Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln (c. 1251February 1311),
Baron of Pontefract,
Lord of Bowland,
Baron of Halton and hereditary
Constable of Chester
The Constable of Chester was a mediaeval hereditary office held by the Barons of Halton. The functions of the Constable are unclear, possibly they related to the custody of Chester Castle (built in 1070 by Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester) ...
, was an
English nobleman
Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...
and 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 (Latin: Malleus Scotorum), was King of England from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he was Lord of Ireland, and from 125 ...
. He served Edward in
Wales
Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
,
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, and
Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
, both as a
soldier
A soldier is a person who is a member of an army. A soldier can be a Conscription, conscripted or volunteer Enlisted rank, enlisted person, a non-commissioned officer, a warrant officer, or an Officer (armed forces), officer.
Etymology
The wo ...
and a
diplomat
A diplomat (from ; romanization, romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, nongovernmental institution to conduct diplomacy with one ...
.
Through his mother he was a great-grandson of
Amadeus IV, Count of Savoy
Amadeus IV (119711 June 1253) was Count of Savoy from 1233 to 1253.
Amadeus was born in Montmélian, Savoy. The legitimate heir of Thomas I of Savoy and Margaret of Geneva, he had however to fight with his brothers for the inheritance of Sav ...
. He is the addressee, or joint composer, of a poem (a ''
tenso
A ''tenso'' (; ) is a style of troubadour song. It takes the form of a debate in which each voice defends a position; common topics relate to love or ethics. Usually, the tenso is written by two different poets, but several examples exist in whic ...
n'') by
Walter of Bibbesworth
Walter of Bibbesworth (middle of sec.XIII–at least 1277) was an English knight and Anglo-Norman poet. Documents confirm that he held land in the parish of Kimpton, Hertfordshire at the farm now called Bibbsworth Hall ("Bibbs Hall" on some m ...
about
crusading, ''La pleinte par entre missire Henry de Lacy et sire Wauter de Bybelesworthe pur la croiserie en la terre seinte''.
Origins

Henry was the son and heir of
Edmund de Lacy, Baron of Pontefract (c. 1230–1258) (eldest son and heir apparent of
John de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln (c. 1192–1240) and
Margaret de Quincy suo jure Countess of Lincoln (c. 1206–1266)) by his wife Alice of Saluzzo, a Savoyard noblewoman descended from
Amadeus IV, Count of Savoy
Amadeus IV (119711 June 1253) was Count of Savoy from 1233 to 1253.
Amadeus was born in Montmélian, Savoy. The legitimate heir of Thomas I of Savoy and Margaret of Geneva, he had however to fight with his brothers for the inheritance of Sav ...
, of the Royal
House of Savoy
The House of Savoy (, ) is a royal house (formally a dynasty) of Franco-Italian origin that was established in 1003 in the historical region of Savoy, which was originally part of the Kingdom of Burgundy and now lies mostly within southeastern F ...
. Alice was the 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 of Salu ...
.
Inheritance
Henry's father died in 1258 when he was a young child aged about 7, and he went into
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 ju ...
, which was re-purchased by his mother, with the help of his grandmother. As his father had predeceased his own mother,
suo jure
''Suo jure'' is a Latin phrase, used in English to mean 'in his own right' or 'in her own right'. In most nobility-related contexts, it means 'in her own right', since in those situations the phrase is normally used of women; in practice, especi ...
the Countess of Lincoln, Henry became her heir when she died in 1266, when he was aged 15 and still in wardship. As the ward to large and important estates from both his father and more importantly his grandmother, he was educated at the court of King Henry III.
In 1258, he inherited from his father the titles and offices
Baron of Pontefract,
Baron of Halton and hereditary
Constable of Chester
The Constable of Chester was a mediaeval hereditary office held by the Barons of Halton. The functions of the Constable are unclear, possibly they related to the custody of Chester Castle (built in 1070 by Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester) ...
and in about 1266 from his paternal grandmother, Margaret de Quincy, he inherited lands and titles including
Earl of Lincoln
Earl of Lincoln is a title that has been created eight times in the peerage of England, most recently in 1572. The Hereditary peerage, earldom was held as a subsidiary title by the Duke of Newcastle, Dukes of Newcastle-under-Lyne, from 1768 to 1 ...
. In 1272, he attained the age of majority (21), was knighted and became the
Earl of Lincoln
Earl of Lincoln is a title that has been created eight times in the peerage of England, most recently in 1572. The Hereditary peerage, earldom was held as a subsidiary title by the Duke of Newcastle, Dukes of Newcastle-under-Lyne, from 1768 to 1 ...
.
Career
He became chief councillor to
King EdwardI, son and successor of
HenryIII. While Edward was engaged in
military conflicts with the
Scots, Henry was appointed
Protector of the Realm. Having taken part in the
Conquest of Wales
The conquest of Wales by Edward I took place between 1277 and 1283. It is sometimes referred to as the Edwardian conquest of Wales,Examples of historians using the term include Professor J. E. Lloyd, regarded as the founder of the modern academ ...
in 1282, Henry was granted the
Lordship of Denbigh
The Lordship of Denbigh, also known as Denbighland, was a marcher lordship in North Wales created by Edward I of England, Edward I in 1284 and granted to the Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln, Earl of Lincoln. It was centred on the borough of D ...
and built
Denbigh Castle
Denbigh Castle and town walls ( ; ) were built to control the lordship of Denbigh after the Conquest of Wales by Edward I of England in 1282. The lands were granted to Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, who began to build a new walled town, col ...
.
In 1296, he went to France with the king's younger brother
Edmund Crouchback
Edmund, 1st Earl of Lancaster (16 January 12455 June 1296), also known as Edmund Crouchback, was a member of the royal Plantagenet Dynasty and the founder of the first House of Lancaster. He was Earl of Leicester (1265–1296), Lancaster (1267� ...
as part of the 1294–1303
Gascon War
The Gascon War, also known as the 1294–1303 Anglo-French War or the Guyenne War (), was a conflict between the kingdoms of France and England. Most of the fighting occurred in the Duchy of Aquitaine, made up of the areas of Guyenne and Gascon ...
. Upon Edmund's death that year, he succeeded as commander of the English forces in
Aquitaine
Aquitaine (, ; ; ; ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Aguiéne''), archaic Guyenne or Guienne (), is a historical region of southwestern France and a former Regions of France, administrative region. Since 1 January 2016 it has been part of the administ ...
. He commanded the English army that was routed by the French under
Robert II of Artois
Robert II (September 1250 – 11 July 1302) was the Count of Artois, the posthumous son and heir of Robert I and Matilda of Brabant. He was a nephew of two kings; Louis IX of France and Charles I of Sicily.
A capable military commander and ad ...
at the
battle of Bonnegarde in 1297. He returned to England early in 1298.
He was at the
Battle of Falkirk
The Battle of Falkirk (; ), on 22 July 1298, was one of the major battles in the First War of Scottish Independence. Led by Edward I of England, King Edward I of England, the English army defeated the Scottish people, Scots, led by William Wal ...
in 1298 and at the
Siege of Carlaverock Castle in 1300, both in Scotland. The
Roll of Carlaverock records his coat of arms in verse as "Or, a lion rampant purpure".
In 1299, he was one of the chief English negotiators at
Montreuil and arranged the betrothal of Edward's son
Prince Edward of Caernarfon with
PhilipIV's daughter
Princess Isabella. In November 1300, he was sent on a mission to
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
to complain to
the Pope
The pope is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the pope was the sovereign or head of sta ...
about injury done by the Scots. In 1302, he was again appointed to negotiate a peace with France. The
1303 Treaty of Paris returned Aquitaine to Edward.
He was present at King Edward's death in July 1307. For a short time he was friendly with the new king
EdwardII and with the king's favourite
Piers Gaveston
Piers Gaveston, 1st Earl of Cornwall ( – 19 June 1312) was an English nobleman of Gascon origin, and the favourite of Edward II of England.
At a young age, Gaveston made a good impression on King Edward I, who assigned him to the househo ...
, but quickly changed his loyalties and joined
Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster
Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster ( 1278 – 22 March 1322) was an English nobleman of the first House of Lancaster of the royal Plantagenet Dynasty. He was Earl of Lancaster, Leicester, and Derby from 1296 to 1322, and Earl of Lincoln and Sa ...
, and the baronial party. He was one of the "
Ordainers" appointed in 1311 and was
Regent of the Kingdom during the king's absence in Scotland in the same year.
He transferred
Stanlow Abbey
The Abbey of St. Mary at Stanlaw (or Stanlow as it has been posthumously known since a Victorian cartographical error), was a Cistercian foundation situated on Stanlaw - now Stanlow Point, on the banks of the River Mersey in the Wirral Peninsula, ...
, the
Cistercian
The Cistercians (), officially the Order of Cistercians (, 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 Benedict, as well as the contri ...
monastery of which his family was patron, to
Whalley Abbey.
Marriage and issue
He married twice:
*Firstly to
Margaret Longespée
Margaret is a feminine given name, which means "pearl". It is of Latin origin, via Ancient Greek and ultimately from Old Iranian. It has been an English name since the 11th century, and remained popular throughout the Middle Ages. It became le ...
, daughter of William Longespée III and Maud de Clifford, by whom he had two sons who died young and an only daughter and heiress:
**
Alice de Lacy, 4th Countess of Lincoln
Alice de Lacy, ''suo jure'' 4th Countess of Lincoln, ''suo jure'' 5th Countess of Salisbury (25 December 1281 – 2 October 1348) was an English peeress, descendant of both English and Welsh royalty.
Life
Born on Christmas Day 1281 at De ...
(25 December 1281–1348) who married
Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster
Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster ( 1278 – 22 March 1322) was an English nobleman of the first House of Lancaster of the royal Plantagenet Dynasty. He was Earl of Lancaster, Leicester, and Derby from 1296 to 1322, and Earl of Lincoln and Sa ...
.
**Edmund de Lacy, drowned in a well at Denbigh Castle.
**John de Lacy, fell to his death from a parapet at Pontefract Castle.
*Secondly, he married Joan FitzMartin (died 1322), daughter of
William Martin, 1st Baron Martin, and sister of William II FitzMartin (died 1326),
Feudal baron of Barnstaple in Devon, without issue.
He also had an illegitimate son also named John. It may be that there was only ever one son named John, the illegitimate one, and it has been suggested that stories of the death of a legitimate son named John is a conflation with the death of Edmund.
Death and burial
He died at
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, commonly known as Lincoln's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for Barrister, barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister ...
, his
City of London
The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...
townhouse
A townhouse, townhome, town house, or town home, is a type of Terraced house, terraced housing. A modern townhouse is often one with a small footprint on multiple floors. In a different British usage, the term originally referred to any type o ...
, and was buried in nearby
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London in the Church of Engl ...
. His grave and monument in the
choir
A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...
["Memorials of St Paul's Cathedral" Sinclair, W. p93: London; Chapman & Hall, Ltd; 1909] were destroyed when the Cathedral was burnt down during the
Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through central London from Sunday 2 September to Wednesday 5 September 1666, gutting the medieval City of London inside the old London Wall, Roman city wall, while also extendi ...
in 1666. A modern monument in the crypt lists De Lacy among the important graves lost.
Ancestry
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lincoln, Henry De Lacy, Earl Of
1250s births
1311 deaths
13th-century English nobility
14th-century English nobility
3
Henry
Henry may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Henry (given name), including lists of people and fictional characters
* Henry (surname)
* Henry, a stage name of François-Louis Henry (1786–1855), French baritone
Arts and entertainmen ...
Burials at St Paul's Cathedral
Barons of Halton