William I de Longespée of Salisbury, 3rd Earl of Salisbury (Plantagenet)

-was the illegitimate son of King Henry II with his mistress Ida de Tosny (who married Roger Bigod).

-married Ela Devereux, Heiress of Salisbury and through this marriage became 3rd Earl of Salisbury.

-"de Longespée" means "of the long sword" in old French; his descendants carried this name proudly.

Children:

· William II de Longespée (1212?-1250), who was sometimes called Earl of Salisbury but never legally bore the title because he died before his mother, Countess Ela, who held the earldom until her death in 1261;

· Richard de Longespée, a canon of Salisbury;

· Stephen de Longespée(d. 1260), who was seneschal of Gascony;

· Nicholas de Longespée(d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

· Isabella de Longespée, who married William de Vesey

· Ela de Longespée, who first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, and then married Philip Basset

· Ida de Longespée, who first married Ralph de Somery, and then William de Beauchamp

3rd Earl of Salisbury, Carta, Count Of Poitiers, Son of King Henry II " illegitmate son of King Henry II, Earl of Salisbury - see http://www.rpi.edu/~holmes/Hobbies/Genealogy/ps05/ps05_414.htm, Earl of Salisbury

-----------------------------------------

William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury aka William Longsword

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Longesp%C3%A9e,_3rd_Earl_of_Salisbury

There is confusion over whether he was William Longespée, 1st Earl of Salisbury or William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. In this regard, http://www.thepeerage.com/p10686.htm#i106859 is incorrect.

William Longespée, jure uxoris ("by right of his wife") 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c. 1176 – 7 March 1226) was an English noble, primarily remembered for his command of the English forces at the Battle of Damme and for remaining loyal to King John. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Damme The Battle of Damme was fought on 30 May and 31 May 1213. The success of the English raids ended a threat of French invasion of England.

Damme is located on the estuary of the Zwyn (now largely silted up), at that time in the county of Flanders (now in Belgium). It was then the port of the city of Bruges.

The English knew King Philip II of France was planning to invade England, at the very least as a way of preventing an English attack on Poitou. Meanwhile, Philip was in Flanders attacking Count Ferrand of Flanders. King John of England responded by sending a fleet to Flanders.

This fleet had 500 ships, 700 knights and their attendants, and a large force of mercenaries, under the command of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. It left England on 28 May 1213, and entered the estuary of the Zwyn two days later. There it found a huge French armada, 1700 ships heavily laden with supplies and the personal goods of the French barons. Most of the French army was away besieging Ghent, and so the fleet was only lightly guarded.

The English immediately attacked, seizing 300 ships which were anchored or beached outside the harbour of Damme, and pillaging and burning a hundred more. The next day they attacked the rest of the ships as well as the town itself. This was a little reckless for King Philip had come with his troops from Ghent, and the English barely got back to their ships and away safely. They returned to England with the seized ships and a large booty (the biographer of William Marshal claimed "never had so much treasure come into England since the days of King Arthur").

Not only was a good portion of the French fleet gone, but the harbour of Damme was blocked by debris, so King Philip had the rest of his fleet burned).

He was an illegitimate son of Henry II of England. His mother was unknown for many years, until the discovery of a charter of William mentioning "Comitissa Ida, mater mea" (engl. "Countess Ida, my mother").[2][3]

This Ida, a member of the prominent Tosny or Toesny family, later (1181) married Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk.[4]

King Henry acknowledged William as his son and gave him the Honour of Appleby, Lincolnshire in 1188. Eight years later, his half-brother, King Richard I, married him to a great heiress, Ela, Countess of Salisbury in her own right, and daughter of William of Salisbury, 2nd Earl of Salisbury.

During the reign of King John, Salisbury was at court on several important ceremonial occasions, and held various offices: sheriff of Wiltshire, lieutenant of Gascony, constable of Dover and warden of the Cinque Ports, and later warden of the Welsh Marches. He was a commander in the king's Welsh and Irish expeditions of 1210-1212.

The king also granted him the honour of Eye.

In 1213, Salisbury led a large fleet to Flanders, where he seized or destroyed a good part of a French invasion fleet anchored at or near Damme. This ended the invasion threat but not the conflicts between England and France. In 1214, Salisbury was sent to help Otto IV of Germany, an English ally, who was invading France. Salisbury commanded the right wing of the army at their disastrous defeat at the Battle of Bouvines, where he was captured.

By the time he returned to England, revolt was brewing amongst the barons. Salisbury was one of the few who remained loyal to John. In the civil war that took place the year after the signing of the Magna Carta, Salisbury was one of the leaders of the king's army in the south. However, after the French prince Louis (later Louis VIII) landed as an ally of the rebels, Salisbury went over to his side. Presumably, he thought John's cause was lost.

After John's death and the departure of Louis, Salisbury, along with many other barons, joined the cause of John's young son, now Henry III of England. He held an influential place in the government during the king's minority and fought in Gascony to help secure the remaining part of the English continental possessions. Salisbury's ship was nearly lost in a storm while returning to England in 1225, and he spent some months in refuge at a monastery on the French island of Ré.

He died not long after his return to England at Salisbury Castle. Roger of Wendover alleged that he was poisoned by Hubert de Burgh. He was buried at Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

William Longespee's tomb was opened in 1791. Bizarrely, the well-preserved corpse of a rat which carried traces of arsenic [5], was found inside his skull. The rat is now on display in a case at the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum.

Family

By his wife Ela, Countess of Salisbury, he had four sons and four daughters [6]:

· William II Longespée (1212?-1250), who was sometimes called Earl of Salisbury but never legally bore the title because he died before his mother, Countess Ela, who held the earldom until her death in 1261;

· Richard, a canon of Salisbury;

· Stephen (d. 1260), who was seneschal of Gascony;

· Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

· Isabella, who married William de Vesey

· Ella, married William d'Odingsels [NOTE: THIS IS INCORRECT--she was his granddaughter, the daughter of his daughter Ida]

· Ela Longespée, who first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, and then married Philip Basset

· Ida, who first married Ralph de Somery, and then William de Beauchamp

William Longespée 3rd Earl of Salisbury

Born cir 1176

Died 7 March 1226

Salisbury Castle, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England Spouse(s) Ela, Countess of Salisbury Relations Father: Henry II of England;

Mother: Ida de Toesny Children William II Longespée (1212?-1250)

Richard, a canon of Salisbury

Stephen (d. 1260), seneschal of Gascony

Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

Isabella, married William de Vesey

Ella, married William d'Odingsels

Ela Longespée, first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, then married Philip Basset

Ida, first married Ralph de Somery, then William de Beauchamp

See also: http://www.robertsewell.ca/longespee.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Longesp%C3%A9e,_3rd_Earl_of_Salisbury

William Longespée, jure uxoris 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c. 1176 – 7 March 1226) was an English noble, primarily remembered for his command of the English forces at the Battle of Damme and for remaining loyal to King John.

He was an illegitimate son of Henry II of England. His mother was unknown for many years, until the discovery of a charter of William mentioning "Comitissa Ida, mater mea" (engl. "Countess Ida, my mother").[2][3]

This Ida, a member of the prominent Tosny or Toesny family, later (1181) married Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk.[4]

King Henry acknowledged William as his son and gave him the Honour of Appleby, Lincolnshire in 1188. Eight years later, his half-brother, King Richard I, married him to a great heiress, Ela, Countess of Salisbury in her own right, and daughter of William of Salisbury, 2nd Earl of Salisbury.

During the reign of King John, Salisbury was at court on several important ceremonial occasions, and held various offices: sheriff of Wiltshire, lieutenant of Gascony, constable of Dover and warden of the Cinque Ports, and later warden of the Welsh Marches. He was a commander in the king's Welsh and Irish expeditions of 1210-1212. The king also granted him the honour of Eye.

In 1213, Salisbury led a large fleet to Flanders, where he seized or destroyed a good part of a French invasion fleet anchored at or near Damme. This ended the invasion threat but not the conflicts between England and France. In 1214, Salisbury was sent to help Otto IV of Germany, an English ally, who was invading France. Salisbury commanded the right wing of the army at their disastrous defeat at the Battle of Bouvines, where he was captured.

By the time he returned to England, revolt was brewing amongst the barons. Salisbury was one of the few who remained loyal to John. In the civil war that took place the year after the signing of the Magna Carta, Salisbury was one of the leaders of the king's army in the south. However, after the French prince Louis (later Louis VIII) landed as an ally of the rebels, Salisbury went over to his side. Presumably, he thought John's cause was lost.

After John's death and the departure of Louis, Salisbury, along with many other barons, joined the cause of John's young son, now Henry III of England. He held an influential place in the government during the king's minority and fought in Gascony to help secure the remaining part of the English continental possessions. Salisbury's ship was nearly lost in a storm while returning to England in 1225, and he spent some months in refuge at a monastery on the French island of Ré. He died not long after his return to England at Salisbury Castle. Roger of Wendover alleged that he was poisoned by Hubert de Burgh. He was buried at Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

William Longespee's tomb was opened in 1791. Bizarrely, the well-preserved corpse of a rat which carried traces of arsenic [5], was found inside his skull. The rat is now on display in a case at the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum.

[edit] Family

By his wife Ela, Countess of Salisbury, he had four sons and four daughters [6]:

   * William II Longespée (1212?-1250), who was sometimes called Earl of Salisbury but never legally bore the title because he died before his mother, Countess Ela, who held the earldom until her death in 1261;

   * Richard, a canon of Salisbury;

   * Stephen (d. 1260), who was seneschal of Gascony;

   * Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

   * Isabella, who married William de Vesey

   * Ella, married William d'Odingsels

   * Ela Longespée, who first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, and then married Philip Basset

   * Ida, who first married Ralph de Somery, and then William de Beauchamp

Peerage of England

Preceded by

William of Salisbury Earl of Salisbury

(jure uxoris

by Ela, Countess of Salisbury,

1196–1226 Succeeded by

Margaret de Lacy

After John's death and the departure of Louis, Salisbury, along with many other barons, joined the cause of John's young son, now Henry III of England. He held an influential place in the government during the king's minority and fought in Gascony to help secure the remaining part of the English continental possessions. Salisbury's ship was nearly lost in a storm while returning to England in 1225, and he spent some months in refuge at a monastery on the French island of Ré. He died not long after his return to England at Salisbury Castle. Roger of Wendover alleged that he was poisoned by Hubert de Burgh. He was buried at Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

William Longespee's tomb was opened in 1791. Bizarrely, the well-preserved corpse of a rat which carried traces of arsenic [5], was found inside his skull. The rat is now on display in a case at the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum.

[edit] Family

By his wife Ela, Countess of Salisbury, he had four sons and four daughters [6]:

   * William II Longespée (1212?-1250), who was sometimes called Earl of Salisbury but never legally bore the title because he died before his mother, Countess Ela, who held the earldom until her death in 1261;

   * Richard, a canon of Salisbury;

   * Stephen (d. 1260), who was seneschal of Gascony;

   * Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

   * Isabella, who married William de Vesey

   * Ella, married William d'Odingsels

   * Ela Longespée, who first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, and then married Philip Basset

   * Ida, who first married Ralph de Somery, and then William de Beauchamp

Peerage of England

Preceded by

William of Salisbury Earl of Salisbury

(jure uxoris

by Ela, Countess of Salisbury,

1196–1226 Succeeded by

Margaret de Lacy

--------------------

William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury aka William Longsword

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Longesp%C3%A9e,_3rd_Earl_of_Salisbury

There is confusion over whether he was William Longespée, 1st Earl of Salisbury or William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. In this regard, http://www.thepeerage.com/p10686.htm#i106859 is incorrect.

William Longespée, jure uxoris ("by right of his wife") 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c. 1176 – 7 March 1226) was an English noble, primarily remembered for his command of the English forces at the Battle of Damme and for remaining loyal to King John. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Damme The Battle of Damme was fought on 30 May and 31 May 1213. The success of the English raids ended a threat of French invasion of England.

Damme is located on the estuary of the Zwyn (now largely silted up), at that time in the county of Flanders (now in Belgium). It was then the port of the city of Bruges.

The English knew King Philip II of France was planning to invade England, at the very least as a way of preventing an English attack on Poitou. Meanwhile, Philip was in Flanders attacking Count Ferrand of Flanders. King John of England responded by sending a fleet to Flanders.

This fleet had 500 ships, 700 knights and their attendants, and a large force of mercenaries, under the command of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. It left England on 28 May 1213, and entered the estuary of the Zwyn two days later. There it found a huge French armada, 1700 ships heavily laden with supplies and the personal goods of the French barons. Most of the French army was away besieging Ghent, and so the fleet was only lightly guarded.

The English immediately attacked, seizing 300 ships which were anchored or beached outside the harbour of Damme, and pillaging and burning a hundred more. The next day they attacked the rest of the ships as well as the town itself. This was a little reckless for King Philip had come with his troops from Ghent, and the English barely got back to their ships and away safely. They returned to England with the seized ships and a large booty (the biographer of William Marshal claimed "never had so much treasure come into England since the days of King Arthur").

Not only was a good portion of the French fleet gone, but the harbour of Damme was blocked by debris, so King Philip had the rest of his fleet burned).

He was an illegitimate son of Henry II of England. His mother was unknown for many years, until the discovery of a charter of William mentioning "Comitissa Ida, mater mea" (engl. "Countess Ida, my mother").[2][3]

This Ida, a member of the prominent Tosny or Toesny family, later (1181) married Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk.[4]

King Henry acknowledged William as his son and gave him the Honour of Appleby, Lincolnshire in 1188. Eight years later, his half-brother, King Richard I, married him to a great heiress, Ela, Countess of Salisbury in her own right, and daughter of William of Salisbury, 2nd Earl of Salisbury.

During the reign of King John, Salisbury was at court on several important ceremonial occasions, and held various offices: sheriff of Wiltshire, lieutenant of Gascony, constable of Dover and warden of the Cinque Ports, and later warden of the Welsh Marches. He was a commander in the king's Welsh and Irish expeditions of 1210-1212. The king also granted him the honour of Eye.

In 1213, Salisbury led a large fleet to Flanders, where he seized or destroyed a good part of a French invasion fleet anchored at or near Damme. This ended the invasion threat but not the conflicts between England and France. In 1214, Salisbury was sent to help Otto IV of Germany, an English ally, who was invading France. Salisbury commanded the right wing of the army at their disastrous defeat at the Battle of Bouvines, where he was captured.

By the time he returned to England, revolt was brewing amongst the barons. Salisbury was one of the few who remained loyal to John. In the civil war that took place the year after the signing of the Magna Carta, Salisbury was one of the leaders of the king's army in the south. However, after the French prince Louis (later Louis VIII) landed as an ally of the rebels, Salisbury went over to his side. Presumably, he thought John's cause was lost.

After John's death and the departure of Louis, Salisbury, along with many other barons, joined the cause of John's young son, now Henry III of England. He held an influential place in the government during the king's minority and fought in Gascony to help secure the remaining part of the English continental possessions. Salisbury's ship was nearly lost in a storm while returning to England in 1225, and he spent some months in refuge at a monastery on the French island of Ré. He died not long after his return to England at Salisbury Castle. Roger of Wendover alleged that he was poisoned by Hubert de Burgh. He was buried at Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

William Longespee's tomb was opened in 1791. Bizarrely, the well-preserved corpse of a rat which carried traces of arsenic [5], was found inside his skull. The rat is now on display in a case at the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum.

Family

By his wife Ela, Countess of Salisbury, he had four sons and four daughters [6]:

· William II Longespée (1212?-1250), who was sometimes called Earl of Salisbury but never legally bore the title because he died before his mother, Countess Ela, who held the earldom until her death in 1261;

· Richard, a canon of Salisbury;

· Stephen (d. 1260), who was seneschal of Gascony;

· Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

· Isabella, who married William de Vesey

· Ella, married William d'Odingsels

· Ela Longespée, who first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, and then married Philip Basset

· Ida, who first married Ralph de Somery, and then William de Beauchamp

William Longespée 3rd Earl of Salisbury

Born cir 1176

Died 7 March 1226

Salisbury Castle, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England Spouse(s) Ela, Countess of Salisbury Relations Father: Henry II of England;

Mother: Ida de Toesny Children William II Longespée (1212?-1250)

Richard, a canon of Salisbury

Stephen (d. 1260), seneschal of Gascony

Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

Isabella, married William de Vesey

Ella, married William d'Odingsels

Ela Longespée, first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, then married Philip Basset

Ida, first married Ralph de Somery, then William de Beauchamp

See also: http://www.robertsewell.ca/longespee.html

--------------------

William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury aka William Longsword

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Longesp%C3%A9e,_3rd_Earl_of_Salisbury

There is confusion over whether he was William Longespée, 1st Earl of Salisbury or William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. In this regard, http://www.thepeerage.com/p10686.htm#i106859 is incorrect.

William Longespée, jure uxoris ("by right of his wife") 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c. 1176 – 7 March 1226) was an English noble, primarily remembered for his command of the English forces at the Battle of Damme and for remaining loyal to King John. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Damme The Battle of Damme was fought on 30 May and 31 May 1213. The success of the English raids ended a threat of French invasion of England.

Damme is located on the estuary of the Zwyn (now largely silted up), at that time in the county of Flanders (now in Belgium). It was then the port of the city of Bruges.

The English knew King Philip II of France was planning to invade England, at the very least as a way of preventing an English attack on Poitou. Meanwhile, Philip was in Flanders attacking Count Ferrand of Flanders. King John of England responded by sending a fleet to Flanders.

This fleet had 500 ships, 700 knights and their attendants, and a large force of mercenaries, under the command of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. It left England on 28 May 1213, and entered the estuary of the Zwyn two days later. There it found a huge French armada, 1700 ships heavily laden with supplies and the personal goods of the French barons. Most of the French army was away besieging Ghent, and so the fleet was only lightly guarded.

The English immediately attacked, seizing 300 ships which were anchored or beached outside the harbour of Damme, and pillaging and burning a hundred more. The next day they attacked the rest of the ships as well as the town itself. This was a little reckless for King Philip had come with his troops from Ghent, and the English barely got back to their ships and away safely. They returned to England with the seized ships and a large booty (the biographer of William Marshal claimed "never had so much treasure come into England since the days of King Arthur").

Not only was a good portion of the French fleet gone, but the harbour of Damme was blocked by debris, so King Philip had the rest of his fleet burned).

He was an illegitimate son of Henry II of England. His mother was unknown for many years, until the discovery of a charter of William mentioning "Comitissa Ida, mater mea" (engl. "Countess Ida, my mother").[2][3]

This Ida, a member of the prominent Tosny or Toesny family, later (1181) married Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk.[4]

King Henry acknowledged William as his son and gave him the Honour of Appleby, Lincolnshire in 1188. Eight years later, his half-brother, King Richard I, married him to a great heiress, Ela, Countess of Salisbury in her own right, and daughter of William of Salisbury, 2nd Earl of Salisbury.

During the reign of King John, Salisbury was at court on several important ceremonial occasions, and held various offices: sheriff of Wiltshire, lieutenant of Gascony, constable of Dover and warden of the Cinque Ports, and later warden of the Welsh Marches. He was a commander in the king's Welsh and Irish expeditions of 1210-1212. The king also granted him the honour of Eye.

In 1213, Salisbury led a large fleet to Flanders, where he seized or destroyed a good part of a French invasion fleet anchored at or near Damme. This ended the invasion threat but not the conflicts between England and France. In 1214, Salisbury was sent to help Otto IV of Germany, an English ally, who was invading France. Salisbury commanded the right wing of the army at their disastrous defeat at the Battle of Bouvines, where he was captured.

By the time he returned to England, revolt was brewing amongst the barons. Salisbury was one of the few who remained loyal to John. In the civil war that took place the year after the signing of the Magna Carta, Salisbury was one of the leaders of the king's army in the south. However, after the French prince Louis (later Louis VIII) landed as an ally of the rebels, Salisbury went over to his side. Presumably, he thought John's cause was lost.

After John's death and the departure of Louis, Salisbury, along with many other barons, joined the cause of John's young son, now Henry III of England. He held an influential place in the government during the king's minority and fought in Gascony to help secure the remaining part of the English continental possessions. Salisbury's ship was nearly lost in a storm while returning to England in 1225, and he spent some months in refuge at a monastery on the French island of Ré. He died not long after his return to England at Salisbury Castle. Roger of Wendover alleged that he was poisoned by Hubert de Burgh. He was buried at Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

William Longespee's tomb was opened in 1791. Bizarrely, the well-preserved corpse of a rat which carried traces of arsenic [5], was found inside his skull. The rat is now on display in a case at the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum.

Family

By his wife Ela, Countess of Salisbury, he had four sons and four daughters [6]:

· William II Longespée (1212?-1250), who was sometimes called Earl of Salisbury but never legally bore the title because he died before his mother, Countess Ela, who held the earldom until her death in 1261;

· Richard, a canon of Salisbury;

· Stephen (d. 1260), who was seneschal of Gascony;

· Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

· Isabella, who married William de Vesey

· Ella, married William d'Odingsels

· Ela Longespée, who first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, and then married Philip Basset

· Ida, who first married Ralph de Somery, and then William de Beauchamp

William Longespée 3rd Earl of Salisbury

Born cir 1176

Died 7 March 1226

Salisbury Castle, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England Spouse(s) Ela, Countess of Salisbury Relations Father: Henry II of England;

Mother: Ida de Toesny Children William II Longespée (1212?-1250)

Richard, a canon of Salisbury

Stephen (d. 1260), seneschal of Gascony

Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

Isabella, married William de Vesey

Ella, married William d'Odingsels

Ela Longespée, first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, then married Philip Basset

Ida, first married Ralph de Somery, then William de Beauchamp

See also: http://www.robertsewell.ca/longespee.html

--------------------

William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury aka William Longsword

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Longesp%C3%A9e,_3rd_Earl_of_Salisbury

There is confusion over whether he was William Longespée, 1st Earl of Salisbury or William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. In this regard, http://www.thepeerage.com/p10686.htm#i106859 is incorrect.

William Longespée, jure uxoris ("by right of his wife") 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c. 1176 – 7 March 1226) was an English noble, primarily remembered for his command of the English forces at the Battle of Damme and for remaining loyal to King John. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Damme The Battle of Damme was fought on 30 May and 31 May 1213. The success of the English raids ended a threat of French invasion of England.

Damme is located on the estuary of the Zwyn (now largely silted up), at that time in the county of Flanders (now in Belgium). It was then the port of the city of Bruges.

The English knew King Philip II of France was planning to invade England, at the very least as a way of preventing an English attack on Poitou. Meanwhile, Philip was in Flanders attacking Count Ferrand of Flanders. King John of England responded by sending a fleet to Flanders.

This fleet had 500 ships, 700 knights and their attendants, and a large force of mercenaries, under the command of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. It left England on 28 May 1213, and entered the estuary of the Zwyn two days later. There it found a huge French armada, 1700 ships heavily laden with supplies and the personal goods of the French barons. Most of the French army was away besieging Ghent, and so the fleet was only lightly guarded.

The English immediately attacked, seizing 300 ships which were anchored or beached outside the harbour of Damme, and pillaging and burning a hundred more. The next day they attacked the rest of the ships as well as the town itself. This was a little reckless for King Philip had come with his troops from Ghent, and the English barely got back to their ships and away safely. They returned to England with the seized ships and a large booty (the biographer of William Marshal claimed "never had so much treasure come into England since the days of King Arthur").

Not only was a good portion of the French fleet gone, but the harbour of Damme was blocked by debris, so King Philip had the rest of his fleet burned).

He was an illegitimate son of Henry II of England. His mother was unknown for many years, until the discovery of a charter of William mentioning "Comitissa Ida, mater mea" (engl. "Countess Ida, my mother").[2][3]

This Ida, a member of the prominent Tosny or Toesny family, later (1181) married Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk.[4]

King Henry acknowledged William as his son and gave him the Honour of Appleby, Lincolnshire in 1188. Eight years later, his half-brother, King Richard I, married him to a great heiress, Ela, Countess of Salisbury in her own right, and daughter of William of Salisbury, 2nd Earl of Salisbury.

During the reign of King John, Salisbury was at court on several important ceremonial occasions, and held various offices: sheriff of Wiltshire, lieutenant of Gascony, constable of Dover and warden of the Cinque Ports, and later warden of the Welsh Marches. He was a commander in the king's Welsh and Irish expeditions of 1210-1212. The king also granted him the honour of Eye.

In 1213, Salisbury led a large fleet to Flanders, where he seized or destroyed a good part of a French invasion fleet anchored at or near Damme. This ended the invasion threat but not the conflicts between England and France. In 1214, Salisbury was sent to help Otto IV of Germany, an English ally, who was invading France. Salisbury commanded the right wing of the army at their disastrous defeat at the Battle of Bouvines, where he was captured.

By the time he returned to England, revolt was brewing amongst the barons. Salisbury was one of the few who remained loyal to John. In the civil war that took place the year after the signing of the Magna Carta, Salisbury was one of the leaders of the king's army in the south. However, after the French prince Louis (later Louis VIII) landed as an ally of the rebels, Salisbury went over to his side. Presumably, he thought John's cause was lost.

After John's death and the departure of Louis, Salisbury, along with many other barons, joined the cause of John's young son, now Henry III of England. He held an influential place in the government during the king's minority and fought in Gascony to help secure the remaining part of the English continental possessions. Salisbury's ship was nearly lost in a storm while returning to England in 1225, and he spent some months in refuge at a monastery on the French island of Ré. He died not long after his return to England at Salisbury Castle. Roger of Wendover alleged that he was poisoned by Hubert de Burgh. He was buried at Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

William Longespee's tomb was opened in 1791. Bizarrely, the well-preserved corpse of a rat which carried traces of arsenic [5], was found inside his skull. The rat is now on display in a case at the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum.

Family

By his wife Ela, Countess of Salisbury, he had four sons and four daughters [6]:

· William II Longespée (1212?-1250), who was sometimes called Earl of Salisbury but never legally bore the title because he died before his mother, Countess Ela, who held the earldom until her death in 1261;

· Richard, a canon of Salisbury;

· Stephen (d. 1260), who was seneschal of Gascony;

· Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

· Isabella, who married William de Vesey

· Ella, married William d'Odingsels

· Ela Longespée, who first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, and then married Philip Basset

· Ida, who first married Ralph de Somery, and then William de Beauchamp

William Longespée 3rd Earl of Salisbury

Born cir 1176

Died 7 March 1226

Salisbury Castle, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England Spouse(s) Ela, Countess of Salisbury Relations Father: Henry II of England;

Mother: Ida de Toesny Children William II Longespée (1212?-1250)

Richard, a canon of Salisbury

Stephen (d. 1260), seneschal of Gascony

Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

Isabella, married William de Vesey

Ella, married William d'Odingsels

Ela Longespée, first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, then married Philip Basset

Ida, first married Ralph de Somery, then William de Beauchamp

See also: http://www.robertsewell.ca/longespee.html

--------------------

William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury aka William Longsword

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Longesp%C3%A9e,_3rd_Earl_of_Salisbury

There is confusion over whether he was William Longespée, 1st Earl of Salisbury or William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. In this regard, http://www.thepeerage.com/p10686.htm#i106859 is incorrect.

William Longespée, jure uxoris ("by right of his wife") 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c. 1176 – 7 March 1226) was an English noble, primarily remembered for his command of the English forces at the Battle of Damme and for remaining loyal to King John. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Damme The Battle of Damme was fought on 30 May and 31 May 1213. The success of the English raids ended a threat of French invasion of England.

Damme is located on the estuary of the Zwyn (now largely silted up), at that time in the county of Flanders (now in Belgium). It was then the port of the city of Bruges.

The English knew King Philip II of France was planning to invade England, at the very least as a way of preventing an English attack on Poitou. Meanwhile, Philip was in Flanders attacking Count Ferrand of Flanders. King John of England responded by sending a fleet to Flanders.

This fleet had 500 ships, 700 knights and their attendants, and a large force of mercenaries, under the command of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. It left England on 28 May 1213, and entered the estuary of the Zwyn two days later. There it found a huge French armada, 1700 ships heavily laden with supplies and the personal goods of the French barons. Most of the French army was away besieging Ghent, and so the fleet was only lightly guarded.

The English immediately attacked, seizing 300 ships which were anchored or beached outside the harbour of Damme, and pillaging and burning a hundred more. The next day they attacked the rest of the ships as well as the town itself. This was a little reckless for King Philip had come with his troops from Ghent, and the English barely got back to their ships and away safely. They returned to England with the seized ships and a large booty (the biographer of William Marshal claimed "never had so much treasure come into England since the days of King Arthur").

Not only was a good portion of the French fleet gone, but the harbour of Damme was blocked by debris, so King Philip had the rest of his fleet burned).

He was an illegitimate son of Henry II of England. His mother was unknown for many years, until the discovery of a charter of William mentioning "Comitissa Ida, mater mea" (engl. "Countess Ida, my mother").[2][3]

This Ida, a member of the prominent Tosny or Toesny family, later (1181) married Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk.[4]

King Henry acknowledged William as his son and gave him the Honour of Appleby, Lincolnshire in 1188. Eight years later, his half-brother, King Richard I, married him to a great heiress, Ela, Countess of Salisbury in her own right, and daughter of William of Salisbury, 2nd Earl of Salisbury.

During the reign of King John, Salisbury was at court on several important ceremonial occasions, and held various offices: sheriff of Wiltshire, lieutenant of Gascony, constable of Dover and warden of the Cinque Ports, and later warden of the Welsh Marches. He was a commander in the king's Welsh and Irish expeditions of 1210-1212. The king also granted him the honour of Eye.

In 1213, Salisbury led a large fleet to Flanders, where he seized or destroyed a good part of a French invasion fleet anchored at or near Damme. This ended the invasion threat but not the conflicts between England and France. In 1214, Salisbury was sent to help Otto IV of Germany, an English ally, who was invading France. Salisbury commanded the right wing of the army at their disastrous defeat at the Battle of Bouvines, where he was captured.

By the time he returned to England, revolt was brewing amongst the barons. Salisbury was one of the few who remained loyal to John. In the civil war that took place the year after the signing of the Magna Carta, Salisbury was one of the leaders of the king's army in the south. However, after the French prince Louis (later Louis VIII) landed as an ally of the rebels, Salisbury went over to his side. Presumably, he thought John's cause was lost.

After John's death and the departure of Louis, Salisbury, along with many other barons, joined the cause of John's young son, now Henry III of England. He held an influential place in the government during the king's minority and fought in Gascony to help secure the remaining part of the English continental possessions. Salisbury's ship was nearly lost in a storm while returning to England in 1225, and he spent some months in refuge at a monastery on the French island of Ré. He died not long after his return to England at Salisbury Castle. Roger of Wendover alleged that he was poisoned by Hubert de Burgh. He was buried at Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

William Longespee's tomb was opened in 1791. Bizarrely, the well-preserved corpse of a rat which carried traces of arsenic [5], was found inside his skull. The rat is now on display in a case at the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum.

Family

By his wife Ela, Countess of Salisbury, he had four sons and four daughters [6]:

· William II Longespée (1212?-1250), who was sometimes called Earl of Salisbury but never legally bore the title because he died before his mother, Countess Ela, who held the earldom until her death in 1261;

· Richard, a canon of Salisbury;

· Stephen (d. 1260), who was seneschal of Gascony;

· Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

· Isabella, who married William de Vesey

· Ella, married William d'Odingsels

· Ela Longespée, who first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, and then married Philip Basset

· Ida, who first married Ralph de Somery, and then William de Beauchamp

William Longespée 3rd Earl of Salisbury

Born cir 1176

Died 7 March 1226

Salisbury Castle, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England Spouse(s) Ela, Countess of Salisbury Relations Father: Henry II of England;

Mother: Ida de Toesny Children William II Longespée (1212?-1250)

Richard, a canon of Salisbury

Stephen (d. 1260), seneschal of Gascony

Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

Isabella, married William de Vesey

Ella, married William d'Odingsels

Ela Longespée, first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, then married Philip Basset

Ida, first married Ralph de Somery, then William de Beauchamp

See also: http://www.robertsewell.ca/longespee.html

--------------------

William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury aka William Longsword

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Longesp%C3%A9e,_3rd_Earl_of_Salisbury

There is confusion over whether he was William Longespée, 1st Earl of Salisbury or William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. In this regard, http://www.thepeerage.com/p10686.htm#i106859 is incorrect.

William Longespée, jure uxoris ("by right of his wife") 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c. 1176 – 7 March 1226) was an English noble, primarily remembered for his command of the English forces at the Battle of Damme and for remaining loyal to King John. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Damme The Battle of Damme was fought on 30 May and 31 May 1213. The success of the English raids ended a threat of French invasion of England.

Damme is located on the estuary of the Zwyn (now largely silted up), at that time in the county of Flanders (now in Belgium). It was then the port of the city of Bruges.

The English knew King Philip II of France was planning to invade England, at the very least as a way of preventing an English attack on Poitou. Meanwhile, Philip was in Flanders attacking Count Ferrand of Flanders. King John of England responded by sending a fleet to Flanders.

This fleet had 500 ships, 700 knights and their attendants, and a large force of mercenaries, under the command of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. It left England on 28 May 1213, and entered the estuary of the Zwyn two days later. There it found a huge French armada, 1700 ships heavily laden with supplies and the personal goods of the French barons. Most of the French army was away besieging Ghent, and so the fleet was only lightly guarded.

The English immediately attacked, seizing 300 ships which were anchored or beached outside the harbour of Damme, and pillaging and burning a hundred more. The next day they attacked the rest of the ships as well as the town itself. This was a little reckless for King Philip had come with his troops from Ghent, and the English barely got back to their ships and away safely. They returned to England with the seized ships and a large booty (the biographer of William Marshal claimed "never had so much treasure come into England since the days of King Arthur").

Not only was a good portion of the French fleet gone, but the harbour of Damme was blocked by debris, so King Philip had the rest of his fleet burned).

He was an illegitimate son of Henry II of England. His mother was unknown for many years, until the discovery of a charter of William mentioning "Comitissa Ida, mater mea" (engl. "Countess Ida, my mother").[2][3]

This Ida, a member of the prominent Tosny or Toesny family, later (1181) married Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk.[4]

King Henry acknowledged William as his son and gave him the Honour of Appleby, Lincolnshire in 1188. Eight years later, his half-brother, King Richard I, married him to a great heiress, Ela, Countess of Salisbury in her own right, and daughter of William of Salisbury, 2nd Earl of Salisbury.

During the reign of King John, Salisbury was at court on several important ceremonial occasions, and held various offices: sheriff of Wiltshire, lieutenant of Gascony, constable of Dover and warden of the Cinque Ports, and later warden of the Welsh Marches. He was a commander in the king's Welsh and Irish expeditions of 1210-1212. The king also granted him the honour of Eye.

In 1213, Salisbury led a large fleet to Flanders, where he seized or destroyed a good part of a French invasion fleet anchored at or near Damme. This ended the invasion threat but not the conflicts between England and France. In 1214, Salisbury was sent to help Otto IV of Germany, an English ally, who was invading France. Salisbury commanded the right wing of the army at their disastrous defeat at the Battle of Bouvines, where he was captured.

By the time he returned to England, revolt was brewing amongst the barons. Salisbury was one of the few who remained loyal to John. In the civil war that took place the year after the signing of the Magna Carta, Salisbury was one of the leaders of the king's army in the south. However, after the French prince Louis (later Louis VIII) landed as an ally of the rebels, Salisbury went over to his side. Presumably, he thought John's cause was lost.

After John's death and the departure of Louis, Salisbury, along with many other barons, joined the cause of John's young son, now Henry III of England. He held an influential place in the government during the king's minority and fought in Gascony to help secure the remaining part of the English continental possessions. Salisbury's ship was nearly lost in a storm while returning to England in 1225, and he spent some months in refuge at a monastery on the French island of Ré. He died not long after his return to England at Salisbury Castle. Roger of Wendover alleged that he was poisoned by Hubert de Burgh. He was buried at Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

William Longespee's tomb was opened in 1791. Bizarrely, the well-preserved corpse of a rat which carried traces of arsenic [5], was found inside his skull. The rat is now on display in a case at the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum.

Family

By his wife Ela, Countess of Salisbury, he had four sons and four daughters [6]:

· William II Longespée (1212?-1250), who was sometimes called Earl of Salisbury but never legally bore the title because he died before his mother, Countess Ela, who held the earldom until her death in 1261;

· Richard, a canon of Salisbury;

· Stephen (d. 1260), who was seneschal of Gascony;

· Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

· Isabella, who married William de Vesey

· Ella, married William d'Odingsels

· Ela Longespée, who first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, and then married Philip Basset

· Ida, who first married Ralph de Somery, and then William de Beauchamp

William Longespée 3rd Earl of Salisbury

Born cir 1176

Died 7 March 1226

Salisbury Castle, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England Spouse(s) Ela, Countess of Salisbury Relations Father: Henry II of England;

Mother: Ida de Toesny Children William II Longespée (1212?-1250)

Richard, a canon of Salisbury

Stephen (d. 1260), seneschal of Gascony

Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

Isabella, married William de Vesey

Ella, married William d'Odingsels

Ela Longespée, first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, then married Philip Basset

Ida, first married Ralph de Somery, then William de Beauchamp

See also: http://www.robertsewell.ca/longespee.html

--------------------

William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury aka William Longsword

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Longesp%C3%A9e,_3rd_Earl_of_Salisbury

There is confusion over whether he was William Longespée, 1st Earl of Salisbury or William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. In this regard, http://www.thepeerage.com/p10686.htm#i106859 is incorrect.

William Longespée, jure uxoris ("by right of his wife") 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c. 1176 – 7 March 1226) was an English noble, primarily remembered for his command of the English forces at the Battle of Damme and for remaining loyal to King John. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Damme The Battle of Damme was fought on 30 May and 31 May 1213. The success of the English raids ended a threat of French invasion of England.

Damme is located on the estuary of the Zwyn (now largely silted up), at that time in the county of Flanders (now in Belgium). It was then the port of the city of Bruges.

The English knew King Philip II of France was planning to invade England, at the very least as a way of preventing an English attack on Poitou. Meanwhile, Philip was in Flanders attacking Count Ferrand of Flanders. King John of England responded by sending a fleet to Flanders.

This fleet had 500 ships, 700 knights and their attendants, and a large force of mercenaries, under the command of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. It left England on 28 May 1213, and entered the estuary of the Zwyn two days later. There it found a huge French armada, 1700 ships heavily laden with supplies and the personal goods of the French barons. Most of the French army was away besieging Ghent, and so the fleet was only lightly guarded.

The English immediately attacked, seizing 300 ships which were anchored or beached outside the harbour of Damme, and pillaging and burning a hundred more. The next day they attacked the rest of the ships as well as the town itself. This was a little reckless for King Philip had come with his troops from Ghent, and the English barely got back to their ships and away safely. They returned to England with the seized ships and a large booty (the biographer of William Marshal claimed "never had so much treasure come into England since the days of King Arthur").

Not only was a good portion of the French fleet gone, but the harbour of Damme was blocked by debris, so King Philip had the rest of his fleet burned).

He was an illegitimate son of Henry II of England. His mother was unknown for many years, until the discovery of a charter of William mentioning "Comitissa Ida, mater mea" (engl. "Countess Ida, my mother").[2][3]

This Ida, a member of the prominent Tosny or Toesny family, later (1181) married Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk.[4]

King Henry acknowledged William as his son and gave him the Honour of Appleby, Lincolnshire in 1188. Eight years later, his half-brother, King Richard I, married him to a great heiress, Ela, Countess of Salisbury in her own right, and daughter of William of Salisbury, 2nd Earl of Salisbury.

During the reign of King John, Salisbury was at court on several important ceremonial occasions, and held various offices: sheriff of Wiltshire, lieutenant of Gascony, constable of Dover and warden of the Cinque Ports, and later warden of the Welsh Marches. He was a commander in the king's Welsh and Irish expeditions of 1210-1212. The king also granted him the honour of Eye.

In 1213, Salisbury led a large fleet to Flanders, where he seized or destroyed a good part of a French invasion fleet anchored at or near Damme. This ended the invasion threat but not the conflicts between England and France. In 1214, Salisbury was sent to help Otto IV of Germany, an English ally, who was invading France. Salisbury commanded the right wing of the army at their disastrous defeat at the Battle of Bouvines, where he was captured.

By the time he returned to England, revolt was brewing amongst the barons. Salisbury was one of the few who remained loyal to John. In the civil war that took place the year after the signing of the Magna Carta, Salisbury was one of the leaders of the king's army in the south. However, after the French prince Louis (later Louis VIII) landed as an ally of the rebels, Salisbury went over to his side. Presumably, he thought John's cause was lost.

After John's death and the departure of Louis, Salisbury, along with many other barons, joined the cause of John's young son, now Henry III of England. He held an influential place in the government during the king's minority and fought in Gascony to help secure the remaining part of the English continental possessions. Salisbury's ship was nearly lost in a storm while returning to England in 1225, and he spent some months in refuge at a monastery on the French island of Ré. He died not long after his return to England at Salisbury Castle. Roger of Wendover alleged that he was poisoned by Hubert de Burgh. He was buried at Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

William Longespee's tomb was opened in 1791. Bizarrely, the well-preserved corpse of a rat which carried traces of arsenic [5], was found inside his skull. The rat is now on display in a case at the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum.

Family

By his wife Ela, Countess of Salisbury, he had four sons and four daughters [6]:

· William II Longespée (1212?-1250), who was sometimes called Earl of Salisbury but never legally bore the title because he died before his mother, Countess Ela, who held the earldom until her death in 1261;

· Richard, a canon of Salisbury;

· Stephen (d. 1260), who was seneschal of Gascony;

· Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

· Isabella, who married William de Vesey

· Ella, married William d'Odingsels

· Ela Longespée, who first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, and then married Philip Basset

· Ida, who first married Ralph de Somery, and then William de Beauchamp

William Longespée 3rd Earl of Salisbury

Born cir 1176

Died 7 March 1226

Salisbury Castle, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England Spouse(s) Ela, Countess of Salisbury Relations Father: Henry II of England;

Mother: Ida de Toesny Children William II Longespée (1212?-1250)

Richard, a canon of Salisbury

Stephen (d. 1260), seneschal of Gascony

Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

Isabella, married William de Vesey

Ella, married William d'Odingsels

Ela Longespée, first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, then married Philip Basset

Ida, first married Ralph de Somery, then William de Beauchamp

See also: http://www.robertsewell.ca/longespee.html

--------------------

William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury aka William Longsword

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Longesp%C3%A9e,_3rd_Earl_of_Salisbury

There is confusion over whether he was William Longespée, 1st Earl of Salisbury or William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. In this regard, http://www.thepeerage.com/p10686.htm#i106859 is incorrect.

William Longespée, jure uxoris ("by right of his wife") 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c. 1176 – 7 March 1226) was an English noble, primarily remembered for his command of the English forces at the Battle of Damme and for remaining loyal to King John. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Damme The Battle of Damme was fought on 30 May and 31 May 1213. The success of the English raids ended a threat of French invasion of England.

Damme is located on the estuary of the Zwyn (now largely silted up), at that time in the county of Flanders (now in Belgium). It was then the port of the city of Bruges.

The English knew King Philip II of France was planning to invade England, at the very least as a way of preventing an English attack on Poitou. Meanwhile, Philip was in Flanders attacking Count Ferrand of Flanders. King John of England responded by sending a fleet to Flanders.

This fleet had 500 ships, 700 knights and their attendants, and a large force of mercenaries, under the command of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. It left England on 28 May 1213, and entered the estuary of the Zwyn two days later. There it found a huge French armada, 1700 ships heavily laden with supplies and the personal goods of the French barons. Most of the French army was away besieging Ghent, and so the fleet was only lightly guarded.

The English immediately attacked, seizing 300 ships which were anchored or beached outside the harbour of Damme, and pillaging and burning a hundred more. The next day they attacked the rest of the ships as well as the town itself. This was a little reckless for King Philip had come with his troops from Ghent, and the English barely got back to their ships and away safely. They returned to England with the seized ships and a large booty (the biographer of William Marshal claimed "never had so much treasure come into England since the days of King Arthur").

Not only was a good portion of the French fleet gone, but the harbour of Damme was blocked by debris, so King Philip had the rest of his fleet burned).

He was an illegitimate son of Henry II of England. His mother was unknown for many years, until the discovery of a charter of William mentioning "Comitissa Ida, mater mea" (engl. "Countess Ida, my mother").[2][3]

This Ida, a member of the prominent Tosny or Toesny family, later (1181) married Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk.[4]

King Henry acknowledged William as his son and gave him the Honour of Appleby, Lincolnshire in 1188. Eight years later, his half-brother, King Richard I, married him to a great heiress, Ela, Countess of Salisbury in her own right, and daughter of William of Salisbury, 2nd Earl of Salisbury.

During the reign of King John, Salisbury was at court on several important ceremonial occasions, and held various offices: sheriff of Wiltshire, lieutenant of Gascony, constable of Dover and warden of the Cinque Ports, and later warden of the Welsh Marches. He was a commander in the king's Welsh and Irish expeditions of 1210-1212. The king also granted him the honour of Eye.

In 1213, Salisbury led a large fleet to Flanders, where he seized or destroyed a good part of a French invasion fleet anchored at or near Damme. This ended the invasion threat but not the conflicts between England and France. In 1214, Salisbury was sent to help Otto IV of Germany, an English ally, who was invading France. Salisbury commanded the right wing of the army at their disastrous defeat at the Battle of Bouvines, where he was captured.

By the time he returned to England, revolt was brewing amongst the barons. Salisbury was one of the few who remained loyal to John. In the civil war that took place the year after the signing of the Magna Carta, Salisbury was one of the leaders of the king's army in the south. However, after the French prince Louis (later Louis VIII) landed as an ally of the rebels, Salisbury went over to his side. Presumably, he thought John's cause was lost.

After John's death and the departure of Louis, Salisbury, along with many other barons, joined the cause of John's young son, now Henry III of England. He held an influential place in the government during the king's minority and fought in Gascony to help secure the remaining part of the English continental possessions. Salisbury's ship was nearly lost in a storm while returning to England in 1225, and he spent some months in refuge at a monastery on the French island of Ré. He died not long after his return to England at Salisbury Castle. Roger of Wendover alleged that he was poisoned by Hubert de Burgh. He was buried at Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

William Longespee's tomb was opened in 1791. Bizarrely, the well-preserved corpse of a rat which carried traces of arsenic [5], was found inside his skull. The rat is now on display in a case at the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum.

Family

By his wife Ela, Countess of Salisbury, he had four sons and four daughters [6]:

· William II Longespée (1212?-1250), who was sometimes called Earl of Salisbury but never legally bore the title because he died before his mother, Countess Ela, who held the earldom until her death in 1261;

· Richard, a canon of Salisbury;

· Stephen (d. 1260), who was seneschal of Gascony;

· Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

· Isabella, who married William de Vesey

· Ella, married William d'Odingsels

· Ela Longespée, who first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, and then married Philip Basset

· Ida, who first married Ralph de Somery, and then William de Beauchamp

William Longespée 3rd Earl of Salisbury

Born cir 1176

Died 7 March 1226

Salisbury Castle, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England Spouse(s) Ela, Countess of Salisbury Relations Father: Henry II of England;

Mother: Ida de Toesny Children William II Longespée (1212?-1250)

Richard, a canon of Salisbury

Stephen (d. 1260), seneschal of Gascony

Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

Isabella, married William de Vesey

Ella, married William d'Odingsels

Ela Longespée, first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, then married Philip Basset

Ida, first married Ralph de Somery, then William de Beauchamp

See also: http://www.robertsewell.ca/longespee.html

--------------------

William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury aka William Longsword

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Longesp%C3%A9e,_3rd_Earl_of_Salisbury

There is confusion over whether he was William Longespée, 1st Earl of Salisbury or William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. In this regard, http://www.thepeerage.com/p10686.htm#i106859 is incorrect.

William Longespée, jure uxoris ("by right of his wife") 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c. 1176 – 7 March 1226) was an English noble, primarily remembered for his command of the English forces at the Battle of Damme and for remaining loyal to King John. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Damme The Battle of Damme was fought on 30 May and 31 May 1213. The success of the English raids ended a threat of French invasion of England.

Damme is located on the estuary of the Zwyn (now largely silted up), at that time in the county of Flanders (now in Belgium). It was then the port of the city of Bruges.

The English knew King Philip II of France was planning to invade England, at the very least as a way of preventing an English attack on Poitou. Meanwhile, Philip was in Flanders attacking Count Ferrand of Flanders. King John of England responded by sending a fleet to Flanders.

This fleet had 500 ships, 700 knights and their attendants, and a large force of mercenaries, under the command of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. It left England on 28 May 1213, and entered the estuary of the Zwyn two days later. There it found a huge French armada, 1700 ships heavily laden with supplies and the personal goods of the French barons. Most of the French army was away besieging Ghent, and so the fleet was only lightly guarded.

The English immediately attacked, seizing 300 ships which were anchored or beached outside the harbour of Damme, and pillaging and burning a hundred more. The next day they attacked the rest of the ships as well as the town itself. This was a little reckless for King Philip had come with his troops from Ghent, and the English barely got back to their ships and away safely. They returned to England with the seized ships and a large booty (the biographer of William Marshal claimed "never had so much treasure come into England since the days of King Arthur").

Not only was a good portion of the French fleet gone, but the harbour of Damme was blocked by debris, so King Philip had the rest of his fleet burned).

He was an illegitimate son of Henry II of England. His mother was unknown for many years, until the discovery of a charter of William mentioning "Comitissa Ida, mater mea" (engl. "Countess Ida, my mother").[2][3]

This Ida, a member of the prominent Tosny or Toesny family, later (1181) married Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk.[4]

King Henry acknowledged William as his son and gave him the Honour of Appleby, Lincolnshire in 1188. Eight years later, his half-brother, King Richard I, married him to a great heiress, Ela, Countess of Salisbury in her own right, and daughter of William of Salisbury, 2nd Earl of Salisbury.

During the reign of King John, Salisbury was at court on several important ceremonial occasions, and held various offices: sheriff of Wiltshire, lieutenant of Gascony, constable of Dover and warden of the Cinque Ports, and later warden of the Welsh Marches. He was a commander in the king's Welsh and Irish expeditions of 1210-1212. The king also granted him the honour of Eye.

In 1213, Salisbury led a large fleet to Flanders, where he seized or destroyed a good part of a French invasion fleet anchored at or near Damme. This ended the invasion threat but not the conflicts between England and France. In 1214, Salisbury was sent to help Otto IV of Germany, an English ally, who was invading France. Salisbury commanded the right wing of the army at their disastrous defeat at the Battle of Bouvines, where he was captured.

By the time he returned to England, revolt was brewing amongst the barons. Salisbury was one of the few who remained loyal to John. In the civil war that took place the year after the signing of the Magna Carta, Salisbury was one of the leaders of the king's army in the south. However, after the French prince Louis (later Louis VIII) landed as an ally of the rebels, Salisbury went over to his side. Presumably, he thought John's cause was lost.

After John's death and the departure of Louis, Salisbury, along with many other barons, joined the cause of John's young son, now Henry III of England. He held an influential place in the government during the king's minority and fought in Gascony to help secure the remaining part of the English continental possessions. Salisbury's ship was nearly lost in a storm while returning to England in 1225, and he spent some months in refuge at a monastery on the French island of Ré. He died not long after his return to England at Salisbury Castle. Roger of Wendover alleged that he was poisoned by Hubert de Burgh. He was buried at Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

William Longespee's tomb was opened in 1791. Bizarrely, the well-preserved corpse of a rat which carried traces of arsenic [5], was found inside his skull. The rat is now on display in a case at the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum.

Family

By his wife Ela, Countess of Salisbury, he had four sons and four daughters [6]:

· William II Longespée (1212?-1250), who was sometimes called Earl of Salisbury but never legally bore the title because he died before his mother, Countess Ela, who held the earldom until her death in 1261;

· Richard, a canon of Salisbury;

· Stephen (d. 1260), who was seneschal of Gascony;

· Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

· Isabella, who married William de Vesey

· Ella, married William d'Odingsels

· Ela Longespée, who first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, and then married Philip Basset

· Ida, who first married Ralph de Somery, and then William de Beauchamp

William Longespée 3rd Earl of Salisbury

Born cir 1176

Died 7 March 1226

Salisbury Castle, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England Spouse(s) Ela, Countess of Salisbury Relations Father: Henry II of England;

Mother: Ida de Toesny Children William II Longespée (1212?-1250)

Richard, a canon of Salisbury

Stephen (d. 1260), seneschal of Gascony

Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

Isabella, married William de Vesey

Ella, married William d'Odingsels

Ela Longespée, first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, then married Philip Basset

Ida, first married Ralph de Somery, then William de Beauchamp

See also: http://www.robertsewell.ca/longespee.html

--------------------

William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury aka William Longsword

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Longesp%C3%A9e,_3rd_Earl_of_Salisbury

There is confusion over whether he was William Longespée, 1st Earl of Salisbury or William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. In this regard, http://www.thepeerage.com/p10686.htm#i106859 is incorrect.

William Longespée, jure uxoris ("by right of his wife") 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c. 1176 – 7 March 1226) was an English noble, primarily remembered for his command of the English forces at the Battle of Damme and for remaining loyal to King John. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Damme The Battle of Damme was fought on 30 May and 31 May 1213. The success of the English raids ended a threat of French invasion of England.

Damme is located on the estuary of the Zwyn (now largely silted up), at that time in the county of Flanders (now in Belgium). It was then the port of the city of Bruges.

The English knew King Philip II of France was planning to invade England, at the very least as a way of preventing an English attack on Poitou. Meanwhile, Philip was in Flanders attacking Count Ferrand of Flanders. King John of England responded by sending a fleet to Flanders.

This fleet had 500 ships, 700 knights and their attendants, and a large force of mercenaries, under the command of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. It left England on 28 May 1213, and entered the estuary of the Zwyn two days later. There it found a huge French armada, 1700 ships heavily laden with supplies and the personal goods of the French barons. Most of the French army was away besieging Ghent, and so the fleet was only lightly guarded.

The English immediately attacked, seizing 300 ships which were anchored or beached outside the harbour of Damme, and pillaging and burning a hundred more. The next day they attacked the rest of the ships as well as the town itself. This was a little reckless for King Philip had come with his troops from Ghent, and the English barely got back to their ships and away safely. They returned to England with the seized ships and a large booty (the biographer of William Marshal claimed "never had so much treasure come into England since the days of King Arthur").

Not only was a good portion of the French fleet gone, but the harbour of Damme was blocked by debris, so King Philip had the rest of his fleet burned).

He was an illegitimate son of Henry II of England. His mother was unknown for many years, until the discovery of a charter of William mentioning "Comitissa Ida, mater mea" (engl. "Countess Ida, my mother").[2][3]

This Ida, a member of the prominent Tosny or Toesny family, later (1181) married Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk.[4]

King Henry acknowledged William as his son and gave him the Honour of Appleby, Lincolnshire in 1188. Eight years later, his half-brother, King Richard I, married him to a great heiress, Ela, Countess of Salisbury in her own right, and daughter of William of Salisbury, 2nd Earl of Salisbury.

During the reign of King John, Salisbury was at court on several important ceremonial occasions, and held various offices: sheriff of Wiltshire, lieutenant of Gascony, constable of Dover and warden of the Cinque Ports, and later warden of the Welsh Marches. He was a commander in the king's Welsh and Irish expeditions of 1210-1212. The king also granted him the honour of Eye.

In 1213, Salisbury led a large fleet to Flanders, where he seized or destroyed a good part of a French invasion fleet anchored at or near Damme. This ended the invasion threat but not the conflicts between England and France. In 1214, Salisbury was sent to help Otto IV of Germany, an English ally, who was invading France. Salisbury commanded the right wing of the army at their disastrous defeat at the Battle of Bouvines, where he was captured.

By the time he returned to England, revolt was brewing amongst the barons. Salisbury was one of the few who remained loyal to John. In the civil war that took place the year after the signing of the Magna Carta, Salisbury was one of the leaders of the king's army in the south. However, after the French prince Louis (later Louis VIII) landed as an ally of the rebels, Salisbury went over to his side. Presumably, he thought John's cause was lost.

After John's death and the departure of Louis, Salisbury, along with many other barons, joined the cause of John's young son, now Henry III of England. He held an influential place in the government during the king's minority and fought in Gascony to help secure the remaining part of the English continental possessions. Salisbury's ship was nearly lost in a storm while returning to England in 1225, and he spent some months in refuge at a monastery on the French island of Ré. He died not long after his return to England at Salisbury Castle. Roger of Wendover alleged that he was poisoned by Hubert de Burgh. He was buried at Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

William Longespee's tomb was opened in 1791. Bizarrely, the well-preserved corpse of a rat which carried traces of arsenic [5], was found inside his skull. The rat is now on display in a case at the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum.

Family

By his wife Ela, Countess of Salisbury, he had four sons and four daughters [6]:

· William II Longespée (1212?-1250), who was sometimes called Earl of Salisbury but never legally bore the title because he died before his mother, Countess Ela, who held the earldom until her death in 1261;

· Richard, a canon of Salisbury;

· Stephen (d. 1260), who was seneschal of Gascony;

· Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

· Isabella, who married William de Vesey

· Ella, married William d'Odingsels

· Ela Longespée, who first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, and then married Philip Basset

· Ida, who first married Ralph de Somery, and then William de Beauchamp

William Longespée 3rd Earl of Salisbury

Born cir 1176

Died 7 March 1226

Salisbury Castle, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England Spouse(s) Ela, Countess of Salisbury Relations Father: Henry II of England;

Mother: Ida de Toesny Children William II Longespée (1212?-1250)

Richard, a canon of Salisbury

Stephen (d. 1260), seneschal of Gascony

Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

Isabella, married William de Vesey

Ella, married William d'Odingsels

Ela Longespée, first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, then married Philip Basset

Ida, first married Ralph de Somery, then William de Beauchamp

See also: http://www.robertsewell.ca/longespee.html

--------------------

William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury aka William Longsword

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Longesp%C3%A9e,_3rd_Earl_of_Salisbury

There is confusion over whether he was William Longespée, 1st Earl of Salisbury or William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. In this regard, http://www.thepeerage.com/p10686.htm#i106859 is incorrect.

William Longespée, jure uxoris ("by right of his wife") 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c. 1176 – 7 March 1226) was an English noble, primarily remembered for his command of the English forces at the Battle of Damme and for remaining loyal to King John. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Damme The Battle of Damme was fought on 30 May and 31 May 1213. The success of the English raids ended a threat of French invasion of England.

Damme is located on the estuary of the Zwyn (now largely silted up), at that time in the county of Flanders (now in Belgium). It was then the port of the city of Bruges.

The English knew King Philip II of France was planning to invade England, at the very least as a way of preventing an English attack on Poitou. Meanwhile, Philip was in Flanders attacking Count Ferrand of Flanders. King John of England responded by sending a fleet to Flanders.

This fleet had 500 ships, 700 knights and their attendants, and a large force of mercenaries, under the command of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. It left England on 28 May 1213, and entered the estuary of the Zwyn two days later. There it found a huge French armada, 1700 ships heavily laden with supplies and the personal goods of the French barons. Most of the French army was away besieging Ghent, and so the fleet was only lightly guarded.

The English immediately attacked, seizing 300 ships which were anchored or beached outside the harbour of Damme, and pillaging and burning a hundred more. The next day they attacked the rest of the ships as well as the town itself. This was a little reckless for King Philip had come with his troops from Ghent, and the English barely got back to their ships and away safely. They returned to England with the seized ships and a large booty (the biographer of William Marshal claimed "never had so much treasure come into England since the days of King Arthur").

Not only was a good portion of the French fleet gone, but the harbour of Damme was blocked by debris, so King Philip had the rest of his fleet burned).

He was an illegitimate son of Henry II of England. His mother was unknown for many years, until the discovery of a charter of William mentioning "Comitissa Ida, mater mea" (engl. "Countess Ida, my mother").[2][3]

This Ida, a member of the prominent Tosny or Toesny family, later (1181) married Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk.[4]

King Henry acknowledged William as his son and gave him the Honour of Appleby, Lincolnshire in 1188. Eight years later, his half-brother, King Richard I, married him to a great heiress, Ela, Countess of Salisbury in her own right, and daughter of William of Salisbury, 2nd Earl of Salisbury.

During the reign of King John, Salisbury was at court on several important ceremonial occasions, and held various offices: sheriff of Wiltshire, lieutenant of Gascony, constable of Dover and warden of the Cinque Ports, and later warden of the Welsh Marches. He was a commander in the king's Welsh and Irish expeditions of 1210-1212. The king also granted him the honour of Eye.

In 1213, Salisbury led a large fleet to Flanders, where he seized or destroyed a good part of a French invasion fleet anchored at or near Damme. This ended the invasion threat but not the conflicts between England and France. In 1214, Salisbury was sent to help Otto IV of Germany, an English ally, who was invading France. Salisbury commanded the right wing of the army at their disastrous defeat at the Battle of Bouvines, where he was captured.

By the time he returned to England, revolt was brewing amongst the barons. Salisbury was one of the few who remained loyal to John. In the civil war that took place the year after the signing of the Magna Carta, Salisbury was one of the leaders of the king's army in the south. However, after the French prince Louis (later Louis VIII) landed as an ally of the rebels, Salisbury went over to his side. Presumably, he thought John's cause was lost.

After John's death and the departure of Louis, Salisbury, along with many other barons, joined the cause of John's young son, now Henry III of England. He held an influential place in the government during the king's minority and fought in Gascony to help secure the remaining part of the English continental possessions. Salisbury's ship was nearly lost in a storm while returning to England in 1225, and he spent some months in refuge at a monastery on the French island of Ré. He died not long after his return to England at Salisbury Castle. Roger of Wendover alleged that he was poisoned by Hubert de Burgh. He was buried at Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

William Longespee's tomb was opened in 1791. Bizarrely, the well-preserved corpse of a rat which carried traces of arsenic [5], was found inside his skull. The rat is now on display in a case at the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum.

Family

By his wife Ela, Countess of Salisbury, he had four sons and four daughters [6]:

· William II Longespée (1212?-1250), who was sometimes called Earl of Salisbury but never legally bore the title because he died before his mother, Countess Ela, who held the earldom until her death in 1261;

· Richard, a canon of Salisbury;

· Stephen (d. 1260), who was seneschal of Gascony;

· Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

· Isabella, who married William de Vesey

· Ella, married William d'Odingsels

· Ela Longespée, who first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, and then married Philip Basset

· Ida, who first married Ralph de Somery, and then William de Beauchamp

William Longespée 3rd Earl of Salisbury

Born cir 1176

Died 7 March 1226

Salisbury Castle, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England Spouse(s) Ela, Countess of Salisbury Relations Father: Henry II of England;

Mother: Ida de Toesny Children William II Longespée (1212?-1250)

Richard, a canon of Salisbury

Stephen (d. 1260), seneschal of Gascony

Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

Isabella, married William de Vesey

Ella, married William d'Odingsels

Ela Longespée, first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, then married Philip Basset

Ida, first married Ralph de Somery, then William de Beauchamp

See also: http://www.robertsewell.ca/longespee.html

--------------------

William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury aka William Longsword

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Longesp%C3%A9e,_3rd_Earl_of_Salisbury

There is confusion over whether he was William Longespée, 1st Earl of Salisbury or William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. In this regard, http://www.thepeerage.com/p10686.htm#i106859 is incorrect.

William Longespée, jure uxoris ("by right of his wife") 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c. 1176 – 7 March 1226) was an English noble, primarily remembered for his command of the English forces at the Battle of Damme and for remaining loyal to King John. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Damme The Battle of Damme was fought on 30 May and 31 May 1213. The success of the English raids ended a threat of French invasion of England.

Damme is located on the estuary of the Zwyn (now largely silted up), at that time in the county of Flanders (now in Belgium). It was then the port of the city of Bruges.

The English knew King Philip II of France was planning to invade England, at the very least as a way of preventing an English attack on Poitou. Meanwhile, Philip was in Flanders attacking Count Ferrand of Flanders. King John of England responded by sending a fleet to Flanders.

This fleet had 500 ships, 700 knights and their attendants, and a large force of mercenaries, under the command of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. It left England on 28 May 1213, and entered the estuary of the Zwyn two days later. There it found a huge French armada, 1700 ships heavily laden with supplies and the personal goods of the French barons. Most of the French army was away besieging Ghent, and so the fleet was only lightly guarded.

The English immediately attacked, seizing 300 ships which were anchored or beached outside the harbour of Damme, and pillaging and burning a hundred more. The next day they attacked the rest of the ships as well as the town itself. This was a little reckless for King Philip had come with his troops from Ghent, and the English barely got back to their ships and away safely. They returned to England with the seized ships and a large booty (the biographer of William Marshal claimed "never had so much treasure come into England since the days of King Arthur").

Not only was a good portion of the French fleet gone, but the harbour of Damme was blocked by debris, so King Philip had the rest of his fleet burned).

He was an illegitimate son of Henry II of England. His mother was unknown for many years, until the discovery of a charter of William mentioning "Comitissa Ida, mater mea" (engl. "Countess Ida, my mother").[2][3]

This Ida, a member of the prominent Tosny or Toesny family, later (1181) married Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk.[4]

King Henry acknowledged William as his son and gave him the Honour of Appleby, Lincolnshire in 1188. Eight years later, his half-brother, King Richard I, married him to a great heiress, Ela, Countess of Salisbury in her own right, and daughter of William of Salisbury, 2nd Earl of Salisbury.

During the reign of King John, Salisbury was at court on several important ceremonial occasions, and held various offices: sheriff of Wiltshire, lieutenant of Gascony, constable of Dover and warden of the Cinque Ports, and later warden of the Welsh Marches. He was a commander in the king's Welsh and Irish expeditions of 1210-1212. The king also granted him the honour of Eye.

In 1213, Salisbury led a large fleet to Flanders, where he seized or destroyed a good part of a French invasion fleet anchored at or near Damme. This ended the invasion threat but not the conflicts between England and France. In 1214, Salisbury was sent to help Otto IV of Germany, an English ally, who was invading France. Salisbury commanded the right wing of the army at their disastrous defeat at the Battle of Bouvines, where he was captured.

By the time he returned to England, revolt was brewing amongst the barons. Salisbury was one of the few who remained loyal to John. In the civil war that took place the year after the signing of the Magna Carta, Salisbury was one of the leaders of the king's army in the south. However, after the French prince Louis (later Louis VIII) landed as an ally of the rebels, Salisbury went over to his side. Presumably, he thought John's cause was lost.

After John's death and the departure of Louis, Salisbury, along with many other barons, joined the cause of John's young son, now Henry III of England. He held an influential place in the government during the king's minority and fought in Gascony to help secure the remaining part of the English continental possessions. Salisbury's ship was nearly lost in a storm while returning to England in 1225, and he spent some months in refuge at a monastery on the French island of Ré. He died not long after his return to England at Salisbury Castle. Roger of Wendover alleged that he was poisoned by Hubert de Burgh. He was buried at Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

William Longespee's tomb was opened in 1791. Bizarrely, the well-preserved corpse of a rat which carried traces of arsenic [5], was found inside his skull. The rat is now on display in a case at the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum.

Family

By his wife Ela, Countess of Salisbury, he had four sons and four daughters [6]:

· William II Longespée (1212?-1250), who was sometimes called Earl of Salisbury but never legally bore the title because he died before his mother, Countess Ela, who held the earldom until her death in 1261;

· Richard, a canon of Salisbury;

· Stephen (d. 1260), who was seneschal of Gascony;

· Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

· Isabella, who married William de Vesey

· Ella, married William d'Odingsels

· Ela Longespée, who first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, and then married Philip Basset

· Ida, who first married Ralph de Somery, and then William de Beauchamp

William Longespée 3rd Earl of Salisbury

Born cir 1176

Died 7 March 1226

Salisbury Castle, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England Spouse(s) Ela, Countess of Salisbury Relations Father: Henry II of England;

Mother: Ida de Toesny Children William II Longespée (1212?-1250)

Richard, a canon of Salisbury

Stephen (d. 1260), seneschal of Gascony

Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

Isabella, married William de Vesey

Ella, married William d'Odingsels

Ela Longespée, first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, then married Philip Basset

Ida, first married Ralph de Somery, then William de Beauchamp

See also: http://www.robertsewell.ca/longespee.html

--------------------

William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury aka William Longsword

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Longesp%C3%A9e,_3rd_Earl_of_Salisbury

There is confusion over whether he was William Longespée, 1st Earl of Salisbury or William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. In this regard, http://www.thepeerage.com/p10686.htm#i106859 is incorrect.

William Longespée, jure uxoris ("by right of his wife") 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c. 1176 – 7 March 1226) was an English noble, primarily remembered for his command of the English forces at the Battle of Damme and for remaining loyal to King John. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Damme The Battle of Damme was fought on 30 May and 31 May 1213. The success of the English raids ended a threat of French invasion of England.

Damme is located on the estuary of the Zwyn (now largely silted up), at that time in the county of Flanders (now in Belgium). It was then the port of the city of Bruges.

The English knew King Philip II of France was planning to invade England, at the very least as a way of preventing an English attack on Poitou. Meanwhile, Philip was in Flanders attacking Count Ferrand of Flanders. King John of England responded by sending a fleet to Flanders.

This fleet had 500 ships, 700 knights and their attendants, and a large force of mercenaries, under the command of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. It left England on 28 May 1213, and entered the estuary of the Zwyn two days later. There it found a huge French armada, 1700 ships heavily laden with supplies and the personal goods of the French barons. Most of the French army was away besieging Ghent, and so the fleet was only lightly guarded.

The English immediately attacked, seizing 300 ships which were anchored or beached outside the harbour of Damme, and pillaging and burning a hundred more. The next day they attacked the rest of the ships as well as the town itself. This was a little reckless for King Philip had come with his troops from Ghent, and the English barely got back to their ships and away safely. They returned to England with the seized ships and a large booty (the biographer of William Marshal claimed "never had so much treasure come into England since the days of King Arthur").

Not only was a good portion of the French fleet gone, but the harbour of Damme was blocked by debris, so King Philip had the rest of his fleet burned).

He was an illegitimate son of Henry II of England. His mother was unknown for many years, until the discovery of a charter of William mentioning "Comitissa Ida, mater mea" (engl. "Countess Ida, my mother").[2][3]

This Ida, a member of the prominent Tosny or Toesny family, later (1181) married Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk.[4]

King Henry acknowledged William as his son and gave him the Honour of Appleby, Lincolnshire in 1188. Eight years later, his half-brother, King Richard I, married him to a great heiress, Ela, Countess of Salisbury in her own right, and daughter of William of Salisbury, 2nd Earl of Salisbury.

During the reign of King John, Salisbury was at court on several important ceremonial occasions, and held various offices: sheriff of Wiltshire, lieutenant of Gascony, constable of Dover and warden of the Cinque Ports, and later warden of the Welsh Marches. He was a commander in the king's Welsh and Irish expeditions of 1210-1212. The king also granted him the honour of Eye.

In 1213, Salisbury led a large fleet to Flanders, where he seized or destroyed a good part of a French invasion fleet anchored at or near Damme. This ended the invasion threat but not the conflicts between England and France. In 1214, Salisbury was sent to help Otto IV of Germany, an English ally, who was invading France. Salisbury commanded the right wing of the army at their disastrous defeat at the Battle of Bouvines, where he was captured.

By the time he returned to England, revolt was brewing amongst the barons. Salisbury was one of the few who remained loyal to John. In the civil war that took place the year after the signing of the Magna Carta, Salisbury was one of the leaders of the king's army in the south. However, after the French prince Louis (later Louis VIII) landed as an ally of the rebels, Salisbury went over to his side. Presumably, he thought John's cause was lost.

After John's death and the departure of Louis, Salisbury, along with many other barons, joined the cause of John's young son, now Henry III of England. He held an influential place in the government during the king's minority and fought in Gascony to help secure the remaining part of the English continental possessions. Salisbury's ship was nearly lost in a storm while returning to England in 1225, and he spent some months in refuge at a monastery on the French island of Ré. He died not long after his return to England at Salisbury Castle. Roger of Wendover alleged that he was poisoned by Hubert de Burgh. He was buried at Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

William Longespee's tomb was opened in 1791. Bizarrely, the well-preserved corpse of a rat which carried traces of arsenic [5], was found inside his skull. The rat is now on display in a case at the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum.

Family

By his wife Ela, Countess of Salisbury, he had four sons and four daughters [6]:

· William II Longespée (1212?-1250), who was sometimes called Earl of Salisbury but never legally bore the title because he died before his mother, Countess Ela, who held the earldom until her death in 1261;

· Richard, a canon of Salisbury;

· Stephen (d. 1260), who was seneschal of Gascony;

· Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

· Isabella, who married William de Vesey

· Ella, married William d'Odingsels

· Ela Longespée, who first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, and then married Philip Basset

· Ida, who first married Ralph de Somery, and then William de Beauchamp

William Longespée 3rd Earl of Salisbury

Born cir 1176

Died 7 March 1226

Salisbury Castle, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England Spouse(s) Ela, Countess of Salisbury Relations Father: Henry II of England;

Mother: Ida de Toesny Children William II Longespée (1212?-1250)

Richard, a canon of Salisbury

Stephen (d. 1260), seneschal of Gascony

Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

Isabella, married William de Vesey

Ella, married William d'Odingsels

Ela Longespée, first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, then married Philip Basset

Ida, first married Ralph de Somery, then William de Beauchamp

See also: http://www.robertsewell.ca/longespee.html

--------------------

William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury aka William Longsword

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Longesp%C3%A9e,_3rd_Earl_of_Salisbury

There is confusion over whether he was William Longespée, 1st Earl of Salisbury or William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. In this regard, http://www.thepeerage.com/p10686.htm#i106859 is incorrect.

William Longespée, jure uxoris ("by right of his wife") 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c. 1176 – 7 March 1226) was an English noble, primarily remembered for his command of the English forces at the Battle of Damme and for remaining loyal to King John. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Damme The Battle of Damme was fought on 30 May and 31 May 1213. The success of the English raids ended a threat of French invasion of England.

Damme is located on the estuary of the Zwyn (now largely silted up), at that time in the county of Flanders (now in Belgium). It was then the port of the city of Bruges.

The English knew King Philip II of France was planning to invade England, at the very least as a way of preventing an English attack on Poitou. Meanwhile, Philip was in Flanders attacking Count Ferrand of Flanders. King John of England responded by sending a fleet to Flanders.

This fleet had 500 ships, 700 knights and their attendants, and a large force of mercenaries, under the command of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. It left England on 28 May 1213, and entered the estuary of the Zwyn two days later. There it found a huge French armada, 1700 ships heavily laden with supplies and the personal goods of the French barons. Most of the French army was away besieging Ghent, and so the fleet was only lightly guarded.

The English immediately attacked, seizing 300 ships which were anchored or beached outside the harbour of Damme, and pillaging and burning a hundred more. The next day they attacked the rest of the ships as well as the town itself. This was a little reckless for King Philip had come with his troops from Ghent, and the English barely got back to their ships and away safely. They returned to England with the seized ships and a large booty (the biographer of William Marshal claimed "never had so much treasure come into England since the days of King Arthur").

Not only was a good portion of the French fleet gone, but the harbour of Damme was blocked by debris, so King Philip had the rest of his fleet burned).

He was an illegitimate son of Henry II of England. His mother was unknown for many years, until the discovery of a charter of William mentioning "Comitissa Ida, mater mea" (engl. "Countess Ida, my mother").[2][3]

This Ida, a member of the prominent Tosny or Toesny family, later (1181) married Roger Bigod, 2nd Earl of Norfolk.[4]

King Henry acknowledged William as his son and gave him the Honour of Appleby, Lincolnshire in 1188. Eight years later, his half-brother, King Richard I, married him to a great heiress, Ela, Countess of Salisbury in her own right, and daughter of William of Salisbury, 2nd Earl of Salisbury.

During the reign of King John, Salisbury was at court on several important ceremonial occasions, and held various offices: sheriff of Wiltshire, lieutenant of Gascony, constable of Dover and warden of the Cinque Ports, and later warden of the Welsh Marches. He was a commander in the king's Welsh and Irish expeditions of 1210-1212. The king also granted him the honour of Eye.

In 1213, Salisbury led a large fleet to Flanders, where he seized or destroyed a good part of a French invasion fleet anchored at or near Damme. This ended the invasion threat but not the conflicts between England and France. In 1214, Salisbury was sent to help Otto IV of Germany, an English ally, who was invading France. Salisbury commanded the right wing of the army at their disastrous defeat at the Battle of Bouvines, where he was captured.

By the time he returned to England, revolt was brewing amongst the barons. Salisbury was one of the few who remained loyal to John. In the civil war that took place the year after the signing of the Magna Carta, Salisbury was one of the leaders of the king's army in the south. However, after the French prince Louis (later Louis VIII) landed as an ally of the rebels, Salisbury went over to his side. Presumably, he thought John's cause was lost.

After John's death and the departure of Louis, Salisbury, along with many other barons, joined the cause of John's young son, now Henry III of England. He held an influential place in the government during the king's minority and fought in Gascony to help secure the remaining part of the English continental possessions. Salisbury's ship was nearly lost in a storm while returning to England in 1225, and he spent some months in refuge at a monastery on the French island of Ré. He died not long after his return to England at Salisbury Castle. Roger of Wendover alleged that he was poisoned by Hubert de Burgh. He was buried at Salisbury Cathedral in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

William Longespee's tomb was opened in 1791. Bizarrely, the well-preserved corpse of a rat which carried traces of arsenic [5], was found inside his skull. The rat is now on display in a case at the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum.

Family

By his wife Ela, Countess of Salisbury, he had four sons and four daughters [6]:

· William II Longespée (1212?-1250), who was sometimes called Earl of Salisbury but never legally bore the title because he died before his mother, Countess Ela, who held the earldom until her death in 1261;

· Richard, a canon of Salisbury;

· Stephen (d. 1260), who was seneschal of Gascony;

· Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

· Isabella, who married William de Vesey

· Ella, married William d'Odingsels

· Ela Longespée, who first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, and then married Philip Basset

· Ida, who first married Ralph de Somery, and then William de Beauchamp

William Longespée 3rd Earl of Salisbury

Born cir 1176

Died 7 March 1226

Salisbury Castle, Salisbury, Wiltshire, England Spouse(s) Ela, Countess of Salisbury Relations Father: Henry II of England;

Mother: Ida de Toesny Children William II Longespée (1212?-1250)

Richard, a canon of Salisbury

Stephen (d. 1260), seneschal of Gascony

Nicholas (d. 1297), bishop of Salisbury

Isabella, married William de Vesey

Ella, married William d'Odingsels

Ela Longespée, first married Thomas de Beaumont, 6th Earl of Warwick, then married Philip Basset

Ida, first married Ralph de Somery, then William de Beauchamp

See also: http://www.robertsewell.ca/longespee.html

--------------------

William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury aka William Longsword

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Longesp%C3%A9e,_3rd_Earl_of_Salisbury

There is confusion over whether he was William Longespée, 1st Earl of Salisbury or William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury. In this regard, http://www.thepeerage.com/p10686.htm#i106859 is incorrect.

William Longespée, jure uxoris ("by right of his wife") 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c. 1176 – 7 March 1226) was an English noble, primarily remembered for his command of the English forces at the Battle of Damme and for remaining loyal to King John. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Damme The Battle of Damme was fought on 30 May and 31 May 1213. The success of the English raids ended a threat of French invasion of England.

Damme is located on the estuary of the Zwyn (now largely silted up), at that time in the county of Flanders (now in Belgium). It was then the port of the city of Bruges.

The English knew King Philip II of France was planning to invade England, at the very least as a way of preventing an English attack on Poitou. Meanwhile, Philip was in Flanders a