Name Thomas Despenser, | ||
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Died January 17, 1400, Bristol, United Kingdom Spouse Constance of York, Countess of Gloucester (m. 1379) Parents Edward le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer Children Isabel le Despenser, Countess of Worcester, Edward le Despenser, Hugh le Despenser, Elizabeth le Despenser Grandchildren Anne Beauchamp, 16th Countess of Warwick, Henry Beauchamp, 1st Duke of Warwick Similar People Constance of York - Countess, Edmund of Langley - 1st Duke, Isabella of Castile - Duchess | ||
Thomas le Despenser, 1st Earl of Gloucester KG (22 September 1373 – 13 January 1400) was the son of Edward le Despenser, 1st Baron le Despencer, whom he succeeded in 1375.
Contents
Royal intrigues
A supporter of Richard II against Thomas of Woodstock and the Lords Appellant, he was rewarded with an Earldom as Earl of Gloucester in 1397.
However, he supported Henry Bolingbroke on his return to England to become King Henry IV, only to be attainted (deprived of his Earldom because of a capital crime) for his role in the death of Thomas of Woodstock.
He then took part in the Epiphany Rising, a rebellion led by a number of Barons aimed at restoring Richard to the throne by assassinating King Henry IV; this quickly failed when the conspirators were betrayed by Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York to Henry. After fleeing to the western counties, a number of the Epiphany Rising conspirators were captured and killed by mobs of townspeople loyal to the king; Despenser was captured by a mob and beheaded at Bristol on 13 January 1400.
Marriage
Thomas le Despenser married Constance, daughter of Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York. They had issue, of whom: