Lionel de Welles, 6th Baron Welles, KG (1406 – 29 March 1461) was an English nobleman and soldier. He was killed fighting on the Lancastrian side at the Battle of Towton.
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Born about 1405, he was son of Eudo de Welles by Maude de Greystoke. In his paternal line he was grandson of John de Welles, 5th Baron Welles and Margaret de Mowbray, and in the maternal line grandson of Ralph de Greystoke, 3rd Baron Greystoke and Catherine Clifford. The fifth baron died in 1421, having had by his second wife, Margaret, the son Eudo who predeceased him.[1]
Lionel, the eldest son, succeeded his grandfather in 1421, was knighted with Henry VI at Leicester by John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford on 19 May 1426, and went with the young king to France in 1430. He was summoned to parliament as sixth Baron Welles from 25 February 1432 to 30 July 1460. In 1434 he became a privy councillor. He was sent to relieve Calais in 1436, when the town was besieged by a weak force of Burgundians.[1]
He served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from about 1438; Lionel's younger brother, William, occasionally acted as his deputy in the post, and was in 1461 Lord Chancellor of Ireland. Welles was a friend and relation of the king, and an attentive courtier. In 1450 he was appointed a trier of petitions for Gascony. Subsequently he was at Calais, where he had been sent in 1451, with Lord Rivers; he remained in command as lieutenant of Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset until 20 April 1456, when Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick as commander secured possession of Calais. He was elected a Knight of the Garter by 13 May 1457.[2][1]
As a Lancastrian supporter he took the oath of allegiance at Coventry in 1459. He joined Margaret of Anjou on her march south, was at the second battle of St Albans on 7 February 1461. He was killed at Towton on 29 March, and attainted in the parliament which followed. He was buried in Waterton church, Methley, Yorkshire.[1]
He married twice, and had issue from both marriages: at least seven children altogether.
About 1426 he married Joan (or Cecilia, Cecily) Waterton,[3] only daughter of Sir Robert Waterton of Waterton and Methley, and had issue a son, Richard, and four daughters: these included [1]
Comment:- Cecily previously listed to the second marriage could not have been born so late, she is listed as mother to Christopher Willoughby estimated birth 1453, so more likely to be born about 1430 to his 1st wife Cecily Waterton
Secondly, between 27 May 1444 and 31 August 1447 (DNB) (on 14 April 1447)[3] he married Margaret Beauchamp of Bletso (died 13 July 1480), daughter of Sir John Beauchamp of Bletsoe. She was widow of Sir Oliver St John and also of John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset, with children by both these marriage. The children of Lionel and Margaret included[1]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Welles, Lionel de". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.
| Peerage of England | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John de Welles |
Baron Welles 1421–1461 |
Succeeded by Attainted (attainder reversed in 1468 for Richard de Welles) |