Thomas le Despenser, 1st Earl of Gloucester, 4th Baron le Despenser (22 September 1373 – 13 January 1400, Bristol) was the son of Edward le Despenser, 1st Baron le Despenser, whom he succeeded in 1375.

Thomas became a royal ward after his father's death in 1375., until 1394 when he came of age and inherited his lands.

Royal intrigues

A supporter of Richard II against Thomas of Woodstock and the Lords Appellant, he was rewarded with an Earldom as Earl of Gloucester in 1397.

However, he supported Henry Bolingbroke on his return to England to become King Henry IV, only to be attainted (deprived of his Earldom because of a capital crime) for his role in the death of Thomas of Woodstock.

He then took part in the Epiphany Rising, a rebellion led by a number of Barons aimed at restoring Richard to the throne by assassinating Henry IV; this quickly failed when the conspirators were betrayed by Edward of Norwich to Henry. After fleeing to the western counties, a number of the Epiphany Rising conspirators were captured and killed by mobs of townspeople loyal to the king; Despenser was captured by a mob and beheaded at Bristol on 13 January 1400.

Details of Thomas le Despencer's career - tranalste from Danish.

Marriage

Thomas le Despenser married Constance, daughter of Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, styled Constance of York, Countess of Gloucester.

Children of Thomas le Despencer and Constance of York

• Elizabeth le Despenser (died young c. 1398)
• Richard le Despenser, 4th Baron Burghersh (1396–1414)
• Edward le Despenser (b. bef. 1400), died young
• Hugh le Despenser (c. 1400–1401)
• Isabel le Despenser (1400–1439), she married first Richard Beauchamp, 1st Earl of Worcester, she married second Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick

Death

Beheaded: Thomas le Despenser, 1st Earl of Gloucester KG (22 September 1373 – 13 January 1400), aged 26 years.

Ancestors

Great Grandson of Hugh le Despenser, 1st Lord Despenser, (c. 1286– 24 November 1326), also referred to as "the younger Despenser", was the son and heir of Hugh le Despenser, Earl of Winchester (the elder Despenser), and Isabella daughter of William, 9th Earl of Warwick.[3] He rose to national prominence as royal chamberlain and a favourite of Edward II of England; a series of subsequent controversies eventually led to what was reportedly a particularly gruesome execution. - (The Peerage).

Great -great Grandson of Hugh, the elder, (1 March 1261 – 27 October 1326), Sir Hugh le Despenser, 1st & Last Earl of Winchester

Citations

[S37] Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 1, page 1384. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.

Wikipedia

Thomas le Despenser, 1st Earl of Gloucester

Find a grave

5th Lord le Despencer, Earl of Gloucester - good entry on Find-a-grave site

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This section was included in the original before I edited it. I can't be sure of the connection here, the details in the Peerage are a little thin. There seems to be errors somewhere, either by including this person with Thomas's record, or in the Peerage or both.

Thomas le Despenser (no dates) - (The Peerage).

Children of Thomas le Despenser

• Roese le Despenser+1
• Sir Hugh le Despenser+1 d. bt 23 Feb 1238 - 30 May 1238
• Thomas le Despenser1 d. c Oct 1218
• Geoffrey le Despenser+1 d. 1251