Hawise of Aumale
Encyclopedia
Hawise, countess of Aumale (died March 11, 1214) was the daughter and heiress of William "the Fat" (le Gros), Count of Aumale
and Cicely, daughter and co-heiress of William fitz Duncan. She became countess of Essex as well by her marriage to the third earl of Essex, William de Mandeville
.
Hawise was countess in her own right when she married, on Jan. 14, 1180, William earl of Essex. On his death late in 1189 the widowed Hawise was described by chronicler Richard of Devizes as “a woman who was almost a man, lacking nothing virile except the virile organs.” In addition to her inherited lands in Normandy and England (which included much of the eastern part of Yorkshire
known as Holderness
), she received in dower
one-third of the substantial Mandeville estates.
After a widowhood of less than a year, she remarried. Her second husband was William de Forz
or Fortibus of Oleron. The Poitevin was one of the commanders of the crusading fleet of King Richard I, and the match is said to have been forced on Countess Hawise by that king. The countess gave birth to a son and eventual heir, also named William
.
Her second husband died in 1195. That left her and her lands in the king's gift once again, and King Richard gave her in marriage to Baldwin de Béthune
, his companion on crusade and in captivity. Baldwin had previously served King Henry II
as ambassador to the count of Flanders
in 1178. The next year he and Earl William de Mandeville had escorted King Philip Augustus
to visit the tomb of newly-canonized Archbishop Thomas Becket
in Canterbury. King Henry had promised Baldwin marriage to a rich heiress, but King Richard had chosen to give that heiress in marriage to another. Now Richard fulfilled his father's promise with an even wealthier heiress, but their enjoyment of her Aumale lands in Normandy was short-lived. King Philip Augustus
took Aumale in August 1196 and it remained in the hands of the French king thereafter. Baldwin died in Oct. 1212.
When King John proposed a fourth husband, Hawise declined; she was forced to pay a fine of 5,000 marks for her inheritance, her dower lands, and 'that she be not distrained to marry’. By September 1213 she had paid £1000 of that fine.
William le Gros, 1st Earl of Albemarle
William le Gros was the Count of Aumale , Earl of York, and Lord of Holderness. He was the eldest son of Stephen, Count of Aumale, and his spouse, Hawise, daughter of Ralph de Mortimer of Wigmore....
and Cicely, daughter and co-heiress of William fitz Duncan. She became countess of Essex as well by her marriage to the third earl of Essex, William de Mandeville
William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex
William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex was a loyal councilor of Henry II and Richard I of England.He was the second son of Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex and Rohese de Vere, Countess of Essex. After his father's death while in rebellion , William grew up at the court of the Count of...
.
Hawise was countess in her own right when she married, on Jan. 14, 1180, William earl of Essex. On his death late in 1189 the widowed Hawise was described by chronicler Richard of Devizes as “a woman who was almost a man, lacking nothing virile except the virile organs.” In addition to her inherited lands in Normandy and England (which included much of the eastern part of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
known as Holderness
Holderness
Holderness is an area of the East Riding of Yorkshire, on the east coast of England. An area of rich agricultural land, Holderness was marshland until it was drained in the Middle Ages. Topographically, Holderness has more in common with the Netherlands than other parts of Yorkshire...
), she received in dower
Dower
Dower or morning gift was a provision accorded by law to a wife for her support in the event that she should survive her husband...
one-third of the substantial Mandeville estates.
After a widowhood of less than a year, she remarried. Her second husband was William de Forz
William de Fortibus
William I de Forz was a minor Anglo-Norman noble, from Fors in Poitou. He became jure uxoris 2nd Earl of Albemarle following his marriage to Hawise, sole heiress of William le Gros, 1st Earl of Albemarle....
or Fortibus of Oleron. The Poitevin was one of the commanders of the crusading fleet of King Richard I, and the match is said to have been forced on Countess Hawise by that king. The countess gave birth to a son and eventual heir, also named William
William de Forz, 3rd Earl of Albemarle
William II de Forz, 3rd Earl of Albemarle was an English nobleman. He is described by William Stubbs as "a feudal adventurer of the worst type".-Family background:...
.
Her second husband died in 1195. That left her and her lands in the king's gift once again, and King Richard gave her in marriage to Baldwin de Béthune
Baldwin of Bethune
Baldwin of Bethune or Baldwin de Béthune , a knight from the House of Bethune in Artois and a crusader, was close companion to successive English kings and on marriage to Hawise of Aumale became Count of Aumale with extensive estates in England.-Origins:Baldwin was the third son of Robert V of...
, his companion on crusade and in captivity. Baldwin had previously served King Henry II
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
as ambassador to the count of Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
in 1178. The next year he and Earl William de Mandeville had escorted King Philip Augustus
Philip II of France
Philip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
to visit the tomb of newly-canonized Archbishop Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket
Thomas Becket was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until his murder in 1170. He is venerated as a saint and martyr by both the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Communion...
in Canterbury. King Henry had promised Baldwin marriage to a rich heiress, but King Richard had chosen to give that heiress in marriage to another. Now Richard fulfilled his father's promise with an even wealthier heiress, but their enjoyment of her Aumale lands in Normandy was short-lived. King Philip Augustus
Philip II of France
Philip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
took Aumale in August 1196 and it remained in the hands of the French king thereafter. Baldwin died in Oct. 1212.
When King John proposed a fourth husband, Hawise declined; she was forced to pay a fine of 5,000 marks for her inheritance, her dower lands, and 'that she be not distrained to marry’. By September 1213 she had paid £1000 of that fine.