Hugh le Despenser, 1st Earl of Winchester

1261 - 1326  (65 years)

• Name	Hugh le Despenser
  Suffix	1st Earl of Winchester
  Born	01 Mar 1261	Gloucestershire, England
  Gender	Male
  Died	27 Oct 1326	Bristol, England
  Buried	Tewkesbury Abbey, Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, England
  	Grave location, biography, historical photo of death, annd photo of tomb: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=16441434
  Notes	Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_le_Despenser,_1st_Earl_of_Winchester Sometimes referred to as "the Elder Despenser", he was for a time the chief adviser to King Edward II of England. He was the son of Hugh le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer (or Despenser), and Aline Basset, only daughter and heiress of Philip Basset. His father was killed at the Battle of Evesham when Hugh was just a boy, but Hugh's inheritance was saved through the influence of his maternal grandfather (who had been loyal to the king). He married Isabella de Beauchamp, daughter of William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick and Maud FitzJohn. He served Edward I on numerous occasions in battle and in diplomacy and was created a baron by writ of summons to Parliament in 1295. His son, Hugh Despenser the Younger, became a favorite of Edward II, in what is believed to be a homosexual relationship. Hugh the Elder was loyal to his son and the King, which worried the barons. To that time, his highest office was justice of the forests. He was one of the few barons to remain loyal to Edward during the controversy regarding Piers Gaveston. Despenser became Edward's loyal servant and chief administrator after Gaveston was executed in 1312, but the jealousy of other barons - and, more importantly, his own corruption and unjust behavior - led to his being exiled along with his son Hugh Despenser the younger in 1321. Edward found it difficult to manage without them, and recalled them to England a year later, an action which enraged the queen, Isabella, the more so when Despenser was created Earl of Winchester in 1322. Although not as bad as his son, Despencer the Elder was accused by a significant number of people of widespread criminality during the next few years, often involving false accusations of trespass or theft and the extortion of money or land. When Isabella, Queen of England, and her lover, Roger Mortimer, led a rebellion against her husband Edward, they captured both Despensers?first the elder, later the younger. Queen Isabella interceded for Hugh the elder, but his enemies, notably Roger Mortimer and Henry, Earl of Lancaster, insisted both father and son should face trial and execution. The elder Despenser was hanged immediately in his armour at Bristol on 27 October 1326. He was then beheaded and his body cut into pieces for the dogs. His head was sent for display to Winchester, which had supported the king. Pardons were issued to thousands of people who had been falsely accused by Despencer following his death.
  Person ID	I36204	Master File
  Last Modified	7 Oct 2016

  
  

  Father	Hugh le Despenser, 1st Baron le Despencer,   b. ca 1223, England ,   d. 04 Aug 1265, Evesham, Worcestershire, England  (Age ~ 42 years)
  Mother	Aline Bassett
  Family ID	F14965	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Isabella de Beauchamp, Baroness Despenser,   b. ca 1263, Warwickshire, England ,   d. Bef 30 May 1306, Worcestershire, England  (Age ~ 43 years)
  Children	1. Hugh le Despenser, The Younger,   b. 1286, Gloucestershire, England ,   d. 24 Nov 1326, Hereford Herefordshire, England  (Age 40 years)
  Last Modified	29 Sep 2016
  Family ID	F14933	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart