Alice le Brun de Lusignan

Alice le Brun de Lusignan (born 1224 [Medieval Lands"Angouleme".] -9 February 1256) was a half-sister of King Henry III of England and the wife of John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey.

Lineage

Alice was born in Lusignan, Vienne, France in 1224. She was the second eldest daughter of Hugh X de Lusignan,"le brun", Seigneur de Lusignan, Count of La Marche and Isabella of Angouleme, widowed Queen-Consort of King John of England. Her paternal grandparents were Hugh IX de Lusignan, Count of La Marche, and Mathilde de Taillefer of Angouleme. Her maternal grandparents were Adhemar de Taillefer, Count of Angouleme and Alice de Courtenay. [The Complete Peerage"] She had five brothers and three sisters.

List of siblings

# Hugh XI of Lusignan, Seigneur de Lusignan, Couhe et de Peyrat, Count of La Marche and Angouleme.(1221- 6 April1250). In January 1236 married Yolande de Dreux, Countess of Penthièvre and of Porhoet. Was killed in battle in Faruskur, Egypt. [Medieval Lands "Angouleme".]
# Aymer de Valence, Bishop of Winchester (1222- 5 December1260
# Agathe de Lusignan (1223- after 1269). Married Guillaume II de Chauvigny, Seigneur de Chateauroux.
# Guy de Lusignan, Seigneur de Couhe, de Cognac and d' Archiac. (died 1264 at the Battle of Lewes).
# William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1225-1296). Married Joan de Munchensi.
# Geoffroi de Lusignan, Seigneur de Jarnac. (died 1274). Married Jeanne de Chatellerault, Viscountess of Chatellerault.
# Marguerite de Lusignan (c.1228-1288). Married firstly Raymond VII of Toulouse, secondly Aimery IX de Thouars, Viscount of Thouars, and thirdly Geoffrey V de Chateaubriant, Seigneur de Chateaubriant.
# Isabelle de Lusignan, Dame de Beauvoir-sur Mer et de Mercillac. (died 14 January 1299). Married firstly Geoffrey de Rancon, Seigneur de Taillebourg, and secondly Maurice IV de Craon.

Marriage

In 1247, a year after her mother's death, Alice, along with three of her brothers, William, Aymer and Guy, accompanied the new papal legate William of Modena, the Cardinal Bishop of Sabina, to England, which they had decided to make their home, and live at the expense of the Crown. [Thomas B. Costain "The Magnificent Century", Page151.] In August of that year, her half-brother, King Henry married her to John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey (August 1231-29 September1304). The marriage caused some resentment amongst the English nobility, as they considered the King's Lusignan siblings to be parasites and a liability to the Kingdom. Many prestigious honours and titles were granted to the Lusignans. [Costain,page 151] Alice was also said to have been disdainful of all things English. [Costain,page 151.] John was the son of William de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey and Maud Marshall. They had three children.

List of children

# Eleanor de Warenne (1251-1282). Married Sir Henry de Percy. Had issue, including Henry Percy, 1st Baron Percy of Alnwick.
# Isabella de Warenne. Married John Balliol and was the mother of Edward Balliol.
# William de Warenne (9 February1256-15 December1286. He was killed in a tournament. Married Joane de Vere. Had two children, John de Warenne, 8th Earl of Surrey, and Alice de Warenne (15 June 1287-23 May 1338 who married Edmund FitzAlan, 9th Earl of Arundel.

Death

Alice died in Warren, Sussex, England, on 9 February 1256 after giving birth to her only son, William. She was about 32 years of age.

References