Richard (Plantagenet) of England (1209 - 1272)

Born 5 Jan 1209 in Winchester Castle, Hampshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Isabel (Marshal) of Cornwall — married 30 Mar 1231 in Fawley, Buckinghamshire, England

Husband of Sancha (Provence) of Cornwall — married 22 Nov 1243 in Westminster Abbey, Westminster, Middlesex, England

Husband of Beatrix (Falkenburg) Countess of Cornwall — married 16 Jun 1269 in Kaiserslautern, Germany

Descendants

Died 2 Apr 1272 at age 63 in Berkhamstead Castle, Hertfordshire, England

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Biography

1209 Birth and Parents

Richard of England was born at Winchester Castle 5 January 1209, the second son of John, King of England, and his wife Isabel of Angouleme. ^[1]

The Chronicle of Ralph of Coggeshall records the birth in 1209 of "Ricardus secundus filius regis". Matthew Paris records that "Isabel Anglorum regina" gave birth in 1208 to “Johanni regi filium legitimum...Ricardum”. ^[2]

1225 Continental Responsibilities

From an early age Richard, the king's younger brother, was given responsibilities on the European continent. He was designated Comte de Ponthieu before 14 Aug 1225, a role he renounced in 1243. In 1236, he was suggested as intermediary to negotiate an Anglo/imperial alliance proposed by Emperor Friedrich II but did not take up the post. ^[2]

1227 Earl of Cornwall

He was created Earl of Cornwall 30 May 1227.

1231 First Marriage to Isabel Marshall

He married first at Fawley, Buckinghamshire on 30 March 1231 Isabel Marshal, widow of Gilbert de Clare, second daughter of William Marshal,^[1] Earl of Pembroke and his wife Isabella de Clare. ^[2]

Matthew Paris records that she died of Jaundice contracted in childbirth. She died in Berkhamstead Castle, Hertfordshire 15 or 17 January 1240 and is buried in Beaulieu Abbey, Hampshire. ^[2]

1236 Jerusalem

Implementing a vow taken in 1236, Richard arrived at Acre, Palestine on 11 October 1240 and re-established some order in the kingdom of Jerusalem. He left in May 1241. ^[2]

1243 Second Marriage to Sanche of Provence

He married second, at Westminster Abbey 23 November 1243 Sanche (or Sanchia, Senchia) of Province, 3rd daughter and co-heiress of Raymond Berenger V. ^[1]

Cawley refers to her father as Raymond Berenger IV, Comte de Province.^[2]

She was crowned Queen of Germany with her husband 17 May 1257 at Aachen Cathedral. She died in November, 1261 was buried in Hayles Abbey, Gloucestershire. ^[2]

1257 King of Germany

In 1247 Richard was a proposed candidate to be king of Germany. In December 1256 the archbishops of Koln and Mainz, after promises of payments were made, offered him the German crown. Richard accepted the offer and sailed for Germany; he was confirmed by a limited election outside Freankfurt 13 January 1257, but entry into the city was barred by Arnold, Archbishop of Trier. On 17 May 1259, with his wife, he was crowned King of Germany at Aachen Cathedral.

Pope Alexander IV secretly invited Richard to Rome for his imperial coronation, but Richard was unable to leave England because of deteriorating relations with the barons. Nevertheless, he was elected Roman senator in April 1261. After Urban IV became pope, Richard received less support, and a papal bull in 1263 found both candidates for the German throne to be "king-elect." The matter remained unresolved at Richard's death. ^[2]

1269 Third Marriage to Beatrice de Falkenburg

He married 3rd, at Kaiserslautern, Germany 16 June 1269 Beatrice de Falkenburg (or Fauquemont), daughter of Dietrich II de Falkenburg. ^[1]

Beatrix van Valkenburg was the daughter of Dirk Heer van Valkenburg and his first wife Bertha van Limburg and the niece of the Archbishop of Köln. Cawley observes that "This marriage was arranged to bolster Richard's support in Germany, through the bride's influential uncle Engelbert Archbishop of Köln." ^[2]

She died 17 October 1277 and is buried in Oxford in the church of the Freanciscan Friars Minor. ^[2]

Mistresses

Richardson notes that Richard had children by one or more mistresses but does not name them. Cawley names one mistress as Joan de Valletort, but adds that "the primary source which confirms her parentage and relationship with Earl Richard has not been identified." Cawley acknowledges that Richard had more than one mistress.

1271 Death and Burial

Cawley notes that Richard suffered an apoplectic stroke in [Oct] 1271 which paralysed his left side and affected the balance of his mind. ^[2]

He died 2 (or 3) April, 1272 and was buried with his 2nd wife, Sanche, at Hailes Abbey, Gloucestershire, his heart being interred in the choir of he Church of the Grey Friars, Oxford. ^[1]

The younger brother of Henry III, Richard of Cornwall died at Berkhamsted in April 1271 and was buried at Hailes Abbey which is northeast of Winchcombe in Gloucestershire. His heart was buried beside his third wife Beatrice before the high altar in the Franciscan church, Oxford, beneath a 'sumptuous pyramid of wonderful workmanship.' ^[3]

Hailes Abbey

Additional notes about Hailes Abbey. Hailes was a Cistercian house which Richard founded in 1246 as a cell to his father King John's foundation at Beaulieu Abbey. Hailes had its own relic of the Holy Blood, presented in 1270 by Richard's son, Edmund, who was also buried there together with Richard's second wife, Sanchia of Provence (d.1261), and other sons, Henry of Almayne (d.1271) and Sir Richard de Cornwall (d.1296). Henry, murdered at Viterbo, had a separate heart burial in the Confessor's Chapel at Westminster. In the late 13th century Hailes was the most senior of a series of aristocratic mausolea. There are no records of the Hailes tombs, which were probably destroyed following the surrender of the abbey to the crown in 1539. Excavations at Hailes in 1900 did find some stone effigy fragments in the south presbytery aisle bearing the arms of Cornwall. ^[3]

Heart burials.

Richard of Cornwall's first wife, Isabella Marshal (d.1240), was buried at Beaulieu Abbey and had a heart burial at Tewksbury Abbey. ^[3]

Issue

By Isabel ^[1]

1. John of Cornwall ^[1] Cawley notes he was born in Marlow, Buckinghamshire 31 January 1232 and died there 23 September of the same year. ^[2]
2. Isabel Plantagenet shown born 1233. Isabel of Cornwall ^[1] Cawley shows Isabella born in Marlow, Buckinghamshire 8 September 1233. ^[2]
3. Henry Plantagenet shown born 1235 Henry of Cornwall (usually styled Henry of Almain) ^[1] Cawley shows Henry born in Haughley Castle, Suffolk, 2, 4 or 12 November 1235. He was murdered in Viterbo, Italy on 13 March 1271 and buried 21 May 1271 at Hayles Abbey, Gloucestershire. ^[2]
4. Nicholas of Cornwall was born and died in Berkhamstead Castle, Buckinghamshire 17 January 1240 and is buried in Beaulieu Abbey, Hampshire. ^[2]

By Sanche ^[1]

Richardson shows two children by Richard's second wife, an infant and Edmund; Cawley shows four: the daughter, Richard, Edmund, and an additional Richard.

1. daughter ^[1] Cawley shows a daughter who died after 25 November 1256 and is referenced in several documents of betrothal but not named. ^[2]
2. Richard, born in Wallingford Castle, Berkshire July 1246 and died there 15 August 1246. ^[2]
3. Edmund Plantagenet shown born 1249. Edmund of Cornwall ^[1] Edmund was born 26 December 1249 and died in Ashridge Abbey, Herts 24/25 September or 1 October 1300 and is buried in Hayles Abbey, Gloucestershire. A writ dated 5 Apr "56 Hen III", after the death of "Richard king of Almain", records "Edmund his son, aged 22 on the day of St Stephen last, is his heir". He succeeded his fatherin 1272 as Earl of Cornwall. He married Margaret de Clare 6 October 1272, from whom he was divorced 1293/1294. ^[2]
4. Richard, born 1252, was killed in the siege of Berwick 31 March 1296. Cawley calls attention to Weir who named him as a possible legitimate son of Richard Earl of Cornwall, but comments that he may have been confused with the earl’s illegitimate son of the same name. ^[2]

Illigitimate Children ^[1]

The writers of the History of St. Mary's Abbey of Buckfast, Devon, assert that "By his mistress Joan de Valletort, Richard [Earl of Cornwall] had five children... ^[4]

1. Philip de Cornwall. ^[1] Could this be Philip DeSancto Austolo shown born 1262? Not named by Cawley.
2. Richard (Plantagenet) of Cornwall shown born 1252. Richard de Cornwall^[1] Cawley identifies him -- and him only -- as an illegitimate son of Richard and his mistress Jeanne. He was granted the manor of Thunnock, Lincolnshire in 1280 by Edmund Earl of Cornwall. ^[2]
3. Walter Cornwall shown born 1254. Walter de Cornwall^[1] Cawley also identifies him, with a death year of 1313, noting that the primary source which confirms his parentage has not been identified. ^[2]
4. Joan Cornwall shown born 1258. Joan de Cornwall^[1] Not named by Cawley. ^[2]

Currently Also Connected on WikiTree

1. Lawrence Cornwall shown born 1256. Not named by Richardson or Cawley.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16} Richardson, Douglas. Royal Ancestry: A Study In Colonial And Medieval Families, in 5 vols. (Salt Lake City, Utah, 2013). CORNWALL. Richard of England is #6 on page 298, Volume II.
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21} Cawley, Charles. Medieval Lands: A Prosopography of Medieval European Noble and Royal Families, Online at Foundation for Medieval Genealogy Website. Profile for Richard, Earl of Cornwall Accessed 23 October 2021 jhd
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} M. Duffy. Royal Tombs of Medieval England 2003 p. 20, 22, 23, 72-74
4. ↑ History of St. Mary’s Abbey of Buckfast in the county of Devon: A.D. 760–1906, p. 7

See also:

• Magna Carta Ancestry 2011 2nd ed. Vol. I p. 451-460
• Richardson, Douglas. Plantagenet Ancestry, 2nd edn. (2011), 3 vols, Volume 1, page 566, CORNWALL 4.
• Richardson: Magna Carta Ancestry, 2nd edn., Volume 1, page 452, CLARE 2.
• http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/ENGLAND,%20Kings%201066-1603.htm#Richarddied1272
• Wikipedia: Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall
• Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem and Other Analogous Documents preserved in the Public Record Office (H.M. Stationery Office, London, 1904) Vol. 1: Henry III.

• Page 273-5: #808. "Richard King of Almain ... Sir Edmund, his son, aged 22 on the day of St. Stephen last, is his heir.