Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Edmund Mortimer |
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| 3rd Earl of March Earl of Ulster |
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| Arms of Mortimer: Barry or and azure, on a chief of the first two pallets between two gyrons of the second over all an inescutcheon argent | |
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| Noble family | Mortimer |
| Father | Roger Mortimer, 2nd Earl of March |
| Mother | Philippa Montagu |
| Born | 1 February 1352 Llangoed in Llyswen, Brecknockshire, Wales |
| Died | 27 December 1381 (aged 29) Cork, Ireland |
Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March and Earl of Ulster (born February 1, 1352 – died December 27, 1381) was a very important English noble. He was given the job of Lieutenant of Ireland, which meant he was the king's main representative there. Sadly, he died just two years after taking on this big role.
Contents
Early Life and Important Marriage
Edmund was the son of Roger Mortimer, 2nd Earl of March, and his mother was Philippa Montagu. His grandfather was William Montagu, 1st Earl of Salisbury.
Becoming a Royal Ward
Edmund was just a baby when his father died. Because he was so young, King Edward III of England became his guardian. This meant the king looked after Edmund and his lands. Edmund was a very powerful young noble because he owned a lot of land and had great influence in the Welsh Marches, which were border areas between England and Wales.
A Marriage with Big Consequences
When Edmund was 17, he married 14-year-old Philippa Plantagenet on August 24, 1369. Philippa was the only child of Lionel of Antwerp, the Duke of Clarence. Lionel was the second son of King Edward III. This made Philippa a very important person in the royal family.
Philippa's mother, Elizabeth, was the daughter and heir of William Donn de Burgh, 3rd Earl of Ulster. Lionel had also been given the title of Earl of Ulster before he married Elizabeth. When Lionel died, Edmund inherited the title of Earl of Ulster through his wife, Philippa.
This marriage was very important for English history. Philippa's family line was second in line to the throne, right after Edward, the Black Prince and his son, King Richard II of England. This marriage later led to the House of York claiming the English throne. This claim caused the famous Wars of the Roses, a series of wars between the Yorks and the Lancasters. Edmund Mortimer's son, Roger Mortimer, 4th Earl of March, would become the next in line to the English crown during King Richard II's reign.
Political Career and Challenges
Edmund Mortimer, now known as the Earl of March and Ulster, became the Marshal of England in 1369. This was a high-ranking job in the king's household. He also went on many important diplomatic missions for the king.
Standing Up to the King's Court
In 1373, he was part of a special group of nobles who talked with the House of Commons about money for a war in France. He also joined those who were against King Edward III and his court. This group became stronger towards the end of the king's reign.
In 1376, Edmund was a key figure in the Good Parliament. This parliament supported the Prince of Wales and opposed the king's court and John of Gaunt, another powerful royal uncle. The Speaker of the House of Commons at this time was Peter de la Mare, who was Edmund's steward. Peter bravely spoke out against John of Gaunt. He helped remove some high court officials and even got the king's mistress, Alice Perrers, sent away. After the Black Prince died, Edmund was part of a council that advised the king on all important matters.
However, after the Good Parliament ended, John of Gaunt reversed many of its decisions. Edmund's steward was put in jail. Edmund himself was ordered to inspect distant royal castles as part of his Marshal duties. Instead of going, Edmund chose to resign from his important job.
Governing Ireland
When Richard II became king in 1377, he was still a child. Edmund Mortimer became a member of the new government council. Even though he was married to the person next in line to the throne (after the king), he wisely did not try to take a main administrative job.
The most powerful person in the kingdom was the king's uncle, John of Gaunt. John of Gaunt was jealous of Edmund's influence. Because of this, Edmund accepted the job of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1379.
In Ireland, Edmund managed to control the eastern part of Ulster. But he struggled to control the O'Neills in the west. He then went to Munster to try and stop some rebellious southern leaders. Sadly, Edmund was killed in Cork, Ireland, on December 27, 1381. He was buried at Wigmore Abbey, a place he had supported. His wife Philippa was also buried there later.
Children
Edmund and Philippa had two sons and two daughters:
- Elizabeth (1371–1417): She married Henry "Hotspur" Percy, a famous knight. They had children. She might have married again later to Thomas de Camoys, 1st Baron Camoys.
- Roger (1374–1398): He became the 4th Earl of March and Ulster after his father. He married Alianore Holland and they had children.
- Edmund (1376–1409): He married Catrin ferch Owain Glyndŵr, the daughter of a Welsh rebel leader. They had children.
- Philippa (1375–1401): She married three times. First to John Hastings, 3rd Earl of Pembroke. After he died, she married Richard FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel. Her third husband was Sir Thomas Poynings.
