Alice de Lusignan, Countess of Surrey
Alice de Lusignan, Countess of Surrey (1224[1] – 9 February 1256) was a uterine half-sister of King Henry III of England and the wife of John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey. Shortly after her arrival in England from France in 1247, her half-brother arranged her marriage to the Earl, which incurred some resentment from the English nobility.[2]
Lineage
Alice was born in Lusignan, Vienne, France in 1224, as the second eldest daughter of Hugh X de Lusignan, "le Brun", Seigneur de Lusignan, Count of La Marche and Isabella of Angoulême, widowed Queen-Consort of King John of England. She had five full brothers and three full sisters, besides her royal half-siblings from her mother's first marriage.
List of siblings
- Hugh XI of Lusignan, Seigneur de Lusignan, Couhe et de Peyrat, Count of La Marche and Angoulême.(1221- 6 April 1250). In January 1236 he married Yolande de Dreux, Countess of Penthièvre and of Porhoet, by whom he had issue. He was killed in battle in Faruskur, Egypt.[3]
- Aymer de Valence, Bishop of Winchester (1222- 5 December 1260
- Agathe de Lusignan (1223- after 1269), married Guillaume II de Chauvigny, Seigneur de Chateauroux.
- Guy de Lusignan, Seigneur de Couhe, de Cognac and d' Archiac, (died 1264 at the Battle of Lewes).
- William de Valence, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1225–1296), married Joan de Munchensi.
- Geoffroi de Lusignan, Seigneur de Jarnac. (died 1274), married Jeanne de Châtellerault, Viscountess of Châtellerault.
- Marguerite de Lusignan (c.1228-1288), married firstly Raymond VII of Toulouse; secondly Aimery IX de Thouars, Viscount of Thouars; and thirdly Geoffrey V de Chateaubriant, Seigneur de Chateaubriant.
- Isabelle de Lusignan, Dame de Beauvoir-sur Mer et de Mercillac. (died 14 January 1299), married firstly Maurice IV de Craon, by whom she had issue; and secondly in 1251, Geoffrey de Rancon, Seigneur de Taillebourg.
List of half-siblings
- King Henry III of England (1 October 1207- 16 November 1272), married Eleanor of Provence, by whom he had issue.
- Richard, Earl of Cornwall (5 January 1209- 2 April 1272), his three wives were: Isabel Marshal, Sanchia of Provence, and Beatrice of Falkenburg. Had issue by his first and second marriages, as well as illegitimate offspring.
- Joan of England (22 July 1210- 4 March 1238), married King Alexander II of Scotland. She died childless.
- Isabella of England (1214- 1 December 1241), married Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor, by whom she had issue.
- Eleanor of England (1215- 13 April 1275), married firstly William Marshal, 2nd Earl of Pembroke; secondly Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, by whom she had issue.
Marriage
In 1247, a year after her mother's death, Alice, along with three of her brothers, William, Aymer and Guy, accompanied the new papal legate William of Modena, the Cardinal Bishop of Sabina, to England, which they had decided to make their home, and live at the expense of the Crown.[4] In August of that year, her half-brother, King Henry married her to John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey (August 1231-29 September 1304). The marriage caused some resentment amongst the English nobility, as they considered the King's Lusignan siblings to be parasites and a liability to the Kingdom. Many prestigious honours and titles were granted to the Lusignans.[5] Alice was also said to have been disdainful of all things English.[6]
John was the son of William de Warenne, 5th Earl of Surrey and Maud Marshal. Together they had three children.
Issue
- Eleanor de Warenne (1251–1282), married Sir Henry de Percy, by whom she had issue, including Henry Percy, 1st Baron Percy of Alnwick.
- Isabella de Warenne (c.1253 - before 1292), married John Balliol, and was the mother of Edward Balliol.
- William de Warenne (9 February 1256 - 15 December 1286. He was killed in a tournament. He married Joan de Vere, by whom he had two children, John de Warenne, 7th Earl of Surrey, and Alice de Warenne (15 June 1287-23 May 1338, who in turn married Edmund FitzAlan, 9th Earl of Arundel.
Death
Alice died in Warren, Sussex, England, on 9 February 1256 after giving birth to her only son, William. She was about thirty-two years of age.
Ancestry
Ancestors of Alice de Lusignan, Countess of Surrey |
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References
- ^ Charles Cawley, Medieval Lands, Angoulême.
- ^ Costain, Thomas B. (1959). The Magnificent Century. Garden City, New York: Doubleday and Company, Inc. p.151
- ^ Charles Cawley, Medieval Lands, Angoulême.
- ^ Costain p.151.
- ^ Costain, p.151
- ^ Costain,page 151.
Persondata |
Name |
Alice Le Brun De Lusignan |
Alternative names |
|
Short description |
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Date of birth |
1224 |
Place of birth |
Lusignan, Vienne, France |
Date of death |
9 February 1256 |
Place of death |
Warren, Sussex, England |