Constance of York

Constance of York
Baroness le Despencer; Countess of Gloucester
Spouse	Thomas le Despenser, 1st Earl of Gloucester m. 1379; dec. 1400
Issue
Richard le Despenser, 4th Baron Burghersh Isabel le Despenser, Countess of Worcester and Warwick
House	House of York (by birth)
Father	Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York
Mother	Infanta Isabella of Castile
Born	c. 1374 Conisburgh Castle, Yorkshire
Died	29 November 1416(1416-11-29) (aged c. 41–42) Reading Abbey, Berkshire

Constance of York, Countess of Gloucester (c. 1374 – 29 November 1416) was the only daughter of Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York and his wife Isabella of Castile, daughter of Pedro of Castile and Maria de Padilla. On about 7 November 1379, Constance married Thomas le Despenser, 1st Earl of Gloucester (22 September 1373 – 16 January 1400), who was eventually beheaded at Bristol. She was involved in an affair with Edmund Holland, 4th Earl of Kent and had a daughter by him, Eleanor de Holland. Eleanor was later married to James Tuchet, 5th Baron Audley.

In 1405, during the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr, Constance, who held Caerphilly Castle, arranged the escape of Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March, from Windsor Castle, apparently intending to deliver the young earl, who had the best claim to the throne of any of Henry IV's rivals, to his uncle Edmund who was married to Glyndwr's daughter. The earl was recaptured before entering Wales.

When Constance died in 1416, she was buried at the High altar in Reading Abbey.

Issue

• Elizabeth le Despenser (died young c. 1398)
• Richard le Despenser, 4th Baron Burghersh (1396–1414). He married Eleanor, daughter of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland (d.1425) and Joan Beaufort (d.1440), daughter of John of Gaunt by Katherine Swynford. He died young without issue.
• Edward le Despenser (b. bef. 1400), died young
• Hugh le Despenser (c. 1400–1401)
• Isabel le Despenser (born after her father's execution). She married, firstly, Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Worcester (d. 1421/2). A daughter, Elizabeth, Lady Abergavenny (b.1415) was the sole product of this union. Following Worcester's death, she married Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick. They were parents to Henry de Beauchamp, 1st Duke of Warwick and Anne Beauchamp.

Ancestry

References

• Peggy K. Liss, "Isabel the Queen," New York: Oxford University Press, 1992, p. 165
• James Reston, Jr. "Dogs of God," New York: Doubleday, p. 18.

Persondata
Name	Constance Of York
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1374
Place of birth	Conisburgh Castle, Yorkshire
Date of death	29 November 1416
Place of death	Reading Abbey, Berkshire

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