Alice Plantagenet, 4th Countess of Lincoln

Alice de Lacy (25 December 1281, Denbigh Castle – 2 October 1348, Barlings Abbey) was "suo jure" Countess of Lincoln.

She married Thomas Plantagenet, 2nd Earl of Lancaster on 28 October, 1294. By the terms of their marriage settlement the bulk of her great inheritance was to go to him, with reversion to his heirs. She did keep a substantial dowry in her own hands, however. The marriage was not successful, and they lived quite separate lives.

On the death of her father Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln in 1311, she became Alice Plantagenet, 4th Countess of Lincoln.

In April 1317 she was abducted by the Earl Warenne. His intent may have been amorous or he may have intended to spite her husband, who had helped block Warenne's divorce. In any case there was no lasting relationship between her and Warenne.

Lancaster was executed after the failure of his rebellion against the king in 1322. A few days later Alice was arrested and imprisoned, as was her mother and daughter. The Despensers threatened her until she gave up most of her dowry to the king, who in turn gave much of it to the Despensers. Most notably, Denbigh was given to the elder Hugh Despenser. [Fryde 113, Holmes 209]

In 1324 she married Eubulus le Strange, 1st Baron Strange before November 10, 1324, although she was considered too old to bear children. After his death she married Hugh de Freyne, Baron Freyne, before March 23, 1336, and died childless in 1348. hHer titles became extinct upon her death, and by the terms of her first marriage settlement her lands went to her nephew-by-marriage Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster.

Notes

References

*
*
* J. R. Maddicott, ‘Thomas of Lancaster, second earl of Lancaster, second earl of Leicester, and earl of Lincoln (c.1278–1322)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Jan 2007