Alice de Lusignan, de Angouleme

Alice de Lusignan de Angouleme

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_de_Lusignan_of_Angouleme

Alice of Lusignan or Alice of Angouleme (born after October 1236 - May 1290) was the first wife of Marcher baron Gilbert de Clare, 3rd Earl of Gloucester and half-niece of King Henry III of England.

Alice was born on an unknown date, sometime after October 1236 in Angouleme, Poitou, France. She was the daughter of Hugh XI of Lusignan, Seigneur de Lusignan, Couhe, et de Peyrat, Count of La Marche and Angouleme, and Yolande de Dreux, Countess of Penthièvre and of Porhoet. Her brother was Hugh XII of Lusignan. Her paternal grandparents were Hugh X of Lusignan, Count of La Marche and Angouleme and Isabella of Angouleme, Queen-Consort of King John of England and mother of King Henry III. Her maternal grandparents were Peter of Dreux, Duke of Brittany and Alix of Thouars, Duchess of Brittany. She had three sisters and three brothers:

1) Isabelle of Lusignan, Dame de Belleville (1248-1304), married Maurice de Belleville.

2) Marie of Lusignan (1242- after 11 July 1266), married Robert de Ferrers, 6th Earl of Derby. She died childless.

3) Yolande of Lusignan (died 10 November 1305), married Pierre I, Sire de Preaux.

4) Guy of Lusignan, Seigneur de Cognac, d'Archiac and de Couhé; Seigneur da la Fere-en-Tardenois (died 1288/89).

5) Geoffrey of Lusignan (died 1264).

6) Hugh XII of Lusignan, Count of La Marche and Angouleme. (c.1240- after 25 August 1270), married Jeanne de Fougères, Dame de Fougères on 29 January 1254, by whom he had issue. He died while on Crusade.

She arrived in England on an unrecorded date. On 6 April 1250, her father was killed in battle in Faruskur, Egypt. In 1253, Alice married Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Hertford, 3rd Earl of Gloucester (2 September 1243 – 7 December 1295). He was the son of Richard de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford and Maud de Lacy. He was ten years old at the time of his marriage. In later years, "Red" Gilbert would become one of the most powerful and important noblemen in the kingdom. The marriage produced two daughters:

1) Isabel de Clare (10 March1263-1333), married firstly Guy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick, and secondly Maurice de Berkeley, 2nd Baron Berkeley. She died childless.

2) Joan de Clare (1264- after 1302), married firstly Duncan Macduff, 7th Earl of Fife by whom she had issue, and secondly Gervase Avenel.

Alice was described as being very beautiful with dark hair and dark eyes. She was also flirtatious and provocative. She was said to strongly resemble her grandmother Queen Isabella. In the late summer of 1259, she formed a friendship with her cousin, Prince Edward who would later ascend the throne as King Edward I. When civil war broke out and the barons rose up against the King led by Simon de Montfort, Alice's husband supported them. Prince Edward, who headed the Royalist Army, quickly went to war against the traitors who had betrayed his father. Tonbridge Castle, one of Gloucester's properties was captured by Prince Edward's troops and Alice, who was resident in the castle at the time, taken prisoner. It is alleged that the Prince and his cousin became lovers while she was imprisoned. Edward's young wife, Eleanor of Castile was in France at the time. Alice was released shortly afterward. At the Battle of Lewes on 14 May 1264 King Henry's forces were defeated by those led by Simon and Gloucester who commanded the second line of battle. After the victory, Gilbert and his brother Thomas were both knighted. Simon de Montfort became the de facto ruler of England. On 20 October the Earl of Gloucester was excommunicated. A month later, he fell out with Montfort and transferred his allegiance to Prince Edward. Later after the Battle of Evesham, in which Simon de Montfort was killed, Gloucester was richly rewarded for his support of Prince Edward and was granted the castle and title of Abergavenny and the castle of Brecknock. He became the most powerful lord in the Welsh Marches. In 1267, he and Alice began to live apart; on 18 July 1271 they formally separated, and the marriage was annulled on 16 May 1285. Gloucester married secondly, on 30 April 1290, Joan of Acre, daughter of Prince Edward who had acceeded in 1272 as King Edward I of England. Alice died in May 1290. Through her daughter Joan, Alice was the grandmother of Isabella MacDuff, Countess of Buchan, who placed the crown of Scotland upon the head of Robert the Bruce at Scone.www.findagrave.com

Alice "of Angoulême" de Lusignan
BIRTH 10 Oct 1236
Angoulême, Departement de la Charente, Poitou-Charentes, France
DEATH 5 May 1290 (aged 53)
Clare, St Edmundsbury Borough, Suffolk, England
BURIAL
Tewkesbury Abbey
Tewkesbury, Tewkesbury Borough, Gloucestershire, England
MEMORIAL ID 148794805

Alice de Lusignan was also known as Alice of Angoulême. She was the daughter of Hugh XI de Lusignan, Count of La Marche, Count of Angoulême (1221 - 1250) and Yolande de Dreux, suo jure Countess of Penthrièvre, suo jure Countess of Porhoet, suo jure Dame de la Fère-en-Tardenois, de Chailly, and de Longjumeau (1236 - 1290). She married Gilbert "the red" de Clare, 6th Earl of Gloucester, 7th Earl of Hertford, 9th Lord of Clare, 3rd Lord of Glamorgan (1243 - 1295) on 02 February 1263 at Clare Castle, Suffolk, England, but her marriage to Lord de Clare was later annulled on 16 May 1285 and found to be invalid. They had two daughters and no sons.

According to historical accounts, she was said to be beautiful and flirtatious and quickly became a friend and ally to Prince Edward I who was later crowned King of England. When civil war broke out in 1264 and the Barons rose up against the King who were led by Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester. Alice's Husband, Lord de Clare, suppored Lord de Montfort's cause against the King. Prince Edward I, who was commander of the Royalist Army, quickly went to war against the traitors who had betrayed his father. Prince Edward's troops later captured Lord de Clare's Tonebridge Castle which is also where Lord de Clare's wife, Alice of Angoulême, was currently residing. Prince Edward then took Alice prisoner. Being that Alice and Prince Edward were close she was released shortly after imprisonment.

At the Battle of Lewes on 14 May 1264 King Henry's forces were defeated by those led by Lord de Montfort and Lord de Clare. After the victory, Gilbert de Clare and his brother Thomas de Clare were both knighted. Simon de Montfort became the de facto ruler of England. On 20 October 1264 the Pope excommunicated Gilbert de Clare. A month later, he fell out with Lord de Montfort and transferred his allegiance to Prince Edward I. After the Battle of Evesham, in which Simon de Montfort was killed, Lord de Clare was richly rewarded for his support of Prince Edward and was granted the castle and title of Abergavenny and the castle of Brecknock. He became the most powerful lord in the Welsh Marches.

Alice was the grandmother of Isabella MacDuff, Countess of Buchan, who placed the crown of Scotland upon the head of Robert the Bruce at Scone.
Family Members
Parents
Hugh de Lusignan
1220–1250
Yolande de Bretagne
1218–1272

Spouse
Gilbert "The Red" de Clare
1243–1295 (m. 1253)

Siblings
Yolande de Lusignan
1245–1306
Hugues XII de Lusignan
unknown–1270

Children
Isabella de Clare de Berkeley
1262–1333