Elizabeth de Clare facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elizabeth de Clare
11th Lady of Clare Lady de Burgh Baroness d'Amory
Born	16 September 1295 Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England
Died	4 November 1360 Ware, Hertfordshire, England
Noble family	de Clare
Spouse(s)	John de Burgh Theobald II de Verdun Roger d'Amory
Issue	William de Burgh, 3rd Earl of Ulster Isabel de Verdun Elizabeth d'Amory
Father	Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford
Mother	Joan of Acre

Elizabeth de Clare (born September 16, 1295 – died November 4, 1360) was a very important and wealthy noblewoman in medieval England. She was known as the 11th Lady of Clare. Elizabeth inherited large estates in Clare, Suffolk, England, and Usk in Wales.

She was the youngest of three daughters of Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford and Joan of Acre. Her mother, Joan, was a daughter of King Edward I of England. Elizabeth is also often called Elizabeth de Burgh because of her first marriage to John de Burgh. She married two more times, to Theobald II de Verdun and Roger d'Amory.

Elizabeth's Three Marriages

Elizabeth de Clare married three times and had one child with each husband. Her father was one of England's richest and most powerful nobles. Her mother was a princess, the daughter of King Edward I.

In 1314, Elizabeth's only brother, Gilbert, was killed in battle. He was only 23 and had no children. This meant his huge fortune, worth about £6,000 a year, was split equally among his three sisters: Elizabeth, Eleanor, and Margaret. This made Elizabeth one of the wealthiest heiresses in England. Her uncle, King Edward II, called her back to England. He wanted to choose a new husband for her. She left Ireland for good in 1316, leaving her young son, William, behind.

First Marriage: John de Burgh

Elizabeth traveled to Ireland with her brother Gilbert for a special double wedding. They were marrying the son and daughter of the Earl of Ulster. Elizabeth married John de Burgh on September 30, 1308. John was set to become the Earl of Ulster, which meant Elizabeth would become a countess.

In 1312, she gave birth to their only child, a son named William. He would later become William Donn de Burgh, 3rd Earl of Ulster. Sadly, just one year later, her husband John died unexpectedly in a small fight. Elizabeth stayed in Ireland as a widow until her brother Gilbert died in 1314. His death meant she had to return to England right away.

Second Marriage: Theobald de Verdun

King Edward II placed Elizabeth in Bristol Castle. He planned to marry her to one of his own supporters. However, in February 1316, Elizabeth was taken from Bristol by Theobald II de Verdun. Theobald had been engaged to Elizabeth before she was called back to England.

Elizabeth was Lady Verdun for only six months. Theobald died on July 27, 1316, from typhoid. He left behind three daughters from a previous marriage, and Elizabeth was pregnant. She went to Amesbury Priory, a religious house, for safety. Her aunt, Mary de Burgh, who was a nun there, protected her. On March 21, 1317, Elizabeth gave birth to Theobald's daughter, Isabel de Verdun. She was named after the Queen.

Third Marriage: Roger d'Amory

Just a few weeks after Isabel's birth, King Edward II arranged another marriage for Elizabeth. She married Sir Roger D'Amory, who was a knight. Roger had served Elizabeth's brother and became a close friend of King Edward II.

Being married to Roger meant Elizabeth was caught up in the political troubles of her uncle's reign. In May 1318, she gave birth to another daughter, also named Elizabeth. Roger was a wild and sometimes violent man. He became a dangerous enemy of Elizabeth's brother-in-law, Hugh Despenser the younger. Roger then joined a group of powerful lords, including Roger Mortimer, who rebelled against the King. This rebellion was called the Despenser War.

Roger died from his wounds after March 16, 1322. He had been captured by the King's forces at the Battle of Boroughbridge, where the rebels were defeated. Elizabeth was captured at Usk Castle and imprisoned with her children at Barking Abbey.

Losing and Getting Back Property

Elizabeth's brother-in-law, Hugh Despenser the younger, became a very close friend of King Edward II. With the King's help, Hugh started taking over lands in south Wales. He wanted to create a huge landholding for himself. He focused on the lands held by Elizabeth and her sisters.

In May 1321, powerful lords in south Wales, including Roger D'Amory, rebelled against Despenser. They captured his castles. This led to the King sending Hugh and his father away in August 1321. But this success did not last long. The King brought the Despensers back in October 1321 and fought back against the rebellious lords.

Elizabeth was taken prisoner at Usk Castle in January 1322. She was held at Barking Abbey in London. Her husband died two months later. The King forced Elizabeth to trade her valuable lordship of Usk for a less valuable one.

However, things changed when Queen Isabella and her friend Roger Mortimer rebelled against King Edward II. The King and Hugh Despenser fled to south Wales in October 1326. By this time, Elizabeth was back at Usk Castle. She got her lordship back after Despenser was executed.

Elizabeth held a very grand Christmas feast at Usk Castle that year. Perhaps it was partly to celebrate her enemy's death! Records of the food and drink from this feast still exist. She also had building work done at Usk and nearby Llangibby Castles. She often entertained her friends there, especially Marie de St Pol, the Countess of Pembroke. Elizabeth stayed at Usk from October 1348 to April 1350, possibly to avoid the Black Death.

Later Life and Legacy

After Roger D'Amory's death, Elizabeth de Clare never married again. She called herself the 'Lady of Clare' after her main estate in Suffolk. She also had homes in Cambridgeshire and Essex. In 1352, she built a house in London near a Franciscan convent.

We know a lot about her life in her last 25 years because many of her household records survived. These records show how she managed her large household, which sometimes had up to 100 people. They also show what food and drink they had. Elizabeth was one of the richest and most important women of the 1300s. Her records mention her personal goldsmith in 1333. She also gave a lot of money to charity and supported her favorite religious houses.

Her most important and lasting contribution was founding Clare College, Cambridge. This began when she was asked to support University Hall in 1326. When she took over as patron in 1346, she gave more money. The college then became known as Clare Hall, and later Clare College.

Death and Family

Elizabeth de Burgh died on November 4, 1360. She was buried at the convent of the Minoresses. Her funeral cost a large sum of £200. Her tomb is no longer there, but it must have been very grand. Her will, which lists all her gifts and wishes, has also been published.

Elizabeth de Clare's oldest daughter, Isabel de Verdun, married Henry de Ferrers. Her younger daughter, Elizabeth d'Amory, married John Bardolf, 3rd Lord Bardolf. Her son, William, 3rd Earl of Ulster, married Maud of Lancaster. They had a daughter named Elizabeth de Burgh, 4th Countess of Ulster. This Elizabeth later married Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence, who was King Edward III's second son. Sadly, William was murdered in Ireland in 1333, 27 years before his mother Elizabeth died.

See also

In Spanish: Elizabeth de Clare para niños