Edmund Mortimer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The name Edmund Mortimer was held by several members of the powerful Marcher family of Mortimer, including
- Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March and his grandson
- Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March,
however, the best-known of the Edmund Mortimers was the second son of the 3rd Earl:
Edmund Mortimer (November 9, 1376 - 1409?), was the second son of the 3rd Earl of March by his wife Philippa Plantagenet, and is the best-known of the various Edmund Mortimers. A grandson of Lionel of Antwerp and thus descended from King Edward III of England, he was born at Ludlow Castle in Shropshire.
Edmund was a supporter of his first cousin once removed, Henry Bolingbroke, despite having a better claim to the throne of England (Edmund's grandfather was Edward III's third son, while Bolingbroke's father (John of Gaunt) was Edward's fourth son). Edmund fought for Bolingbroke until captured by the Welsh rebel, Owain Glyndŵr in battle.
When Henry proved slow to ransom Mortimer, Glyndwr won his allegiance. Mortimer married Glyndwr's daughter Katherine (Catrin) in 1402, and they are believed to have had at least four children.
Glyndwr and Mortimer plotted with Henry Percy, "Hotspur," to depose Henry IV and divide the kingdom of England and Wales in three. However, at some time during the siege of Owen's stronghold of Harlech by Henry, Prince of Wales, Mortimer died, possibly of plague.
