Constance of York

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Constance of York
Baroness le Despencer
Spouse	Thomas le Despenser, Earl of Gloucester
Issue
Elizabeth le Despenser Richard le Despenser, 4th Baron Burghersh Edward le Despenser Hugh le Despenser Isabel le Despenser
Royal house	House of York
Father	Edmund of Langley, Duke of York
Mother	Isabella of Castile
Born	1374 Conisburgh Castle, Yorkshire
Died	29 November 1416 (aged 42) Reading Abbey, Berkshire

Constance of York (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). He would be eventually be 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.

[edit] Children of Constance and Thomas

• Isabel le Despenser married Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick. They were parents to Henry de Beauchamp, 1st Duke of Warwick and Anne Beauchamp.

[edit] 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.