Earl of Gloucester

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Earl of Gloucester was a hereditary British title of nobility created several times in the Peerage of England .

Awards and history of the title

For the first time, the title was awarded in 1093 by King Wilhelm II to the Norman nobleman William Fitzeustace . Its exact origin is unclear, possibly he was a son of Eustach II, Count of Boulogne . In any case, the title expired in 1094, when William died childless.

In the second award, the title was recreated around 1121 by King Henry I for his illegitimate son Robert de Caen . His granddaughter Isabel , the 3rd Countess, married the English Prince Johann Ohneland in 1189 , who was entitled to the title of Earl from her right . Shortly after Johann was crowned king in 1199, the marriage was annulled due to close relatives. Instead of Isabelle, King Johann appointed her nephew (son of her sister Mabel) Amaury de Montfort as Earl of Gloucester in 1200 , who had just lost his county of Évreux to the French crown in the Peace of Le Goulet . On his death, around 1213, Isabel finally got the title back. She married two more times, but remained childless, so that after her death in 1218 her nephew (son of her sister Amicia ) Gilbert de Clare, 4th Earl of Hertford , was confirmed as 4th Earl of Gloucester. He had inherited the title of Earl of Hertford from his father in 1217 . Both titles were henceforth combined. When his grandson, Gilbert de Clare , the 6th Earl, died in 1295, his son and heir, Gilbert de Clare , the 7th Earl, was still a minor. Therefore, in 1297, his stepfather Ralph de Monthermer , the new husband of his mother Johanna von England († 1307), Earl of Hertfort and Gloucester, became out of his right , but only during the lifetime of his wife and at most until the heir was of legal age. Both earl titles eventually expired when the 7th Earl died on June 24, 1314 at the Battle of Bannockburn , leaving no heirs.

In the third award of the title on March 16, 1337 by King Edward III. bestowed on Hugh de Audley, 1st Baron Audley . This was the second husband of Margaret de Clare († 1342) a sister of the late 7th Earl. Since the marriage with Margaret remained childless, the title expired on his death on November 10, 1347.

In the fourth award, the title of King Richard II was newly created for Thomas le Despenser, 2nd Baron le Despenser . This took part in the unsuccessful uprising against King Henry VI in 1399 . ("Epiphany Rising"), whereupon he was stripped of his earl title in December 1399 and executed in January 1400.

List of the Earls of Gloucester

Earls of Gloucester, first bestowal (1093)

Earls of Gloucester, second bestowal (around 1121)

Earls of Gloucester, third bestowal (1337)

Earls of Gloucester, fourth bestowal (1397)

Trivia

In Shakespeare's drama King Lear there is also a character named "Earl of Gloucester".

See also

Literature and web links