1st Duke of Warwick

DUKEDOM OF WARWICK

1445-46

Amongst the most eminent Norman families in the train of WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR was that of BEAUCHAMP, and amongst those that shared most liberally in the spoils of the Conquest.

HUGH DE BEAUCHAMP, the companion in arms of the victorious Norman, who obtained grants to a very great extent from his triumphant chief, as he appears, at the general survey, to be possessed of large estates in Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Bedfordshire, was the founder of this illustrious house in England.

This Hugh de Beauchamp had issue,

Simon;
Payne;
WALTER, of whom we treat;
Milo;
Adeline.

The third son,

WALTER DE BEAUCHAMP, of Elmley Castle, Gloucestershire, having married Emeline, daughter and heiress of Urse d'Abetot, Constable of the castle of Worcester and Hereditary Sheriff of Worcestershire, was invested with that office by HENRY I, and obtained a grant from the same monarch of all the lands belonging to Roger of Worcester, with a confirmation of certain lands given to him by Alice, widow of his father-in-law, the said Urse.

Walter de Beauchamp was succeeded by his son,

WILLIAM DE BEAUCHAMP (c1105-70), who, for his zeal in the cause of the Empress Matilda, was dispossessed of Worcester Castle by KING STEPHEN, to which, and all his other honours and estates, however, he was restored by HENRY II; and in that monarch's reign, besides the sheriffdom of Worcestershire, which he enjoyed by inheritance, he was Sheriff of Warwickshire, Sheriff of Gloucestershire, and Sheriff of Herefordshire.

He espoused Maud, daughter of William de Braose, and was succeeded at his decease by his son,

WILLIAM DE BEAUCHAMP, who married Joanne, daughter of Sir Thomas Walerie; and dying before the thirteenth year of KING JOHN's reign, was succeeded by his son,

WALTER DE BEAUCHAMP, Governor of Hanley Castle, Worcestershire.

The family line carried on uninterruptedly to

WILLIAM DE BEAUCHAMP (1237-98), who inherited not only the feudal Elmley from his father, but had previously derived from his mother the Earldom of Warwick (originally possessed by the Newburghs) and the Barony of Hanslape.

This eminent nobleman, a distinguished captain in the Welsh and Scottish wars of EDWARD I, wedded Maud, daughter and co-heiress of Richard FitzJohn, and had surviving issue,

GUY, his successor;
Isabella; Maud; Margaret; Anne; Amy.

William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick, was succeeded by his son,

GUY, 10th Earl (c1272-1315), so called in memory of his celebrated predecessor, the Saxon, Guy, Earl of Warwick.

This nobleman acquired high military renown in the martial reign of EDWARD I, distinguishing himself at the battle of Falkirk, for which he was rewarded with extensive grants of lands in Scotland.

He married Alice, daughter of Ralph de Toeni, of Flamsted, Hertfordshire, and had issue,

THOMAS, his successor;
John;
Maud; Emma; Isabella; Elizabeth; Lucia.

His lordship died at Warwick Castle, and was succeeded by his son, but two years of age,

THOMAS, 11th Earl (c1313-69), KG, who sustained, in the brilliant reign of EDWARD III, the high military renown of his illustrious progenitor, and became distinguished in arms almost from his boyhood.

He wedded Katherine, daughter of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March, and had issue,

Guy;
THOMAS, his successor;
Reinbrun;
John;
Roger;
Hierom;
Maud; Philippa; Alice; Joan; Isabel; Margaret; Agnes; Juliana; Katherine.

The 11th Earl, one of the original Knights of the Garter, was succeeded by his eldest son,

THOMAS, 12th Earl (1338-1401), KG, one of the principal opponents of RICHARD II, who espoused Margaret, daughter of William, 3rd Baron Ferrers of Groby, and had issue,

RICHARD, his successor;
Katherine; Margaret; Katherine; Elizabeth.

His lordship was succeeded by his only son,

RICHARD, 13th Earl (1382-1439), KG, who married firstly, Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas, 5th Lord Berkeley, and had issue, three daughters,

Margaret; Eleanor; Elizabeth.

He wedded secondly, Isabel, daughter and eventually heiress of Thomas, 1st Earl of Gloucester, and had issue,

HENRY, his successor;
Anne.

His lordship was succeeded by his only son,

HENRY, 14th Earl (1425-46), KG,

Who, before he had completed his nineteenth year, tendered his services for the defence of the Duchy of Aquitaine, was created, in 1444, PREMIER EARL OF ENGLAND; and his lordship obtained, at the same time, permission for himself and his heirs to wear a golden coronet in the presence of the King and elsewhere. 

Soon afterwards, in 1445, he was advanced to the dignity of a dukedom, as DUKE OF WARWICK, with precedence immediately after the Duke of Norfolk, and before the Duke of Buckingham; which extraordinary mark of royal favour so displeased the latter nobleman that an Act of Parliament was subsequently passed to appease his jealousy, declaring that the two dukes should take place of each other alternately year about, but with precedency of the first year to the Duke of Warwick;

After which His Grace had a grant in reversion of the death of the Duke of Gloucester, of the Channel Islands for the annual rent of a rose; also the Hundred and Manor of Bristol, and all the royal castles and manors in the Forest of Dean. 

His Grace was crowned, by the King himself, KING OF THE ISLE OF WIGHT.

The first Duke married, in the lifetime of his father, but when ten years old and then styled Lord Despencer, Cecily, daughter of Richard Richard Nevill, jure uxoris 5th Earl of Salisbury, by whom he had an only daughter, ANNE.

His Grace died aged 22, when the Dukedom (and the male line of this branch of the Beauchamps) expired, but his other honours devolved upon his daughter,

ANNE, 15th Countess of Warwick (1443-48), then but two years old, who was committed to the guardianship first of Queen Margaret, and afterwards of William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk.

Anne dying, however, a few years later, the honours of the illustrious house of BEAUCHAMP reverted to the young Countess's aunt,

ANNE, 16th Countess of Warwick (1426-92), wife of Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury; and her husband was subsequently created EARL OF WARWICK, the celebrated Kingmaker.

Ancestral seat ~ Warwick Castle, Warwickshire. Town House ~ 32 St James's Square.

First published in October, 2017.