Maurice de Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley facts for kids
Maurice de Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley (April 1271 – 31 May 1326), The Magnanimous, feudal baron of Berkeley, of Berkeley Castle in Gloucestershire, England, was a peer. He rebelled against King Edward II and the Despencers. His epithet, and that of each previous and subsequent head of his family, was coined by John Smyth of Nibley (died 1641), steward of the Berkeley estates, the biographer of the family and author of Lives of the Berkeleys.
Origins
He was born at Berkeley Castle, the eldest son and heir of Thomas de Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley (1245–1321), The Wise, feudal baron of Berkeley, by his wife Joan de Ferrers (1255–1309), a daughter of William de Ferrers, 5th Earl of Derby by his wife Margaret de Quincy, a daughter of Roger de Quincy, 2nd Earl of Winchester.
Career
He was involved in the Scottish Wars from about 1295 to 1318. He was Governor of Gloucester 1312, Governor of Berwick-on-Tweed from 1314 which he lost to the Scots under the 1318 Capture of Berwick, Steward of the Duchy of Aquitaine 1319 and Justiciar of South Wales 1316.
He joined the Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster in his rebellion against his first cousin King Edward II and the Despencers. Also on his side in the rebellion was Roger la Zouch of Lubbesthorp, his first wife's nephew, who in January 1326 sanctioned the assassination of Roger de Beler, Baron of the Exchequer.
Marriages and children
He married twice, first in 1289 to Eve Zouche (died 1314), daughter of Eudo Zouche and his wife, Millicent Cantilupe, daughter and eventual co-heiress of William III Cantilupe (died 1254). Their children included:
- Thomas Berkeley, his heir who became 3rd Baron.
- Sir Maurice Berkeley (born about 1298), of Uley and Stoke Gifford, who married Margaret de Vere and was killed at the Siege of Calais in 1347.
- Isabel Berkeley, who married Robert Clifford, 3rd Baron.
- Millicent Berkeley, who married John Maltravers, 1st Baron Maltravers.
His second marriage, in about 1316, was to Isabel Clare, daughter of Gilbert Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford and his wife Alice de Lusignan.
Death and succession
Berkeley was imprisoned by the Despencers in Wallingford Castle in Berkshire (now in Oxfordshire), where he died on 31 May 1326 and was eventually buried in St Augustine's Abbey (now Bristol Cathedral) in Bristol, founded by his ancestor. He was succeeded by his eldest son Thomas de Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley (born c. 1296).
