Eleanor of Lancaster facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eleanor of Lancaster |
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| Lady Beaumont Countess of Arundel |
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An 18th-century depiction of Eleanor and her second husband, Richard Fitzalan, 3rd Earl of Arundel
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| Born | 11 September 1318 |
| Died | 11 January 1372 (aged 53) Arundel |
| Burial | Lewes Priory, Sussex |
| Spouse |
John de Beaumont, 2nd Baron Beaumont
(m. 1330; died 1342)Richard FitzAlan, 3rd Earl of Arundel
(m. 1344) |
| Issue | Henry Beaumont, 3rd Baron Beaumont Matilda de Courtenay Richard FitzAlan, 4th Earl of Arundel John FitzAlan, 1st Baron Arundel Thomas Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury Joan Fitzalan, Countess of Hereford Alice Fitzalan, Countess of Kent Mary Fitzalan, Lady Strange of Blackmere Eleanor Fitzalan |
| House | Plantagenet |
| Father | Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster |
| Mother | Maud Chaworth |
Eleanor of Lancaster (born September 11, 1318 – died January 11, 1372) was an important English noblewoman in the 1300s. She was also known as the Countess of Arundel. Eleanor was the fifth daughter of Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster, a grandson of King Henry III of England. Her mother was Maud Chaworth.
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Eleanor's First Marriage
Eleanor first married John de Beaumont, 2nd Baron Beaumont on November 6, 1330. John was the son of Henry Beaumont, 4th Earl of Buchan. Sadly, John died in a tournament (a medieval competition where knights fought) on April 14, 1342.
Their Son, Henry
Eleanor and John had one son together:
- Henry Beaumont, 3rd Baron Beaumont (born April 4, 1340 – died July 25, 1369).
Henry was born in Ghent, a city in modern-day Belgium. At the time, Eleanor was serving as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Philippa of Hainault, the wife of King Edward III of England. Henry later married Lady Margaret de Vere. They had one son, John Beaumont, 4th Baron Beaumont.
Eleanor's Second Marriage
On February 5, 1345, Eleanor married Richard FitzAlan, 3rd Earl of Arundel. Their wedding took place at Ditton Church in Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire.
Richard had been married before to Isabel le Despenser. However, that marriage was ended by the Pope. This happened because Isabel's family had lost their power and importance.
Children with Richard FitzAlan
Eleanor and Richard had several children together:
- Richard (1346–1397), who became the next Earl of Arundel.
- John Fitzalan (before 1349 – 1379).
- Thomas Arundel, who became a very important church leader, the Archbishop of Canterbury (around 1353 – February 19, 1413).
- Lady Joan FitzAlan (1347/1348 – April 7, 1419), who married Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford.
- Lady Alice FitzAlan (1350 – March 17, 1416), who married Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent.
- Lady Mary FitzAlan (died August 29, 1396), who married John Le Strange, 4th Lord Strange of Blackmere.
- Lady Eleanor FitzAlan (1348 – died August 29, 1396), who married Sir Anthony Browne.
Later Life and Legacy
Eleanor passed away in Arundel on January 11, 1372. She was buried at Lewes Priory in Lewes, East Sussex, England. Her husband, Richard, lived for four more years after her death. He was buried next to her.
In his will, Richard asked to be buried "near to the tomb of Eleanor de Lancaster, my wife." He also requested that his tomb not be any taller than hers. This shows how much he respected her. He also asked for a simple funeral, with only five torches, just like Eleanor's.
Today, there are memorial statues of Eleanor and her husband, Richard, in Chichester Cathedral. These statues are famous and were even the subject of a well-known poem called "An Arundel Tomb" by Philip Larkin.
