Maud de Badlesmere
Encyclopedia
Maud de Badlesmere, Countess of Oxford (1310 – 24 May 1366) was an English noblewoman, and the wife of John de Vere, 7th Earl of Oxford
. She, along with her three sisters, was a co-heiress of her only brother Giles de Badlesmere, 2nd Baron Badlesmere
, who had no male issue.
At the age of 11 she was imprisoned in the Tower of London
along with her mother, Margaret de Clare, Baroness Badlesmere and her four siblings, after the former refused Queen consort Isabella
admittance to Leeds Castle and ordered an assault upon her when she attempted entry.
, Kent
, England in 1310, the second eldest daughter of Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere
and Margaret de Clare. She had three sisters, Margery, Elizabeth
, and Margaret; all of whom eventually married and had issue. She had one brother, Giles.
Her paternal grandparents were Guncelin de Badlesmere and Joan FitzBernard, and her maternal grandparents were Thomas de Clare, Lord of Thomond
and Juliana FitzGerald
of Offaly.
On 14 April 1322, when she was twelve years of age, Maud's father was hanged, drawn and quartered
by orders of King Edward II
, following his participation in the Earl of Lancaster's rebellion and his subsequent capture after the Battle of Boroughbridge
. Maud, her siblings, and her mother had been arrested the previous October after the latter had ordered an assault upon Queen consort Isabella
after refusing her admittance to Leeds Castle
where Baron Badlesmere held the post of governor. Maud's mother, Baroness Badlesmere, remained imprisoned in the Tower of London
until 3 November 1322, although it is not known when Maud and her siblings were released. Her brother Giles obtained a reversal of their father's attainder
in 1328, and he succeeded to the barony as 2nd Baron Badlesmere. Maud, along with her three sisters, was Giles's co-heiress, as he had married but fathered no children by his wife, Elizabeth Montagu.
army, and as such participated in the Battle of Crécy
and the Battle of Poitiers
.
The marriage produced seven children:
In June 1338, Maud's brother Giles died without leaving any legitimate issue. A considerable portion of the Badlesmere estates was inherited by Maud and her husband.
Maud died at the de Vere family mansion Hall Place in Earl's Colne, Essex
on 24 May 1366 at the age of fifty-six years. She was buried in Colne Priory. Her husband had died in 1360.
John de Vere, 7th Earl of Oxford
John de Vere, 7th Earl of Oxford was the nephew and heir of Robert de Vere, 6th Earl of Oxford. He succeeded as Earl of Oxford in 1331, after his uncle died without issue. John de Vere was a trusted captain of Edward III in the king's wars in Scotland and France, and took part in both the Battle...
. She, along with her three sisters, was a co-heiress of her only brother Giles de Badlesmere, 2nd Baron Badlesmere
Giles de Badlesmere, 2nd Baron Badlesmere
Giles de Badlesmere, 2nd Baron Badlesmere was an English nobleman, the son and heir of Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere by Margaret de Clare of Inchinquin and Youghal.-Family inheritance:...
, who had no male issue.
At the age of 11 she was imprisoned in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
along with her mother, Margaret de Clare, Baroness Badlesmere and her four siblings, after the former refused Queen consort Isabella
Isabella of France
Isabella of France , sometimes described as the She-wolf of France, was Queen consort of England as the wife of Edward II of England. She was the youngest surviving child and only surviving daughter of Philip IV of France and Joan I of Navarre...
admittance to Leeds Castle and ordered an assault upon her when she attempted entry.
Family
Maud was born at Castle BadlesmereBadlesmere, Kent
Badlesmere is a village and civil parish in the Swale district of Kent, England, about five miles south of Faversham. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 111....
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England in 1310, the second eldest daughter of Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere
Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere
Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere , English nobleman, was the son and heir of Gunselm de Badlesmere , and fought in the English army both in France and Scotland during the later years of the reign of Edward I of England.-Life:In 1307 he became governor of Bristol Castle. Edward II...
and Margaret de Clare. She had three sisters, Margery, Elizabeth
Elizabeth de Badlesmere
Elizabeth de Badlesmere, Countess of Northampton was the wife of two English noblemen, Sir Edmund Mortimer and William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton...
, and Margaret; all of whom eventually married and had issue. She had one brother, Giles.
Her paternal grandparents were Guncelin de Badlesmere and Joan FitzBernard, and her maternal grandparents were Thomas de Clare, Lord of Thomond
Thomas de Clare, Lord of Thomond
Thomas de Clare, Lord of Inchiquin and Youghal was a Hiberno-Norman peer and soldier. He was the second son of Richard de Clare, 6th Earl of Gloucester and his wife Maud de Lacy...
and Juliana FitzGerald
Juliana FitzGerald
Juliana FitzGerald, Lady of Thomond was a Norman-Irish noblewoman, the daughter of Maurice FitzGerald, 3rd Lord of Offaly, and the wife of Thomas de Clare, Lord of Thomond, a powerful Anglo-Norman baron in Ireland, who was a younger brother of Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford. Juliana was...
of Offaly.
On 14 April 1322, when she was twelve years of age, Maud's father was hanged, drawn and quartered
Hanged, drawn and quartered
To be hanged, drawn and quartered was from 1351 a penalty in England for men convicted of high treason, although the ritual was first recorded during the reigns of King Henry III and his successor, Edward I...
by orders of King Edward II
Edward II of England
Edward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
, following his participation in the Earl of Lancaster's rebellion and his subsequent capture after the Battle of Boroughbridge
Battle of Boroughbridge
The Battle of Boroughbridge was a battle fought on 16 March 1322 between a group of rebellious barons and King Edward II of England, near Boroughbridge, northwest of York. The culmination of a long period of antagonism between the king and Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, his most powerful subject, it...
. Maud, her siblings, and her mother had been arrested the previous October after the latter had ordered an assault upon Queen consort Isabella
Isabella of France
Isabella of France , sometimes described as the She-wolf of France, was Queen consort of England as the wife of Edward II of England. She was the youngest surviving child and only surviving daughter of Philip IV of France and Joan I of Navarre...
after refusing her admittance to Leeds Castle
Leeds Castle
Leeds Castle, southeast of Maidstone, Kent, England, dates back to 1119, though a Saxon fort stood on the same site from the 9th century. The castle is built on islands in a lake formed by the River Len to the east of the village of Leeds....
where Baron Badlesmere held the post of governor. Maud's mother, Baroness Badlesmere, remained imprisoned in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
until 3 November 1322, although it is not known when Maud and her siblings were released. Her brother Giles obtained a reversal of their father's attainder
Attainder
In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura is the metaphorical 'stain' or 'corruption of blood' which arises from being condemned for a serious capital crime . It entails losing not only one's property and hereditary titles, but typically also the right to pass them on to one's heirs...
in 1328, and he succeeded to the barony as 2nd Baron Badlesmere. Maud, along with her three sisters, was Giles's co-heiress, as he had married but fathered no children by his wife, Elizabeth Montagu.
Marriages and issue
In June 1316, Maud, aged six, married her first husband, Robert FitzPayn, son of Robert FitzPayn. Welsh historian R. R. Davies relates in his book, Lords and lordship in the British Isles in the late Middle Ages how her father, Lord Badlesmere, when drawing up the marriage contract, sought to provide for Maud's future by ensuring that she would have independent means. He granted her land worth 200 marks per year, and her future father-in-law was constrained to endow her with three manors and their revenues. The marriage did not produce children; and on an unknown date sometime before March 1335 Maud married secondly, John de Vere, 7th Earl of Oxford. Upon her marriage, Maud assumed the title Countess of Oxford. John was a captain in King Edward III'sEdward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
army, and as such participated in the Battle of Crécy
Battle of Crécy
The Battle of Crécy took place on 26 August 1346 near Crécy in northern France, and was one of the most important battles of the Hundred Years' War...
and the Battle of Poitiers
Battle of Poitiers (1356)
The Battle of Poitiers was fought between the Kingdoms of England and France on 19 September 1356 near Poitiers, resulting in the second of the three great English victories of the Hundred Years' War: Crécy, Poitiers, and Agincourt....
.
The marriage produced seven children:
- John de Vere (December 1335- before 23 June 1350), married Elizabeth de Courtney as her first husband.
- Thomas de Vere, 8th Earl of OxfordThomas de Vere, 8th Earl of OxfordThomas de Vere, 8th Earl of Oxford was the son and heir of John de Vere, 7th Earl of Oxford. Thomas took part in several of the military campaigns of Edward III. At some point before 1350, he married Maud de Ufford, daughter and heir of Sir Ralph de Ufford and Maud of Lancaster...
(1336- 18 September 1371), married Maud de Ufford, by whom he had a son Robert de Vere, 9th Earl of Oxford - Aubrey de Vere, 10th Earl of OxfordAubrey de Vere, 10th Earl of OxfordAubrey de Vere, 10th Earl of Oxford was the second son of John de Vere, 7th Earl of Oxford and Maud de Badlesmere, daughter of Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Lord Badlesmere....
(1338- 15 February 1400), married Alice FitzWalter, by whom he had three children, including Richard de Vere, 11th Earl of OxfordRichard de Vere, 11th Earl of OxfordRichard de Vere, 11th Earl of Oxford KG was the son and heir of Aubrey de Vere, 10th Earl of Oxford. He took part in the trial of Richard, Earl of Cambridge and Lord Scrope at Southampton, and was one of the commanders at Agincourt in 1415.-Life:Richard de Vere was the elder son of Aubrey de Vere,... - Robert de Vere (died 1360)
- Elizabeth de VereElizabeth de VereElizabeth de Vere was a member of the renowned and noble de Vere family of Hedingham Castle, being the second daughter of John de Vere, 7th Earl of Oxford and Maud de Badlesmere....
(died 23 September 1375), married firstly in 1341, Sir Hugh de Courtney, by whom she had one son, Hugh de Courtney, Lord Courtney; she married secondly John de Mowbray, 3rd Lord Mowbray; she married thirdly on 18 January 1369 Sir William Costyn - Margaret de Vere (died 15 June 1398), married firstly Henry de Beaumont, 3rd Lord Beaumont (4 April 1340- 17 June 1369), the son of John de Beaumont, 2nd Lord Beaumont and Eleanor of LancasterEleanor of LancasterEleanor of Lancaster, Countess of Arundel was the fifth daughter of Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster and Maud Chaworth.-First marriage and issue:...
, by whom she had issue; she married secondly Sir Nicholas de Lovain of Penhurst; she married thirdly after 1375 Sir John Devereux, by whom she had issue. - Maud de Vere
In June 1338, Maud's brother Giles died without leaving any legitimate issue. A considerable portion of the Badlesmere estates was inherited by Maud and her husband.
Maud died at the de Vere family mansion Hall Place in Earl's Colne, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
on 24 May 1366 at the age of fifty-six years. She was buried in Colne Priory. Her husband had died in 1360.