Edmund Mortimer, 2nd Baron Mortimer

Edmund Mortimer, 2nd Lord Mortimer (1251 – July 17, 1304)^[1] was the second son and eventual heir of Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Wigmore. His mother was Maud de Braose. As a younger son, Edmund had been intended for clerical or monastic life, and had been sent to study at Oxford University.

He was made Treasurer of York in 1265. By 1268 he is recorded as studying Theology in the house of the Archbishop of York. King Henry III showed favour by supplementing his diet with the luxury of venison.

The sudden death of his elder brother, Ralph, in 1276, made him heir to the family estates; yet he continued to study at Oxford. But his father's death eventually forced his departure.

He returned to the March in 1282 as the new Lord Mortimer of Wigmore and immediately became involved in Welsh Marches politics. Together with his brother Roger Mortimer, Baron of Chirk, John Giffard, and Roger Lestrange, he devised a plan to trap Llywelyn the Last^[2]. Edmund sent a message to Llywelyn telling him he was coming to Llywelyn's aid and arranged to meet with him at Builth. At Irfon Bridge^[3] the welsh prince became separated from his army. Edmund's brothers secretly forded the river behind Llywelyn's army and surprised the Welsh. In the resulting battle Llywelyn was killed and beheaded. Edmund then sent his brother Roger Mortimer of Chirk to present Llywelyn's severed head to King Edward I of England at Rhuddlan Castle. The head was displayed on the Tower of London as a warning to all rebels.^[4]

In return for his services Edmund was knighted by King Edward at Winchester in 1283. In September 1285, he married Margaret de Fiennes, the daughter of William II de Fiennes and Blanche de Brienne (herself the granddaughter of John of Brienne by his third wife Berenguela of Leon), the family entering the blood royal. Their surviving children were:

• Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March (25 April 1287 – 29 November 1330) married Joan de Geneville,^[5] by whom he had twelve children.
• Maud Mortimer, married Sir Theobald II de Verdun, by whom she had four daughters, Joan, Elizabeth, Margaret, and Katherine de Verdun.^[5][6]
• John Mortimer, accidentally slain in battle by John de Leyburne.^[5]
• Walter Mortimer, a priest, Rector of Kingston.^[5]
• Edmund, a priest, Rector of Hodnet and Treasurer of the cathedral at York.^[5]
• Hugh Mortimer, a priest, Rector of church at Old Radnor.^[5]

They also had two daughters who became nuns; Elizabeth and Joan.^[5]

Edmund served in the king's Scottish campaign and returned to fight in Wales in 1283. He was mortally wounded in a skirmish near Builth, and died at Wigmore Castle.

References

1. ^ 'M Prestwich, The Three Edwards' (2003)
2. ^ known in Welsh as Llewelyn Bren
3. ^ also known as Orwein Bridge
4. ^ M Prestwich,(1), 13-14.
5. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Sir Bernard Burke. A genealogical history of the dormant, abeyant, forfeited, and extinct peerages of the British empire, Harrison, 1866. pg 384. Google eBook
6. ^ Douglas Richardson. Magna Carta Ancestry, Genealogical Publishing Com, 2005. pg 247-49.

Bibliography

• Mortimer, Ian. The Greatest Traitor: The Life of Sir Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March, Ruler of England 1327-1330, (Jonathan Cape, London 2003).
• Cockayne, G.E.C, The Complete Peerage of Great Britain and Ireland of titles extinct, abetant, and dormant, 14 vols (London 1910-37).
• Prestwich, M, The Three Edwards: War and State in England, 1272-1377, London, 2003.
• Prestwich, M, Plantagenet England, 1265-1399 London, 2005.