Thomas (Beauchamp) de Beauchamp KG (abt. 1314 - 1369)

Born about 14 Feb 1314 in Warwick Castle, Warwickshire, England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 13 Nov 1369 at about age 55 in Calais, France of the plague

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Biography

Sir Thomas Beauchamp was a member of the aristocracy in England.

Family and Early Life

Thomas was the eldest son and heir of Guy de Beauchamp, 10th earl of Warwick, hereditary Chamberlain of the Exchequer and Sheriff of Worcester, and Alice de Toeni.^[1][2] He is thought to have been born 14 February 1313/14 at his parents' residence, Warwick Castle.^[1][2][3] Young Thomas had one brother and five sisters.^[1][2]

His father died when Thomas was not yet two years old, and the following year his mother married (third) William La Zouche Mortimer, Knt. ^[4][3][5] Thomas became a ward of King Edward II, and custody of the lands belonging to the earldom of Warwick was given to Hugh Despenser (the elder) on 21 June 1317.^[6][7] When Edward III ascended to the throne, however, Roger Mortimer of Wigmore was granted Warwick Castle and all the lands belonging to the earldom until the young earl reached his majority, as well as guardianship of Thomas with the authority to arrange his marriage.^[6][8] Plans were made for Thomas to wed Mortimer's daughter Katherine, but were interrupted when Mortimer fell out of favor, was imprisoned, and temporarily forced to escape into exile.^[6] In 1325 Edmund FitzAlan, earl of Arundel, obtained a papal dispensation to marry Thomas to one of his own daughters.^[6][9] Mortimer, however, by this time had been able to find his way back into the king's good graces and was granted custody of the earldom's lands, regained the authority to determine Warwick's marriage, and promptly arranged for Thomas and Katherine to be wed.^[6]

Marriage and Children

Thomas married Katherine de Mortimer after 22 February 1324/5 (by dispensation dated 19 April 1319,^[10] they being related in the 3rd and 4th degrees of kindred).^[2]Katherine was the daughter of Roger de Mortimer, Knt., 1st Earl of March, and Joan, daughter and co-heiress of Peter de Geneville (or Joinville), Knt.^[2][11] There were at least fifteen (and possibly seventeen) children from this marriage:.^[1][2]

• Guy de Beauchamp, Knt.; married before 1353 Philippe de Ferrers;^{[12][13][14][15]} died April 1360^[12][15]
• Thomas de Beauchamp, K.G., 12th Earl of Warwick; born before 16 March 1338/9;^[16][17] married Margaret Ferrers;^[14][15] died 8 April 1401^{[14][15][16][18]}
• Reynburn de Beauchamp;^[2][14] died before1361^[15][17]
• William de Beauchamp, K.G., 1st Lord Bergavenny; born c.1343;^[6] married Joan FitzAlan;^[14][15][19] died 1411^[6]
• Roger de Beauchamp;^[2][14][15] died 1361 without issue ^[6][20] [Clemmensen suggests he was born in 1356 and died in 1361 but gives no sources for the birthdate.]^[17]
• Elizabeth de Beauchamp; married Thomas Ufford, K.G.;^[15][21] died 1369^[6]
• Joan de Beauchamp; born 1338^[22] married Ralph Basset, K.G., 3rd Lord Basset of Drayton^[14][15][23]
• Maud de Beauchamp; married Roger de Clifford, Knt., 5th Lord Clifford;^{[13][14][15][24]} died 1403^[6]
• Philippe de Beauchamp; married before 1 March 1351 Hugh de Stafford, K.G., 2nd earl of Stafford;^{[13][14][15][25][26]} died before 6 April 1386^[26]
• Alice de Beauchamp; married (1) John Beauchamp, Knt. of Hatch;^[13][14][15] married (2) Mathew Gournay, Knt;^[6] died 1383^[6]
• Margaret de Beauchamp; married Guy de Montfort of Beldesert, Warwickshire;^{[13][14][15][27]} after his death she became a nun^[6]
• Isabel de Beauchamp; married (1) John le Strange, 5th Lord Strange of Blackmere;^{[13][14][15][28]}married (2) William Ufford, K.G., 2nd earl of Suffolk;^[14][15] after his death she became a nun and died 1416^[6]
• Anne (or Agnes) de Beauchamp; married Walter de Cokesey^[2][13][15]
• Juliane de Beauchamp; died unmarried^[13][14][15]
• Katherine de Beauchamp; nun at either Shouldham^[2] or Wroxhall in Warwickshire^[13][14][15] See Research Notes.
• Hieronimus (Jerome) Beauchamp; died young/unmarried^[8][13] [not listed in Richardson]
• Iohannes (John) Beauchamp; died young/unmarried^[8][13] [not listed in Richardson]

Sir William Dugdale claimed that Thomas also had two illegitimate children, but does not provide any sources. These children were said to be:^[20]

• Sir John Addurflon, Knt
• Mary; who married Sir Richard Herthull, Knt.

Military Career

Thomas was knighted by King Edward III 1 January 1328/9, and given seisin of his lands, though under age, 20 February 1328/9.^[29][30] He also assumed the hereditary positions of Sheriff of Worcestershire and Chamberlain of the Exchequer,^[7] and in 1333 (although not yet twenty years of age) served in Edward III's campaign in Scotland.^[6] He served on a commision to treat for a truce with Scotland in 1335, ^[2] and by 1337 he was appointed commander of the army in the north.^[6]

Warwick participated in most of Edward III's campaigns in France. In 1339 he served in the 3rd division at Vironfosse (in the Aisne), and the following year was in command at Valenciennes.^[2][3] He was also with the king at the siege of Tournai in 1340 and participated in negotiations that led to the truce of Esplechin 25 September 1340.^{[3] [6]} Unfortunately the king had great trouble raising enough money to pay for his military campaigns, and Warwick was one of a small group of his most trusted advisors who were imprisoned in Mechelen from September 1340-May 1341 as sureties for the king's repaying his debt to the bankers of Mechelen and Louvain.^[6]

In 1342 he served as Chief Ambassador to treat with Brabant and Flanders, and Philip de Valois.^[2] The following year he was an ambassador to the Pope.^[2][31] He was also present at the siege of Vannes.^[2][31]

In 1346 he was among the first of the king's army to land at La Hoge, where accompanied by only one esquire and six archers he attacked an enemy force of one hundred Normans, killing sixty of them and making it possible for the rest of the English forces to disembark.^[8] He later played a significant role in England's victories at Crécy and Poitiers.^[6][7] Warwick gained a reputation as such a fierce warrior that Edward granted him an annuity of 1000 marks a year on condition that he continue to serve the king in war whenever he was needed.^[6]

On 23 April 1348 he became a founding member of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, coming third in predecence only after the prince of Wales and the Duke of Lancaster.^[32]

In 1369 he gathered "some choice troops" and sailed to Calais to reinforce John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, whose own army was in dire straits and surrounded by an army led by the Duke of Burgundy.^[6] So terrifying was his reputation as a "spirited warrior" that it is said Burgundy's entire army withdrew under cover of darkness before Warwick's ship landed, to avoid risking an encounter with him.^[33][34]

Other Interests

Warwick's primary interest was in military strategy, he does not appear to have participated in internal political maneuvering in Edward III's court.^[6] As his own wealth continued to increase as a result of military successes he proved extremely astute at finding capable and loyal men to administer all of his various estates, which were scattered throughout England.^[35] These loyal retainers were in many cases given almost complete autonomy in the day-to-day management of his estates in return for compensation from Warwick, and in some cases the properties were even enfeoffed directly to them in order for Warwick to provide marriage portions for his daughters.^[35] He also maintained a network of friendships with neighboring lords, keeping them on close terms and cooperating with them on judicial commissions.^[35] From 1344-1369 Warwick served as the sheriff of Warwickshire and Leicestershire.^[36]

Although willing to delegate the management of his lands, Warwick did have an interest in building. He was responsible for rebuilding the walls of Warwick Castle (which had been completely demolished), and strengthening the gates by fortifying them with towers.^[34] He also built the choir of the collegiate church of St Mary, Warwick, constructed a booth-hall in the market place of Warwick, and made that town toll-free.^[34]

Death and Burial

Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th earl of Warwick and Marshal of England, died on 13 November 1369 of the plague, at Calais, Pas-de-Calais, Normandy, France.^[2][11] He was buried next to his wife, Katherine, who had died three months earlier on 4 August 1369, in the middle of the quire of the collegiate church at St. Mary's, Warwick.^[2][11][37]

Will of Thomas de Beauchamp

His will, dated 6 September 1369, left bequests to the following individuals:^[38][39][40] his son and heir, Thomas; his daughter [Philippe] de Stafford; his son William; his [as yet unmarried] daughter Isabel; his daughter Margaret (identified as a nun at Shouldham); his granddaughter Katherine ( also a nun at Shouldham and identified as a daughter of his son Guy); his daughter Alice; and his daughter [Maud] de Clifford. Also receiving bequests but whose relationship to Warwick was not stated were: Sir John Beauchamp; Sir Roger Beauchamp; and Sir Guy de Brienne.^[38]

Executors responsible for overseeing the terms of this will were: the earl of Stafford (Warwick's son-in-law); Thomas and William (Warwick's sons); Sir Roger Beauchamp; Sir Sir Guy de Brienne; Sir John Beauchamp; Sir Ralph Basset (Warwick's son-in-law); Sir RIchard Piriton (governor of Northampton); Sir William Forde; Sir Alan Fen; Sir John Blake; Sir John Harwood; Sir William Morton; and John Rous.^[38] Dugdale identified the last six names, perhaps incorrectly, as all being priests.^[37] John le Rous was one of his most senior men, whom Warwick had entrusted to oversee the running of a number of his manors in Worchestershire and Gloucestershire, and to whom (sometime before 1363) he granted the legal title to several of those estates.^[35]

At the time of his death , Thomas de Beauchamp held a number of castles (including Barnard Castle in Northumberland, Warwick Castle in Warwickshire, and Painscastle, Sweyneseye and Oystremouth Castles in Hereford), numerous manors and advowsons, and lands scattered throughout almost every part of England.^[41] His heir was his son Thomas.^[41]

Research Notes

• Alton Rogers received an e-mail dated March 25, 2008 from Terry Babbage, parish administrator for St. Mary's, Warwick providing information about the tomb and effigies of Thomas de Beauchamp and his wife Katherine, whose tomb is located in the Chancel of St. Mary's. He also provided a color photo of their tomb.

Daughter Katherine:

• Richardson, perhaps in error, identified Katherine as "a nun at Shouldham."^[2] Thomas de Beauchamp's will identifies a Katherine who is a nun at Shouldham as his granddaughter, the daughter of his eldest son Guy.^[38] At least three other sources, however, identify a Katherine, daughter of Thomas de Beauchamp, as a nun at Wroxhall in Warwickshire.^[13][14][15] It is possible that these were two different women, one being Thomas's daughter (at Wroxhall) and one being his granddaughter (at Shouldham). Stevens-17832 16:11, 22 January 2024 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Richardson, Douglas. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham. Salt Lake City: the author (2013), vol. I, pp. 293-296 BEAUCHAMP 11. Thomas de Beauchamp.
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17} Richardson, Douglas. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham, 2nd edition. Salt Lake City: the author (2011), vol. I, pp. 142-145, BEAUCHAMP 6. Thomas de Beauchamp. Google Books
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} Cokayne, George Edward. The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom: extant, extinct, or dormant. London: St. Catherine Press (1959), vol. 12 (2), p. 372.
4. ↑ Richardson, Douglas. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families. 5 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham. Salt Lake City: by the author (2013), vol. 1, pp. 287-291 BEAUCHAMP 10. Guy de Beauchamp.
5. ↑ Blomefield, Francis. "Hundred of Wayland: Saham-Tony," in An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 2, London: W Miller (1805), 319-330. British History Online, accessed January 9, 2024, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-hist-norfolk/vol2/pp319-330.
6. ↑ ^{6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16 6.17 6.18 6.19 6.20 6.21} Tuck, Anthony. Beauchamp, Thomas, eleventh earl of Warwick. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online edition (23 Sep 2004, rv. 4 Oct 2008), available here by subscription.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} Edmondson, Joseph. An Historical and Genealogical Account of the Noble Family of Greville. London: author (1766), p. 37
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3} Beltz, George. Memorials of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. London: William Pickering (1841) pp. 25-7.
9. ↑ "Regesta 78: 1324-1325," in Calendar of Papal Registers Relating To Great Britain and Ireland: Volume 2, 1305-1342, ed. W H Bliss (London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1895), 242; 8 Kal.Mar.Avignon (F.257d). British History Online, accessed January 18, 2024, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-papal-registers/brit-ie/vol2/pp241-243.
10. ↑ "Regesta 69: 1318-1319," in Calendar of Papal Registers Relating To Great Britain and Ireland: Volume 2, 1305-1342, ed. W H Bliss (London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1895), p. 186; 13 Kal.May.Avignon (f. 256). British History Online, accessed January 18, 2024, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-papal-registers/brit-ie/vol2/pp183-190.
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2} Cokayne, George Edward. The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom: extant, extinct, or dormant. London: St. Catherine Press (1959), vol. 12 (2), p. 374.
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1} Richardson, Douglas. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham, 2nd edition. Salt Lake City: the author (2011), vol. I, pp. 143-144, BEAUCHAMP 6.i. Guy de Beauchamp, Google Books
13. ↑ ^{13.00 13.01 13.02 13.03 13.04 13.05 13.06 13.07 13.08 13.09 13.10 13.11} Edmondson, Joseph. An Historical and Genealogical Account of the Noble Family of Greville. London: author (1766), p. 39
14. ↑ ^{14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 14.12 14.13 14.14 14.15} Clutterbuck, Robert. The History and Antiquities of Hertford. London: Nichols, Son, and Bentley (1815),vol. 1, p. 358.
15. ↑ ^{15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 15.12 15.13 15.14 15.15 15.16 15.17 15.18} Baker, George. The History and Antiquities of the County of Northampton. London: J.B. Nichols and Son (1844), vol. 2, pp 218-219
16. ↑ ^{16.0 16.1} Richardson, Douglas. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham, 2nd edition. Salt Lake City: the author (2011), vol. I, pp. 145-146, BEAUCHAMP 7. Thomas de Beauchamp. Google Books
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1 17.2} Clemmensen, Steen. The Beauchamps of Warwick and Their Use of Arms. Genealogy, vol. 2(4) (2018), p. 4.
18. ↑ Round, John Horace. Beauchamp, Thomas de. (d. 1401). Dictionary of National Biography archive edition.
19. ↑ Richardson, Douglas. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham, 2nd edition. Salt Lake City: the author (2011), vol. I, p. 144, BEAUCHAMP 6.iii. William de Beauchamp, Google Books
20. ↑ ^{20.0 20.1} Dugdale, Sir William. Antiquities of Warwickshire. London: Thomas Warren (1656), p. 321.
21. ↑ Richardson, Douglas. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham, 2nd edition. Salt Lake City: the author (2011), vol. I, p. 144, BEAUCHAMP 6.iv. Elizabeth de Beauchamp, Google Books
22. ↑ Cawley, her entry, which has "[May] 1338" as her date of marriage, noting that "Joan was probably an infant when married."
23. ↑ Richardson, Douglas. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham, 2nd edition. Salt Lake City: the author (2011), vol. I, p. 144, BEAUCHAMP 6.v. Joan de Beauchamp, Google Books
24. ↑ Richardson, Douglas. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham, 2nd edition. Salt Lake City: the author (2011), vol. I, p. 144, BEAUCHAMP 6.vi. Maud de Beauchamp, Google Books
25. ↑ Richardson, Douglas. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham, 2nd edition. Salt Lake City: the author (2011), vol. I, p. 144, BEAUCHAMP 6.vii. Philippe de Beauchamp, Google Books
26. ↑ ^{26.0 26.1} Richardson, Douglas. Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 5 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham. Salt Lake City: the author (2013), vol. 5, p. 11 STAFFORD 8. Hugh de Stafford.
27. ↑ Richardson, Douglas. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham, 2nd edition. Salt Lake City: the author (2011), vol. I, p. 144, BEAUCHAMP 6.vii. Margaret de Beauchamp, Google Books
28. ↑ Richardson, Douglas. Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 4 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham, 2nd edition. Salt Lake City: the author (2011), vol. I, p. 144, BEAUCHAMP 6.ix. Isabel de Beauchamp, Google Books
29. ↑ Calendar of Patent Rolls 1330-1334. London: H.M. Stationery Office (1893), p. 30.
30. ↑ "Close Rolls, Edward III: February 1329," in Calendar of Close Rolls, Edward III: Volume 1, 1327-1330, ed. H C Maxwell Lyte (London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1896), p. 429 (Feb. 20. Westminster). British History Online, accessed January 19, 2024, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/cal-close-rolls/edw3/vol1/pp427-439.
31. ↑ ^{31.0 31.1} Cokayne, George Edward. The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom: extant, extinct, or dormant. London: St. Catherine Press (1959), vol. 12 (2), p. 373.
32. ↑ Shaw, William. The Knights of England. London: Sherralt and Huges (1906), vol. 1, p. 1.
33. ↑ Historia Anglicana, 1.282, cited in Tuck, Anthony. Beauchamp, Thomas, eleventh earl of Warwick. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online edition (23 Sep 2004, rv. 4 Oct 2008), available here by subscription.
34. ↑ ^{34.0 34.1 34.2} Edmondson, Joseph. An Historical and Genealogical Account of the Noble Family of Greville. London: author (1766), p. 38
35. ↑ ^{35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3} Barfield, Sebastian.The Beauchamp Earls of Warwick 1298-1369. Thesis, University of Birmingham Department of Medieval History, July 1997.
36. ↑ Lists of Sheriffs for England and Wales, from the earliest times to A.D. 1831, Public Record Office Lists and Indexes IX, 1898 (Kraus Reprint Corporation, 1963), p. 145.
37. ↑ ^{37.0 37.1} Dugdale, Sir William. The Baronage of England. (1675), p. 234.
38. ↑ ^{38.0 38.1 38.2 38.3} Nicholas, Harris Nicolas. Testamenta Vetusta. London: Nichols and Son (1826), pp. 79-80
39. ↑ Dugdale, Sir William. The Baronage of England. (1675), pp. 233-234.
40. ↑ Gibbons, Alfred. Early Lincoln Wills, 1280–1547 Lincoln,: James WIlliamson (1888) Page 30.
41. ↑ ^{41.0 41.1} M. C. B. Dawes and J. B. W. Chapman. "Inquisitions Post Mortem, Edward III, File 207," in Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem: Volume 12, Edward III, (London: His Majesty's Stationery Office, 1938), 303-314. British History Online, accessed January 23, 2024, http://www.british-history.ac.uk/inquis-post-mortem/vol12/pp303-314.

See Also:

• Blore, Thomas. History and Antiquities of the County of Rutland. Stanford: R. Newcomb (1811), vol. 1(2), p. 42 (Mortimer pedigree).
• Doyle, James Edmund. Official Baronage of England. London: Longmans, Green and Co. (1886), pp. 579-581.
• Nicholas, Harris Nicolas. Testamenta Vetusta. London: Nichols and Son (1826), pp. 53-54, vol 1, pp. 53-54 (will of Guy de Beauchamp); pp; 153-155 (will of Thomas de Beauchamp); pp. 193-194 (will of Isabel (Beauchamp) Ufford).
• Richardson, Douglas. Plantagenet Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, 3 vols, ed. Kimball G. Everingham. 2nd edition. Salt Lake City: the author, 2011 (volume 1, page 192, BEAUCHAMP 9).
• Weis, F.L. Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists, Who Came to America Before 1700: the Lineage of Alfred the Great, Charlemagne, Malcolm of Scotland, Robert the Strong, and Some of Their Descendants (Baltimore. 1992.) Line 120, p.107.
• Weis, F. L. The Magna Charta Sureties, 1215. Fourth Edition (With Additions and Corrections By Walter Lee Sheppard, Jr., M. S.; 1971
• The WikiTree categories for the Black Plague Pandemic, 1346 - 1853 and the Siege of Calais, which have links to relevant Wikipedia articles.
• Wikipedia: Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th earl of Warwick.

Acknowledgements

Magna Carta Project

This profile was developed for the Magna Carta Project by Jen Hutton in January 2024 and reviewed for the Project by Michael Cayley on 24 January 2024.

Thomas (Beauchamp) de Beauchamp KG has been identified by the Magna Carta Project as in trails from Gateway Ancestors Elizabeth Cooke and Stephen Terry to Magna Carta Surety Barons Hugh le Bigod and Roger Bigod. These trails have not yet been developed on WikiTree by the Magna Carta Project. They can be seen in the Magna Carta trails sections of the profiles of Martha White and Mary White.

See Base Camp for more information about identified Magna Carta trails and their status. See the project's glossary for project-specific terms, such as a "badged trail".