Hanging, Drawing and Quartering: the Anatomy of an Execution
I found this an incredibly hard post to write - not just because of its length but also the amount of research into the act of execution....
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Lady Despenser's blog has been dragged out of retirement, given a makeover and a few vitamin pills and will be having lots more juicy posts about the early 14th Century. Of course there will be new articles about your favourite bad boy of the time - Hugh Despenser the younger - but also much more about social history. And if that isn't enough, I am also incorporating a new section featuring my popular Medieval Bits: snippets of interesting and odd facts about the middle ages.
- 4 min
The Execution of Hugh Despenser the Younger: November 24th 1326
The problem with a study of Hugh Despenser’s execution is that although it appears in detail in several secondary sources, the authors...
- 9 min
Who Was Hugh Despenser the Younger? - In a (very large) Nutshell
The Early Years The exact date of Hugh’s birth is not known but it was most likely between 1286 and 1290. He was the eldest son of Hugh...
- 3 min
The Earliest Male Ancestor of the Despenser Line in England?
In this post I shall be taking a look at earliest known male ancestors of the Despenser line. Most resources about the family are...
- 3 min
More Despenser Ancestors
In a previous post I looked at the earliest known ancestors of Hugh Despenser the younger (d,1326). In this one I shall continue my trip...
- 7 min
Hugh Despenser (the even elder) - Rebellious Knight and England's Last Justiciar
Early Years The grandfather of Hugh Despenser the younger was born around 1223 to another Hugh Despenser who was the steward of the earl...
- 3 min
Hugh Despenser the Younger by Kathryn Warner - A Review
It has always been a puzzle to me why there has never been a biography of Hugh Despenser the Younger before. A man who changed the course...
- 6 min
Llywelyn Bren - Rebel With a Cause
The son of Gryffydd ap Rhys, Llywelyn Bren was the lord of Senghennydd and Meisgyn - both of which came under the overlordship of...
- 7 min
What Happened to Hugh Despenser's Family After His Execution?
Hugh Despenser the Younger’s disgrace and execution was just the start of years of desperation and sorrow for his family. Many of his...
- 9 min
Hanging, Drawing and Quartering: the Anatomy of an Execution
I found this an incredibly hard post to write - not just because of its length but also the amount of research into the act of execution....
- 4 min
The Execution of Hugh Despenser the Younger: November 24th 1326
The problem with a study of Hugh Despenser’s execution is that although it appears in detail in several secondary sources, the authors...
- 6 min
The 'Trial' of Hugh Despenser the Younger
On the morning of the 24th November, 1326, just outside the walls of the city of Hereford, Despenser, Baldock, Reading and their captors...
- 3 min
Hugh's Last Journey 1326
There are only glimpses of what happened between Hugh and Edward’s capture at Pant-Y-Brad and Hugh’s arrival at Hereford, so much of what...
- 7 min
The Flight and Capture of Hugh Despenser and Edward II 1326
Invasion When Isabella, Edward’s estranged queen, and his foremost enemy, Roger de Mortimer landed on British soil near to the manor of...
- 3 min
Chepstow Castle
Chepstow Castle played a part in the life of both Hugh Despensers. Built originally in 1067 by, it passed through the hands of the Fitz...
- 6 min
The Lady Baret Incident
Of all the accusations brought against Hugh at his trial in 1326, one of the strangest has to be his mistreatment of a certain Lady...
- 21 min
Thomas, Earl of Lancaster b. (c) 1278-1322 - Part1
Minority to 1313 Throughout the majority of Edward II’s reign there can be little doubt that one of the biggest thorns in his side was...
- 6 min
Nicholas de Litlington - Hugh Despenser's Illegitimate Son?
According to several historians, Nicholas de Litlington, the preeminent Abbot of Westminster Abbey from 1362 - 1386, was an illegitimate...
- 8 min
The Battle of Boroughbridge and its Consequences
The Battle of Boroughbridge was fought on 16th March 1322. It was a small battle and probably didn't last very long, but its consequences...
- 10 min
Hugh the Elder (Hugh the Younger's dad)
A fairly long post on Hugh the Younger's father, a man who is quite fascinating in his own right. Hugh the Elder's Career and the Early...
- 6 min
Hugh and Eleanor's Marriage - and Subsequent Children
First of all, the marriage between Hugh and Eleanor was arranged NOT by Edward II as some have presumed but actually by his father,...
- 9 min
Who Was Hugh Despenser the Younger? - In a (very large) Nutshell
The Early Years The exact date of Hugh’s birth is not known but it was most likely between 1286 and 1290. He was the eldest son of Hugh...
- 8 min
The Pembroke Inheritance and the Strange Tale of Elizabeth Comyn Part 2
The most-often heard version of what happened to Elizabeth Comyn goes something like this: Elizabeth was taken prisoner at the manor of...
Lady Despenser's Scribery
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