James Touchet, 5th Baron Audley

James Touchet, 5th Baron Audley, son of John Tuchet, 4th Baron Audley and his wife Isabel, was a distinguished veteran of the Hundred Years' War. In the opening phase of the Wars of the Roses he raised troops from his estates in Cheshire, Shropshire,Staffordshire and Derbyshire and commanded the Lancastrian force that moved to block the Yorkist Earl of Salisbury's route to Ludlow where he intended linking up with the rest of the Yorkist army.The two forces clashed in the Battle of Blore Heath on 23rd September 1459 and Audley was killed, possibly by "Sir Roger Kynaston" of Stocks near Ellesmere. After the battle (Kynaston incorporated emblems of the Audley coat-of-arms into his own). Audley's Cross still stands on the battlefield to this day, and marks the spot where he died.Audley was buried in Darley Abbey, north of Derby, about 40 miles away from Blore Heath. Unfortunately, the Abbey no longer stands, so his final resting place is no longer marked.

Marriages and children

Audley was first married on February 24, 1414/1415 to Margaret, daughter to William de Ros, 7th Baron de Ros and Margaret Fitzalan. Margaret was daughter to John Fitzalan and Eleanor Maltravers. They were parents to three children:
*John Touchet, 6th Baron Audley (born circa 1420 - September 26, 1490).
*Margaret Touchet (born circa 1422 - died before 1480). Married Richard Grey, 3rd Earl of Tankerville.
*Anne Touchet (born circa 1427 - 1503). She married Sir Thomas Dutton. Sir Thomas Dutton died in the battle of Blore Heath along with his father-in-law James Touchet, Lord Audley, 5th Baron of Audley of Heighley Castle.

Audley was married second to Eleanor de Holland, an illegitimate daughter to Edmund Holland, 4th Earl of Kent and his mistress, Constance of York, daughter of Edmund of Woodstock, Duke of York. They were parents to at least seven children:
*Elizabeth Touchet (born circa 1433). She married Edward Brooke, 6th Baron Cobham.
*Sir Humphrey Touchet (born circa 1435 - May 6, 1471). He married Elizabeth Courtenay, widow of Sir James Luttrell. Like his father, he supported the House of Lancaster. He was taken prisoner at the battle of Tewkesbury and tried before Richard, Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of Norfolk. Executed with other Lancastrian leaders in the Market Square he was buried under the pavement in the Chapel of St Nicolas, in the Abbey Church of St Mary the Virgin.
*Edmund Audley (born circa 1437 - August 23, 1524). Successively Bishop of Rochester, Bishop of Hereford and Bishop of Salisbury. He died in 1524 and is buried under a canopied tomb chest in a Chantry Chapel in the east section of the North choir aisle of Salisbury Cathedral.
*Thomas Touchet (born circa 1439 - June 1507). Married Catherine.
*A daughter (Christian name unknown) who was born circa 1442. Known to have married Humphrey Grey. He was son of Henry Grey, 2nd Earl of Tankerville, and Antigone of Gloucester. Antigone was reputed to be an illegitimate daughter of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester and Eleanor Cobham.
*Constance Touchet (born circa 1443). She married Sir Robert Whitney.

Descendants

Descendants of Lord Audley include U.S. Presidents Thomas Jefferson, Millard Fillmore, and Warren G. Harding and Diana, Princess of Wales.