Hugh le Despenser, 1st Baron le Despenser (1223 – 4 August 1265) was an important ally of Simon de Montfort during the reign of Henry III. He served briefly as ''

Justiciar Justiciar is the English form of the medieval Latin term or (meaning "judge" or "justice"). The Chief Justiciar was the king's chief minister, roughly equivalent to a modern Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The Justiciar of Ireland was ...

'' of England in 1260 and as Constable of the

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...

. Despenser first played an important part in 1258, when he was prominent on the

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

ial side in the Mad Parliament of Oxford. In 1260 the barons chose him to succeed Hugh Bigod as Justiciar, and in 1263 the king was further compelled to put the

in his hands. He was the son of Hugh le Despenser and was summoned to Parliament by Simon de Montfort. Hugh was summoned as Baron le Despenser on 14 December 1264 and was Chief Justiciar of England and a leader of the baronial party, so he might be deemed a baron, though the legality of that assembly is doubtful. He remained allied with Montfort to the end, and was present at the

Battle of Lewes The Battle of Lewes was one of two main battles of the conflict known as the Second Barons' War. It took place at Lewes in Sussex, on 14 May 1264. It marked the high point of the career of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, and made ...

. He was killed fighting on de Montfort's side at the

Battle of Evesham The Battle of Evesham (4 August 1265) was one of the two main battles of 13th century England's Second Barons' War. It marked the defeat of Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, and the rebellious barons by the future King Edward I, who led t ...

in August 1265. He was slain by Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Wigmore; this caused a feud to begin between the Despenser and Mortimer families. By his wife, Aline Basset, he was father of Hugh Despenser 'the elder', who became an advisor to Edward II and was made Earl of Winchester. Aline was the daughter of

Philip Basset Philip Basset (c. 1185 – 19 October 1271) was the Justiciar of England. Philip was the son of Alan Basset of High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire. His elder brothers were Gilbert, a baronial leader, and Fulk, who became bishop of London. He inhe ...

, who had also served as Justiciar. They also had a daughter named Eleanor le Despenser, who married Sir Hugh de Courtenay, feudal baron of Okehampton.

References

External links

Inquisition Post Mortem of Aline wife of Hugh Despencer
#389, dated 1280. Justiciars of England 1223 births 1265 deaths 13th-century English nobility English military personnel killed in action People of the Barons' Wars Hugh Burials at Evesham Abbey Barons le Despencer {{England-baron-stub