William de Berkeley, 1st Marquess of Berkeley facts for kids
William de Berkeley, 1st Marquess of Berkeley (born 1426, died February 14, 1492) was an important English noble. People sometimes called him "The Waste-All." He was likely buried at St Augustine's Abbey in Bristol, which was a special place for his family.
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William's Family and Marriages
William was born at Berkeley Castle in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, in 1426. His parents were James Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley, and Lady Isabel Mowbray.
William married three times:
- In 1466, he married Elizabeth West. Their marriage ended in 1467.
- In 1468, he married Joan Strangeways.
- Around 1486, after Joan died, he married Anne Fiennes.
William's Important Titles
William earned many important titles during his life. These titles showed his rank and power in England.
Becoming a Knight
Around 1438, William became a Knight Bachelor. This meant he was a respected warrior and had a special honor.
Baron Berkeley
When his father, James Berkeley, died in 1463, William became Baron Berkeley. This was a title he inherited.
Viscount and Earl
William continued to gain higher titles:
- In 1481, he became Viscount Berkeley.
- He was also known as Viscount of Catherlough (which is now County Carlow in Ireland) for a few years.
- In 1483, he was made Earl of Nottingham.
Earl Marshal and Marquess
William also held very important jobs:
- From 1486, he was the Earl Marshal and Great Marshal of England. This was a powerful position in the royal court.
- Finally, in 1489, he received his highest title: Marquess of Berkeley.
Why William Disinherited His Brother
William did not have any sons who lived to inherit his main titles and lands. He had a younger brother named Maurice Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley. However, William decided not to leave his most important properties to Maurice.
This was because Maurice had married Isabel Mead. She was the daughter of a mayor from Bristol, but William felt she was not from a noble enough family for his brother. He believed this marriage brought shame to their family.
So, William left his castle and lands to King Henry VII and the King's male heirs. This meant that when William died, his highest titles (like Marquess) ended. Maurice still had the *right* to be Baron Berkeley, but he didn't immediately get the family's main properties.
However, things changed later. In 1553, King Edward VI (Henry VII's grandson) died without children. Because of this, the Berkeley family eventually got their lands back.
The Battle of Nibley Green
In 1470, William was challenged to a fight by Thomas Talbot, 2nd Viscount Lisle. They were fighting over who owned some land that belonged to William's great-uncle.
This fight, known as the Battle of Nibley Green, was very unusual. It was the last battle in England fought entirely between the private armies of powerful nobles, not by the king's army. Thomas Talbot was killed in this battle.
Images for kids
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Arms of Berkeley: Red shield with a silver chevron and ten silver cross shapes, six at the top and four at the bottom
