1st Baron le Despencer Hugh le de Spencer

1223 - 1265  (41 years)

• Name	Hugh le de Spencer  [1]
  Title	1st Baron le Despencer
  Birth	5 Aug 1223  [1]
  Gender	Male
  Elected	1260
  	Justiciar of England
  Military - Old World	Aug 1265	Evesham, Worcestershire, England   [2]
  	He was killed fighting on de Montfort's side at the Battle of Evesham during the Second Baron's War
  		War-Battle of Evesham (2nd Barons) Battle of Evesham - Death and mutilation of Simon de Montfort at the Battle of Evesham. Above Simon is the body of his son Henry. -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Evesham
  Occupation	Constable of the Tower of London
  Death	4 Aug 1265	Evesham, Worcestershire, England   [1, 2]
  Burial	Evesham, Worcestershire, England   [1]
  Person ID	I14425	A Tree Called Smith
  Last Modified	21 Jul 2025

  
  

  Family	Aline Bassett
  Children	1. Baroness Okehampton Eleanor le de Spencer,   b. 1248, Ryhall, Rutland, England d. 30 Sep 1328, London, England (Age 80 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]   2. 1st Earl Winchester Hugh Despenser, the Elder,   b. 1 Mar 1261, Gloucestershire, England d. 27 Oct 1326, Bristol, Gloucestershire, England (Age 65 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
  Family ID	F5233	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	21 Jul 2025

  
  

• Event Map

  Military - Old World - He was killed fighting on de Montfort's side at the Battle of Evesham during the Second Baron's War - Aug 1265 - Evesham, Worcestershire, England Death - 4 Aug 1265 - Evesham, Worcestershire, England Burial - - Evesham, Worcestershire, England  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Arms Icons & Insignia

  Arms-SPENCER Spencer/de Spencer Coat of Arms

  
  

  Wars & Battles

  War-Battle of Evesham (2nd Barons) Battle of Evesham - Death and mutilation of Simon de Montfort at the Battle of Evesham. Above Simon is the body of his son Henry. -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Evesham

  
  

• Sources

  [S6040] FindAGrave Old World, Hugh Le Despencer 1223-1265. First Baron Despenser, son of Hugh le Depenser, High Sheriff of Berkshire. Knighted in 1244, he held the office of Constable of Horston Castle in 1255, was one of twelve representatives selected by the barons of Oxford at the Parliament in 1258 to press for action by King Henry III to right the wrongs done them and negotiate with the King's Council. He held the office of Justiciar of England from 1260 to 1261, nominated by the barons and appointed by King Henry. He held the office of Justiciar of England in 1263. He held the office of Constable of the Tower of London in 1263. He held the office of Constable of Oxford in 1264. He held the office of Constable of Nottingham Castle in 1264. He held the office of Constable of Oxford Castle in 1264. He held the office of Constable of Devizes in 1264. He was created 1st Lord Despenser [England by writ] on 24 December 1264, as recognized by peerage law doctrine of 1604. He fought in the Battle of Evesham on 4 August 1265, for Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester against King Henry III. He was slain by Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Wigmore; this caused a feud to begin between the Despencer and the Mortimer families. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/8885957/hugh_le_despencer [S1540] Wikipedia: Hugh Despenser, Wikipedia: Hugh Despenser (Justicar). Hugh le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer (1223 – 4 August 1265) was an important ally of Simon de Montfort during the reign of Henry III. He served briefly as Justiciar of England in 1260 and as Constable of the Tower of London. Hugh Le Despenser, chief justiciar of England, first played an important part in 1258, when he was prominent on the baronial side in the Mad Parliament of Oxford. In 1260 the barons chose him to succeed Hugh Bigod as Justiciar, and in 1263 the king was further compelled to put the Tower of London in his hands. He was the son of Hugh le Despenser and was summoned to Parliament by Simon de Montfort. Hugh was summoned as Lord Despencer Dec. 14, 1264 and was Chief Justiciar of England and a leader of the baronial party, and so might be deemed a baron, though the legality of that assembly is doubtful. He remained allied with Montfort to the end, and was present at the Battle of Lewes. He was killed fighting on de Montfort's side at the Battle of Evesham in August, 1265. He was slain by Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Wigmore; this caused a feud to begin between the Despencer and the Mortimer families. By his wife, Aline Bassett, he was father of Hugh Despenser 'the elder', Earl of Winchester. Aline was the daughter of Philip Basset, who had also served as Justiciar. They also had a daughter named Eleanor le Despencer, who married Sir Hugh de Courtenay, feudal baron of Okehampton. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugh_Despenser_(justiciar)