Alan la Zouche, 1st Baron Zouche of Ashby facts for kids

Arms of Alan la Zouche, 1st Baron la Zouche of Ashby (1267-1314) as shown on his seal. His family's coat of arms was red with many gold circles.

Alan la Zouche, 1st Baron la Zouche of Ashby (born October 9, 1267 – died before March 25, 1314) was an important English nobleman. He was born in North Molton, Devonshire. Alan was the only son of Roger La Zouche and Ela Longespée. After his father's death, Alan took control of his family's lands in 1289. He served as the governor of Rockingham Castle and was in charge of Rockingham Forest. Alan La Zouche passed away at age 46 without any sons. Because of this, his title of baron was shared among his daughters.

Early Life and Birth

Alan la Zouche was born on October 9, 1267, in North Molton. He was baptized in the local church there. When he was 21, his age was officially confirmed. This allowed him to take full control of his family's properties. Many people, including his uncle Henry la Zuche, helped confirm his birth date. They remembered it because of important events in their own lives.

Military Service and Wars

Alan la Zouche was a knight and served King Edward I of England in several wars. In 1288, he was in Gascony (part of modern-day France) with the King. He was even held as a hostage for a short time to help make peace agreements.

He also served in Scotland in 1291. In 1294, he traveled overseas with the King's daughter, Eleanor. Alan fought in Gascony again in 1295 and 1296. During a battle near Bordeaux in 1296, his flag-bearer was captured by the French.

Fighting in Scotland

Alan was called to fight against the Scots many times between 1297 and 1313. He played a key role in the Battle of Falkirk (1298) on July 22, 1298. He fought in the front line of King Edward's army.

At Falkirk, the Scottish leader, William Wallace, had a strong defensive position. His soldiers formed tight circles called "schiltrons" with long spears. These formations were very hard to break. The English cavalry first tried to attack but faced heavy losses. Then, King Edward used his Welsh archers. They shot arrows at specific points in the Scottish circles, creating gaps. English knights then charged into these gaps, breaking the Scottish lines. Once their formation was broken, the Scottish spearmen were quickly defeated.

Siege of Caerlaverock

In July 1300, Alan was part of the siege of Caerlaverock Castle. A siege is when an army surrounds a castle to try and capture it. His presence there is mentioned in an old poem called the "Caerlaverock Poem." This poem describes the coats of arms of the knights present.

The poem says:

Aleyn de la Souche tresor Signiioit ke fust brians
Sa rouge baniere a besans

This means "His red banner with bezants." A "bezant" is a gold circle on a coat of arms. This line describes Alan's family shield, which was red with many gold circles.

Later Life and Roles

Alan la Zouche attended the coronation of King Edward II of England in 1308. Later that year, he went on a religious trip to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. He continued to serve the King as the Constable of Rockingham Castle. He was also in charge of the royal forests between Oxford and Stamford.

Family and Heirs

Alan la Zouche married Eleanor de Segrave. She was the daughter of Nicholas de Segrave. Alan and Eleanor had no sons. When Alan passed away, his title of Baron was divided among his three daughters. They became his co-heiresses:

• Ellen la Zouche: She married Alan de Charlton and later Nicholas de St Maur.
• Maud la Zouche: She married Robert de Holland. Her son, Thomas Holland, later became an Earl.
• Elizabeth la Zouche: She married John Ingham.