John de Vesci, Lord of Alnwick

JOHN DE VESCY, 1st son and heir, by 2nd wife, was born 18 July 1244. His wardship was granted, 12 February 1253/4, to Piers of Savoy, the Queen's uncle, and in June following he was being educated with Edmund, the King's son, and Henry de Lacy at Windsor.

In the Barons' War he supported Simon de Montfort and was summoned to his Parliament, 24 December 1264. He was wounded and taken prisoner at the battle of Evesham, 4 August 1265 (i), but was later released and compounded for his estates under the Dictum of Kenilworth, 31 October 1266. Early in 1267 he led a rising in the North, but was besieged at Alnwick and forced to submit by Prince Edward, whose devoted friend he afterwards became. He took the cross and attended the Prince on his Crusade, 1270-72, being one of the barons who led his wife away, when Edward was operated on for a poisoned wound at Acre, June 1272. From 7 November 1274 to December 1276 he was Constable of Scarborough Castle; and in October 1275 he was a leader of the expidition which defeated Godred, King of Man. He had a protection, going to Santiago, 23 January 1275/6; was present at the Council concerning Llewellyn, 12 November 1276; and was summoned to serve against the Welsh in 1277 and 1282-83. From 1278, described as the King's confidant (secretarius), he was continually employed on important diplomatic missions.

He married, 1stly, Agnes, sister of Alice, COUNTESS OF LINCOLN, daughter of MANFRED III, MARQUESS OF SALUZZO. She died s.p. shortly after the battle of Evesham (4 August 1265] it is said of grief for her husband's imprisonment, and was buried, as was her said sister, at the Black Friars, Pontefract.

He married, 2ndly, between 3 January 1278/9 and 26 December 1280, Isabel, kinswoman to Queen Eleanor, being sister of Henry (DE BEAUMONT), LORD BEAUMONT, also EARL OF BUCHAN [SCT], daughter of LOUIS DE BRIENNE, styled D'ACRE, and jure uxoris VICOMTE DE BEAUMONT, in Maine, by Agnes, daughter and eventually sole heir of Ralph DE BEAUMONT, hereditary VICOMTE OF MAINE, styled VICOMTE DE BEAUMONT.

He died s.p., probably on 10 February 1288/9, at Montpellier, in Gascony, and was buried in Alnwick Abbey, aged 44. On 19 December 1290 his heart, with those of the late Queen Eleanor and her son Alphonso, styled Earl of Chester, was buried at Blackfriars.

His widow, who was granted the custody of Bamburgh Castle, 8 October 1305-May 1312, and who, with her brother Henry, was banished from the Court in 1311 (but soon returned), died s.p. shortly before 1 November 1334 and was buried in the choir of the Black Friars at Scarborough, of which she was a great benefactor. [Complete Peerage XII/2:278-80, (transcribed by Dave Utzinger)]

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