Name Ela Longespee Parents Stephen Longespee | Died July 19, 1276 Grandchildren Maude la Zouche | |
Spouse Maurice FitzGerald, 3rd Lord of Offaly (m. ?–1286) Children Alan la Zouche, 1st Baron la Zouche of Ashby Grandparents William Longespee, 3rd Earl of Salisbury, Ela of Salisbury, 3rd Countess of Salisbury | ||
Ela Longespee, Lady of Ashby (1244 – c. 19 July 1276) was a wealthy heiress and daughter of Stephen Longespee, Justiciar of Ireland, and Emmeline de Riddlesford, granddaughter of Walter de Riddlesford. She was the wife of Sir Roger La Zouche, Lord of Ashby.
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Family
Ela was born in 1244 at Salisbury, Wiltshire and was the eldest daughter and co-heiress of Stephen Longespee, Justiciar of Ireland, Seneschal of Gascony. Her paternal grandmother was Ela, Countess of Salisbury, who had founded Lacock Abbey, and for whom she was named. Her maternal grandmother was the daughter of Henry FitzRoy (d. 1158). Ela had a younger sister, Emmeline, who became the second wife of Maurice FitzGerald, 3rd Lord of Offaly in 1273.
Marriage and issue
In about 1266 in Northamptonshire, she married Sir Roger La Zouche, Lord of Ashby, the son of Sir Alan La Zouche and Helen de Quincy. Their marriage produced one son:
Ela died on about 19 July 1276 at the age of 32. Her younger sister Emmeline, was co-heiress to their father and the wife of Maurice fitz Maurice. She had one daughter, Juliana, who married Thomas de Clare, lord of Thomond. Emeline battled her daughter, Juliana, and her step-daughter Amabilia (Maurice's daughter from a previous marriage) for many years for her dower. Juliana had been granted in frankmarriage to Thomas de Clare, and Maurice had given Inchiquin and Youghal, both in co. Cork, to the newly-wed couple. Amabilia and John fitz Thomas (later the first earl of Kildare) spent many years trying to recover the marriage lands from Juliana and dower lands from Emmeline.