William Montacute, 1st Earl of Salisbury

William Montacute (alias Montagu), King of the Isle of Man, 1st Earl of Salisbury and 3rd Baron Montagu (1301 – January 30 1344) was an English nobleman and loyal servant of King Edward III.

Life

William was born in Cassington in Oxfordshire, the eldest son of William de Montacute, 2nd Baron Montacute and Elizabeth Montfort. He succeeded to his father's title in 1319.

Montacute accompanied Edward III in repelling the Scottish invasion of 1327. The next year he served Edward on diplomatic missions to the King of France (Charles IV or Philip VI) and to the Pope John XXII. In 1330, at the behest of the King, Montacute and some of his men arrested Roger Mortimer, and after Mortimer's execution Montacute received a good part of the forfeited estates.

Montacute took part in the Second War of Scottish Independence (1333 - 1357) of the following years, notably at the Battle of Halidon Hill in 1333. In the same year the King gave Montacute the English claim to the Isle of Man.

He was created Earl of Salisbury on 16 March 1337. In 1338 the new earl went on a lengthy diplomatic mission, first to France to declare King Edward claims to the French crown, and then to visit many of the German princes who might ally against France. Later that year he was made Marshall of England.

During the next two years, he was one of the commanders of the English forces in Flanders, until he was captured by the French near Lille. He was released later in 1340 as part of a prisoner exchange, on the condition that he never again fight against the French. It was probably sometime after his return to England that he conquered the Isle of Man, which had been held by the Scots. He won and was crowned to King of Mann in 1344.

Lord Salisbury died from injuries said to have been received during a Windsor tournament. He was buried at Bisham Priory in Berkshire, which he had founded in 1337 adjoining his home, Bisham Manor.

Family

He married Catherine Grandison, daughter of William de Grandison, 1st Baron Grandison. Legend holds that Edward III was in love with her, and she may have been the "Countess of Salisbury" from whose dropped garter the Order of the Garter derives its name. In another version of the story, the king forced his attentions on the countess, but this is thought to have originated in French propaganda. The children of William and Catherine were:

*Elizabeth Montacute (b. before 1325); married Hugh le Despencer, 2nd Baron le Despencer before 27 April, 1341.
*John Montacute, (1327-1396); father of John Montacute, 3rd Earl of Salisbury.
*William Montacute, 2nd Earl of Salisbury (1329-1397)
*Anne Montacute, (b. 1330); married John De Grey on 12 June, 1335.
*Philippa Montacute (b. 1332); married Roger Mortimer, 2nd Earl of March.
*Sibyl Montacute (b. before 1339); married Edmund FitzAlan about 1356.

Montacute was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, William.

References

* cite journal | first=Antonia | last=Gransden |title=The alleged rape by Edward III of the countess of Salisbury| journal=English Historical Review | volume=87 |year=1972
*

External links

* [http://www.berkshirehistory.com/bios/wmontacute_1eofs.html Royal Berkshire History: William Montacute, Earl of Salisbury]