Katherine Mortimer, Countess of Warwick

Katherine Mortimer, 11th Countess of Warwick (1314- 4 August 1369), was the wife of Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick KG (14 February 1313/1314- 13 November 1369), an English nobleman, and military commmander during the Hundred Years War.

Effigies of Katherine Mortimer and Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick. St. Mary's Church, Warwick, Warwickshire

Family and lineage

Katherine Mortimer was born at Ludlow Castle, Shropshire, England, in 1314, one of the twelve children of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March and Joan de Geneville. Her paternal grandparents were Edmund Mortimer, 2nd Baron Mortimer and Margaret de Fiennes. Her maternal grandparents were Piers de Geneville, of Trim and Ludlow, and Jeanne of Lusignan. Her father was de facto ruler of England together with his mistress Isabella of France, Queen consort of King Edward II, until his eventual capture and execution by the orders of King Edward III, eldest son of Isabela and King Edward II whom was deposed and cruelly murdered by Mortimer and Queen Isabella. Katherine was sixteen years old when her father was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn on 29 November 1330.

Marriage and children

On 19 April 1319, when she was about five years old, Katherine married, by Papal dispensation, Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick, eldest son of Guy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick and Alice de Toeni. He had succeeded to the earldom at the age of two, upon his father's death. For the term of his minority, his custody had been granted to Katherine's father, Roger Mortimer. Katherine and Thomas had eleven children:

1. Guy de Beauchamp (died 28 April 1360), married Philippa de Ferrers, daughter of Henry de Ferrers, 2nd Lord Ferrers of Groby and Isabel de Verdun, by whom he had two daughters.
2. Thomas de Beauchamp, 12th Earl of Warwick (16 March 1339- 1401), married Margaret Ferrers, daughter of William Ferrers, 3rd Lord of Groby and Margaret de Ufford, by whom he had issue, including Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick.
3. Reinbrun de Beauchamp
4. William de Beauchamp, 1st Baron Bergavenny (c. 1343- 8 May 1411), on 23 July 1392, married Lady Joan FitzAlan, daughter of Richard Fitzalan, 11th Earl of Arundel and Elizabeth de Bohun, by whom he had a son Richard de Beauchamp, 1st Earl of Worcester, and a daughter, Joan de Beauchamp, 4th Countess of Ormond. Anne Boleyn was a notable descendant of the latter.
5. Roger de Beauchamp (died 1361)
6. Maud de Beauchamp (died 1403), married Roger de Clifford, 5th Baron Clifford, by whom she had issue, including Thomas de Clifford, 6th Baron Clifford.
7. Philippa de Beauchamp, married Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford, by whom she had nine children.
8. Alice de Beauchamp (died 1383), married firstly John Beauchamp, 3rd Lord Beauchamp of Somerset, and secondly Sir William Gournay.
9. Joan de Beauchamp, married Ralph Basset, 3th Baron Basset of Drayton. Died childless.
10. Isabella de Beauchamp (died 29 September 1416), married firstly John le Strange, 5th Baron Strange, and secondly, William de Ufford, 2nd Earl of Suffolk. Upon the latter's death, she became a nun. Died childless.
11. Margaret de Beauchamp, married Guy de Montfort, and after his death, she became a nun. Died childless.

Death

Katherine Mortimer died on 4 August 1369 at the age of about fifty-five. Her husband died three months afterwards of the plague. She was buried in St. Mary's Church, Warwick, Warwickshire, alongside her husband. Their effigies can be viewed today in the church.

References

1. Charles Cawley, Medieval Lands, Earls of March 1328-1425 (Mortimer)
2. Charles Cawley,Medieval Lands, Earls of Warwick 1263-1449 (Beauchamp)
3. thePeerage.com
4. Thomas B. Costain,The Three Edwards, Doubleday and Company, Inc., New York 1958