Hugh Despenser the Younger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hugh Despenser
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| Baron Despenser | |
Despenser in the Founders and Benefactors Book of Tewkesbury Abbey, c. 1525; his family arms of Quarterly 1st & 4th: Argent; 2nd & 3rd: Gules fretty or, over all a ribbon sable are at the bottom left
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| Other names | The Younger Despenser |
| Known for | Being a favourite of Edward II |
| Born | c. 1287/9 |
| Died | 24 November 1326 (aged 36–39) Hereford, England |
| Cause of death | Hanged, drawn and quartered for high treason |
| Buried | Tewkesbury Abbey, Gloucestershire, England Hulton Abbey, Staffordshire |
| Wars and battles | Despenser War Isabella's Campaign |
| Offices | Chamberlain of the Household |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Issue | Hugh Despenser Edward Despenser Isabel Despenser Joan Despenser Gilbert Despenser John Despenser Eleanor Despenser Margaret Despenser Elizabeth Despenser |
| Father | Hugh Despenser |
| Mother | Isabel Beauchamp |
Hugh Despenser (born around 1287 or 1289 – died 24 November 1326) was an important person in England during the 1300s. He was also known as "the Younger Despenser" to tell him apart from his father, who was also named Hugh Despenser. His father was the Earl of Winchester.
Hugh Despenser the Younger became very powerful as a close friend and advisor to King Edward II. He was the King's chamberlain, which was a high-ranking job in the royal household. However, his power and influence made many other important people in England dislike him. He was later accused of serious crimes against the country.
Contents
Becoming Powerful: Titles and Lands
Hugh Despenser the Younger became the King's Chamberlain in 1318. This meant he was a very trusted advisor to King Edward II. He gained a lot of land and power, especially through his marriage.
In 1317, he claimed the Lordship of Glamorgan in Wales. He got this through his wife, Eleanor de Clare. A "lordship" meant he was in charge of a large area of land and the people living there. He also gathered more lands in Wales and England.
He was in charge of several important castles. These included Hanley Castle and Odiham Castle. He also looked after Bristol Castle, Portchester Castle, and Dryslwyn Castle. He even controlled the region of Cantref Mawr in Wales.
He was also given Wallingford Castle. This castle had been given to Queen Isabella of France for her lifetime. But Hugh Despenser managed to get it for himself.
His Marriage and Family
In May 1306, Hugh Despenser was made a knight. This happened at a special event called the Feast of the Swans. He was knighted alongside Prince Edward, who would later become King.
That summer, he married Eleanor de Clare. Eleanor came from a very powerful family. Her father was Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Gloucester. Eleanor's grandfather, Edward I, owed Hugh's father a lot of money. This marriage helped settle that debt.
Eleanor's brother, Gilbert, died in 1314. This was a big event because he died without children. Eleanor then became one of three sisters who would share the very rich lands of the Gloucester earldom. Because of his marriage to Eleanor, Hugh inherited Glamorgan and other valuable properties. In just a few years, Hugh went from being a knight with little land to one of the richest men in England.
Eleanor was also the niece of the new king, Edward II. This family connection brought Hugh even closer to the King and the royal court.
Hugh and Eleanor had nine children who lived past infancy:
- Hugh le Despenser (born around 1308 or 1309 – died 8 February 1349)
- Edward le Despenser (born around 1310 – died 30 September 1342)
- Isabel le Despenser, Countess of Arundel (born around 1312 – after 1356)
- Joan le Despenser (born around 1314 – died 15 November 1384)
- Gilbert le Despenser (born around 1316 – died April 1382)
- John le Despenser (born around 1317 – died June 1366)
- Eleanor le Despenser (born around 1319 – died February 1351)
- Margaret le Despenser (born around August 1323 – died 1337)
- Elizabeth le Despenser (born around December 1325 – died 13 July 1389)
Political Challenges and Exile
Hugh Despenser became the King's chamberlain in 1318. He quickly became the King's new favorite, taking the place of Roger d'Amory. This made many powerful nobles, called the "baronage," very unhappy. They felt he was taking their rightful place at court. Many saw him as even worse than the King's previous unpopular favorite, Piers Gaveston.
By 1320, Hugh Despenser's desire for more power and wealth was very clear. He made many enemies, from Queen Isabella to the common people. People even tried to find ways to get rid of him.
Finally, the barons decided to act against King Edward. Queen Isabella also asked them to. In August 1321, they forced Hugh Despenser and his father to leave England. However, King Edward soon wanted them back. The King gathered support after an attack on Queen Isabella's group at Leeds Castle.
Early the next year, the Despensers were able to return to England. King Edward, with the Despensers' help, was able to defeat the rebellion. He captured Roger Mortimer and then Lancaster, who was later executed.
King Edward quickly made Hugh Despenser his favorite again. For the next few years, the Despensers had a lot of power. They were able to do mostly as they pleased. This caused a lot of anger among the people and nobles. It also made King Edward unpopular. Eventually, Roger Mortimer escaped to France. There, he began to plan a new rebellion against the King and the Despensers.
Relationship with Queen Isabella and Downfall
Queen Isabella especially disliked Hugh Despenser. She went to France to talk with her brother, the French king, about her husband. While there, she made an alliance with Roger Mortimer. Together, they started planning to invade England.
Their invasion began in September 1326. They started with about 1,500 soldiers. But soon, many nobles and people joined them. Most preferred to support Isabella and Mortimer rather than King Edward and the hated Despensers.
The Despensers and the King tried to escape. They took a lot of money from the royal treasury. However, their escape was not successful. Hugh Despenser the Younger and the King were separated from Hugh Despenser the Elder. Most of their followers left them. They were captured near Neath in mid-November.
King Edward was put in prison. He was later forced to give up his throne to his son, Edward III. Hugh Despenser the Elder was executed in Bristol on 27 October 1326. Hugh Despenser the Younger was then brought to trial.
Trial and Execution
Hugh Despenser was put on trial on 24 November 1326. This happened in the market square of Hereford. Queen Isabella, Roger Mortimer, and other important lords were there. He was found guilty of serious crimes against the country.
He was sentenced to death. He was executed in a very public and harsh way for his actions.
Where His Remains Were Found
Four years later, in December 1330, Hugh Despenser's wife was allowed to gather his remains. She wanted to bury them at their family estate in Gloucestershire. However, she only received his head, a thigh bone, and a few other bones.
In February 2008, what might be Hugh Despenser's remains were found. This happened in the village of Abbey Hulton in Staffordshire. This was the site of Hulton Abbey. A skeleton had been found there during archaeological work in the 1970s. It seemed to be from someone who had been executed in a very violent way. The body was missing some parts, including those given to Despenser's wife.
Scientists used radiocarbon analysis to find out how old the body was. They found it was from between 1050 and 1385. Later tests showed it was a man over 34 years old. Hugh Despenser was 39 when he died. Also, the abbey was on land that belonged to Hugh de Audley. He was Hugh Despenser's brother-in-law at the time. This evidence suggests the remains could be his.
His Legacy
Hugh Despenser is mentioned in many historical writings. The book The Tyranny and Fall of Edward II: 1321–1326 by Natalie Fryde studies the time when the Despensers were most powerful.
Despenser also appears as a character in plays and books. He is a small character in Christopher Marlowe's play Edward II (1592). He also appears in Maurice Druon's historical book series Les Rois maudits. In 2006, BBC History magazine even chose him as the 14th century's worst Briton.
Images for kids
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Despenser in the Founders and Benefactors Book of Tewkesbury Abbey, c. 1525; his family arms of Quarterly 1st & 4th: Argent; 2nd & 3rd: Gules fretty or, over all a ribbon sable are at the bottom left
