William de Beauchamp
9th Earl of Warwick
Arms of Beauchamp: Gules, a fesse between six cross crosslets or
PredecessorWilliam Mauduit, 8th Earl of Warwick
SuccessorGuy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick
Bornc. 1238
Died1298

William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick (c. 1238 – 1298)[1] was the eldest of eight children of William de Beauchamp of Elmley and his wife Isabel de Mauduit. He was an English nobleman and soldier, described as a “vigorous and innovative military commander."[2] He was active in the field against the Welsh for many years, and at the end of his life campaigned against the Scots.

Career

He became hereditary High Sheriff of Worcestershire for life on the death of his father in 1268.[citation needed] He was a close friend of Edward I of England, and was an important leader in Edward's invasion of Wales in 1277.[3][4]

In 1294, he raised the siege of Conwy Castle, where the King had been penned in,[5] crossing the estuary.[6]

He was victorious on 5 March 1295 at the battle of Maes Moydog against the rebel prince of Wales, Madog ap Llywelyn.[7] In a night attack on the Welsh infantry, he used cavalry to drive them into compact formations, which were then shot up by his archers and charged.[8]

Family

His father was William (III) de Beauchamp of Elmley Castle, Worcestershire, and his mother was Isabel de Mauduit, sister and heiress of William Mauduit, 8th Earl of Warwick, from whom he inherited his title in 1268. He had a sister, Sarah, who married Richard Talbot. He had a brother, Walter de Beauchamp of Powyke & Alcester, (d. 1303) who married both Alice de Bohun and Alice de Toeni.

He married Maud FitzJohn. Their children included:

Ancestry

References

  1. ^ Coss, Peter. "Beauchamp, William de, ninth earl of Warwick", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 23 September 2004. Accessed 11 January 2019.
  2. ^ Barfield, Sebastian. "Chapter 1 - The Beauchamp family to 1369". The Beauchamp Earls of Warwick, 1298-1369. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
  3. ^ F. M. Powicke, The Thirteenth Century (1962 edition), p. 409.
  4. ^ Osprey Publishing - The Castles of Edward I in Wales 1277–1307
  5. ^ Welsh Castles – Conwy Castle
  6. ^ T. F. Tout, The History of England From the Accession of Henry III. to the Death of Edward III (1216-1377),online.
  7. ^ R. R. Davies, The Age of Conquest: Wales 1063-1415 (1991), p. 383.
  8. ^ Powicke, pp. 442-443.
  9. ^ Hamilton, J. S. "Despenser, Hugh, the elder, earl of Winchester", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 23 September 2004. Accessed 11 January 2019.
  10. ^ Sanders, I.J. English Baronies: A Study of their Origin and Descent 1086-1327, Oxford, 1960, p.118
Peerage of England Preceded byWilliam Mauduit Earl of Warwick 1268–1298 Succeeded byGuy de Beauchamp
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