Thomas le Despenser, 1st Earl of Gloucester
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Thomas le Despenser, 1st Earl of Gloucester (22 September 1373 – 13 January 1400, Bristol) was the son of Edward le Despenser, 1st Baron le Despencer.
He succeeded to the barony in 1375, and later married Constance, daughter of Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York. A supporter of Richard II against Thomas of Woodstock and the lords appellant, he was rewarded with the Earldom of Gloucester in 1397. However, he supported Henry Bolingbroke on his return to England to become Henry IV, only to be deprived of his Earldom for his role in the death of Thomas of Woodstock. He then took part in the Epiphany Rising, a rebellion aimed at restoring Richard; this failed, and he was attainted. He was captured by a mob and beheaded at Bristol.
He had five children by Constance:
- Elizabeth le Despenser (d. c. 1398)
- Richard le Despenser, 4th Baron Burghersh (1396–1414)
- Edward le Despenser (b. bef. 1400), died young
- Hugh le Despenser (c. 1400–1401)
- Isabel le Despenser (1400–1439)
| Preceded by: Edward le Despenser |
Baron le Despencer 1375–1400 |
Succeeded by: Attainted |
| Preceded by: New Creation |
Earl of Gloucester 1397–1399 |
Succeeded by: Deprived |
[edit] References
This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
