again in 1337, but the
Siege of Dunbar in 1338 against
Agnes, Countess of Dunbar and
Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie
Sir Alexander Ramsay of Dalhousie (c. 1290–1342) (sometimes spelt: ''Dalwolsey'') was a Scottish nobleman and knight who fought for David II, King of Scots in the south of Scotland in the Second War of Scottish Independence and is famous for h ...
met with failure. Following the abortive attempt in Scotland, Edward III turned his attention to the continent.
The Hundred Years' War
Montagu was created
Earl of Salisbury
Earl of Salisbury is a title that has been created several times in English and British history. It has a complex history, and is now a subsidiary title to the marquessate of Salisbury.
Background
The title was first created for Patrick de S ...
on 16 March 1337. This was one of six
comital
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
promotions Edward III made that day, in preparation for what was to become the
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French Crown, ...
. To allow Montagu to support his new status, the king granted him land and rent of a value of 1000 marks a year. The money was provided from the royal
stannaries
A stannary was an administrative division established under stannary law in the English counties of Cornwall and Devon to manage the collection of tin coinage, which was the duty payable on the metal tin smelted from the ore cassiterite mined ...
of Cornwall. A contemporary poem tells of a vow made by the earl on the eve of the warshe would not open one of his eyes while fighting in France. The story is probably a satire; the truth was that Montagu had already lost the use of one of his eyes in a
tournament
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...
.
In April 1337, Montagu was appointed to a diplomatic commission to
Valenciennes
Valenciennes (, also , , ; nl, label=also Dutch, Valencijn; pcd, Valincyinnes or ; la, Valentianae) is a commune in the Nord department, Hauts-de-France, France.
It lies on the Scheldt () river. Although the city and region experienced a s ...
, to establish alliances with
Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, ...
and the German princes. In July 1338, he accompanied the king on another mission to the continent, again providing the greatest number of soldiers, with 123 men-at-arms and 50 archers.
In September of that year he was made
Marshal of England
Earl marshal (alternatively marschal or marischal) is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England (then, following the Act of Union 1800, in the United Kingdom). He is the eig ...
. After the death of
Thomas of Brotherton, Earl of Norfolk
Thomas of Brotherton, 1st Earl of Norfolk (1 June 13004 August 1338), was the fifth son of King Edward I of England (1239–1307), and the eldest child by his second wife, Margaret of France, the daughter of King Philip III of France. He was, t ...
, this office had come into the hands of Norfolk's daughter
Margaret
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 ...
. The king did not trust the office with her husband, so he decided instead to bestow it on his trusted companion, Montagu. Edward's policy of building alliances put him in great debt, and when he left the Low Countries to return to England late in 1338, Salisbury had to stay behind as surety to the king's debtors, along with the king's family and the
Earl of Derby
Earl of Derby ( ) is a title in the Peerage of England. The title was first adopted by Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby, under a creation of 1139. It continued with the Ferrers family until the 6th Earl forfeited his property toward the end ...
. The earl had earlier voiced concerns about the costly alliances, but he nevertheless remained loyal to the king's strategy.
While Edward was away, Salisbury was captured by the French at
Lille
Lille ( , ; nl, Rijsel ; pcd, Lile; vls, Rysel) is a city in the northern part of France, in French Flanders. On the river Deûle, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Pref ...
in April 1340, and imprisoned in Paris.
Reportedly, King
Philip VI of France
Philip VI (french: Philippe; 1293 – 22 August 1350), called the Fortunate (french: le Fortuné, link=no) or the Catholic (french: le Catholique, link=no) and of Valois, was the first king of France from the House of Valois, reigning from 1328 ...
wanted to execute Salisbury and
Robert Ufford, Earl of Suffolk, who was captured with him. Philip was, however, dissuaded by
John of Bohemia
John the Blind or John of Luxembourg ( lb, Jang de Blannen; german: link=no, Johann der Blinde; cz, Jan Lucemburský; 10 August 1296 – 26 August 1346), was the Count of Luxembourg from 1313 and King of Bohemia from 1310 and titular King of ...
, who argued that the earls could come in handy in an exchange, should any French noblemen be captured. Though released on parole in September, it was not until May 1342 that he reached a final settlement with the French. Salisbury was freed in a prisoner exchange, but only on the condition that he never fight in France again.
Final years
Salisbury had long been frustrated by the failure of the government in England to provide sufficient funds for the war effort. On his return, however, he played little part in the conflict of 1341 between King Edward and
Chancellor
Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...
John Stratford. In May that year he was appointed to a committee to hear the king's charges against Stratford, but little came from this. In 1342–43 he fought with
Robert of Artois
Robert I (25 September 1216 – 8 February 1250), called the Good, was the first Count of Artois. He was the fifth (and second surviving) son of King Louis VIII of France and Blanche of Castile.
Life
He received Artois as an appanage, in accordan ...
in the
Breton War of Succession
The War of the Breton Succession (, ) was a conflict between the Counts of Blois and the Montforts of Brittany for control of the Sovereign Duchy of Brittany, then a fief of the Kingdom of France. It was fought between 1341 and 12 April ...
, and in 1343 helped negotiate the
Truce of Malestroit
The Truce of Malestroit was signed on 19 January 1343 between Edward III of England and Philip VI of France, in the chapelle de la Madeleine in Malestroit. After the signing of this truce, the English sovereign and his troops left Bretagne ...
.
It was probably sometime after this he made good his claim on the Isle of Man, by conquering the island which was until then held by the Scots.
His final international commission took place late in 1343, when he accompanied
Henry of Grosmont, Earl of Derby, on a diplomatic mission to
Castile.
Early in 1344 he was back in England, where he took part in a great tournament at
Windsor
Windsor may refer to:
Places Australia
* Windsor, New South Wales
** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area
* Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland
**Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...
. It was during this tournament, according to the chronicler
Adam Murimuth
Adam Murimuth (1274/751347) was an English ecclesiastic and chronicler.
Life
He was born in 1274 or 1275 and studied civil law at the University of Oxford. Between 1312 and 1318 he practised in the papal curia at Avignon. King Edward II of En ...
, that he received wounds that would prove fatal.
Salisbury died on 30 January 1344. He was buried at
Bisham Priory
Bisham Abbey is a Grade I listed manor house at Bisham in the English county of Berkshire. The name is taken from the now lost monastery which once stood alongside. This original Bisham Abbey was previously named Bisham Priory, and was the tradi ...
in Berkshire, adjoining his home, Bisham Manor. He had founded the priory himself in 1337, on his elevation to the earldom. King Edward's financial obligations were never paid in full during the earl's lifetime, and at Salisbury' death the king owed him £11,720. Of this, some £6374 were written off by his
executor
An executor is someone who is responsible for executing, or following through on, an assigned task or duty. The feminine form, executrix, may sometimes be used.
Overview
An executor is a legal term referring to a person named by the maker of a ...
s in 1346.
Family
In or before 1327 Salisbury married
Catherine
Katherine, also spelled Catherine, and other variations are feminine names. They are popular in Christian countries because of their derivation from the name of one of the first Christian saints, Catherine of Alexandria.
In the early Christ ...
, daughter of
William de Grandison, 1st Baron Grandison
William de Grandison (died 1335), was an English noble, and Deputy Justiciar of North Wales.
William was a younger son of Pierre de Grandison and Agnes Neufchâtel. He was the younger brother of key ally and envoy, for King Edward I of Engla ...
. Two anecdotal stories revolve around Catherine Montagu; in one she is identified as the "Countess of Salisbury" from whose dropped garter Edward III named the
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George C ...
.
In the other, Edward III falls in love with the countess, and arranges to be alone with her so he can rape her. Neither story is supported by contemporary evidence, and the latter almost certainly is a product of French propaganda.
William and Catherine had six children, most of whom made highly fortunate matches with other members of the nobility.
The first Earl of Salisbury made enormous additions to the family fortune; at the time of his father's death, the lands had been valued at just over £300. In 1344, only the annual income of the lands has been estimated to more than £2,300,
equivalent to about £ in present-day terms. Edward was also free with granting
franchises
Franchise may refer to:
Business and law
* Franchising, a business method that involves licensing of trademarks and methods of doing business to franchisees
* Franchise, a privilege to operate a type of business such as a cable television ...
to Salisbury, including the
return of writs, which gave the earl authority in his lands normally held by the royally appointed
sheriff
A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...
. Salisbury's oldest son William succeeded his father in July 1349, while still a minor, as
William Montagu, 2nd Earl of Salisbury
William Montagu, 2nd Earl of Salisbury, 4th Baron Montagu, King of Mann, KG (25 June 1328 – 3 June 1397) was an English nobleman and commander in the English army during King Edward III's French campaigns in the Hundred Years War. He was ...
.
The younger William was one of the founding members of the
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George C ...
, but he never enjoyed the same favour with the king as his father had.
The children of William and Catherine were as follows:
* Elizabeth Montagu, died 1359, married first,
Giles de Badlesmere, 2nd Baron Badlesmere
Giles de Badlesmere, 2nd Baron Badlesmere (18 October 1314 – 7 June 1338) was an English nobleman.
Background and Biography
The son and heir of Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere and his wife Margaret de Clare, he was born at Ham ...
, second,
Hugh le Despencer, Baron le Despencer (1338)
Hugh le Despenser, 1st Baron le Despenser (c. 1308/9 – 8 February 1349), Lord of Glamorgan, was an English peer. Imprisoned as a consequence of his support for deposed king Edward II, he would return to royal favour under Edward III, being made ...
before 27 April 1341, and third,
Guy de Bryan, 1st Baron Bryan
Guy de Bryan, 1st Baron Bryan, KG (born before 1319, died 17 August 1390) was an English military commander and Admiral.
Origins
He was the son of Sir Guy de Bryan (d.1349) (''alias'' de Briene), of Walwyn's Castle in Pembrokeshire and T ...
, after 1349.
*
William Montacute, 2nd Earl of Salisbury
William Montagu, 2nd Earl of Salisbury, 4th Baron Montagu, King of Mann, KG (25 June 1328 – 3 June 1397) was an English nobleman and commander in the English army during King Edward III's French campaigns in the Hundred Years War. He was one ...
, born 1328, died 1397, succeeded his father 11 June 1349.
* Sibyl Montagu, married Sir Edmund FitzAlan, Knt., eldest son of
Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel.
*
John de Montacute, 1st Baron Montacute
John de Montacute ( – ) was a 14th-century English nobleman and loyal servant of King Edward III. He was the son of William Montagu, 1st Earl of Salisbury by his wife Catherine Grandison, and younger brother of William de Montacute, 2nd Earl ...
, born 1330, died 1390, father of
John Montacute, 3rd Earl of Salisbury
John Montagu, 3rd Earl of Salisbury and 5th and 2nd Baron Montagu, KG (c. 1350 – 7 January 1400) was an English nobleman, one of the few who remained loyal to Richard II after Henry IV became king.
Early life
He was the son of Sir John de M ...
.
* Philippa Montagu, born 1332, died 1381, married
Roger Mortimer, 2nd Earl of March
Sir Roger de Mortimer, 2nd Earl of March, 4th Baron Mortimer of Wigmore, KG (11 November 132826 February 1360) was an English nobleman and military commander during the Hundred Years' War.
He was the son of Sir Edmund Mortimer (d. 1331) an ...
.
* Agnes Montagu, contracted to marry John, eldest son of
Roger Grey, 1st Baron Grey de Ruthyn
Roger Grey, 1st Baron Grey of Ruthin (c. 1298 – 6 March 1353) was summoned to parliament in 1324. He saw much service as a soldier.
Roger was the son of John Grey, 2nd Baron Grey de Wilton and Maud de Verdon. He married Elizabeth daughter of Joh ...
.
In fiction
Salisbury is a character in ''
Les Rois maudits
''The Accursed Kings'' (french: Les Rois maudits ) is a series of historical novels by French author Maurice Druon about the French monarchy in the 14th century. Published between 1955 and 1977, the series has been adapted as a miniseries twice ...
'' (''The Accursed Kings''), a series of French historical novels by
Maurice Druon
Maurice Druon (23 April 1918 – 14 April 2009) was a French novelist and a member of the Académie Française, of which he served as "Perpetual Secretary" (chairman) between 1985 and 1999.
Life and career
Born in Paris, France, Druon was the s ...
. He was portrayed by in the 1972
French miniseries adaptation of the series.
References
External links
Inquisition Post Mortem#532, dated 1344.
External links
Retrieved 22 October 2013
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Salisbury, William Montacute, 1st Earl Of
1301 births
1344 deaths
14th-century English nobility
Montagu
People of the Hundred Years' War
Monarchs of the Isle of Man
People from Bisham
People from West Oxfordshire District
People of the Wars of Scottish Independence
Male Shakespearean characters
Knights banneret of England
Wiliam
Burials at Bisham Abbey
Peers created by Edward III
Barons Montagu