William de Berkeley, 1st Marquess of Berkeley

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Marquess of Berkeley is an English title of nobility only ever held by one man, William of Berkeley (1426-February 14, 1492). William de Berkeley, 1st and last Marquess of Berkeley, also went by the nickname of William 'the Wass all'.[1] He was buried St. Augustine's Friars, London, England.[2]

Contents

[edit] Descent and Marriages

William of Berkley was born to James Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley and Lady Isabel Mowbray at Berkeley Castle[1] in Berkeley, England in 1426.[1] His first marriage was to Elizabeth West in 1466, but he obtained a divorce on November 20, 1467. [3] In November 1468, he married Joan Strangways. After the death of his second wife, he married Anne Fiennes in c.1486.[2]

[edit] Titles

William was invested as a Knight circa 1438.[1] William assumed the title of Baron Berkeley by writ after the death of his father James Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley on October 22, 1463.[4]

He was invested as a Knight Bachelor on April 18, 1475.[1] He was styled as Viscount of Catherlough (now known as County Carlow, Ireland) between 1481 and February 10, 1485.[5]

Williams was created Viscount Berkeley on April 21, 1481, as a Privy Counsellor (P.C.) on March 5, 1482/83, and as Earl of Nottingham on June 28, 1483.[1] He assumed the life office of Earl Marshal and Great Marshal of England on February 19, 1485/86. Finally, he was created Marquess of Berkeley on January 28, 1488/1489. [1]

At his death, only the barony title was passed on, to Maurice Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley.

[edit] Accomplishments

On 20 March 1469/70 he was challenged by Thomas Talbot, 2nd Viscount Lisle to settle the claims to his great-uncle Thomas's estates, by combat. Thomas was killed in the combat.[1] The battle, known as the Battle of Nibley Green, is notable for being the last battle fought in England entirely between the private armies of feudal magnates.[2]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprinted in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume II, page 133. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Peerage.
  2. ^ a b The Complete Peerage, volume II, page 135.
  3. ^ The Complete Peerage, volume II, page 134.
  4. ^ Burke, Bernard. A Genealogical History of the Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited, and Extinct Peerages of the British Empire. London: Harrison, 1866. (p. 44) googlebooks.com Accessed July 7, 2007
  5. ^ Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 1, page 348.
Peerage of England
Preceded by
James Berkeley		 Baron Berkeley
1463-1492		 Succeeded by
Maurice Berkeley