Thomas (St Leger) de St Leger KB (abt. 1440 - 1483)

Born about 1440 in Ulcombe, Kent, England

Ancestors

Husband of Anne (York) de St Leger — married about 1472 in England

Descendants

Died 8 Nov 1483 at about age 43 in Exeter Castle, Exeter, Devon, England

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Biography

Thomas (St Leger) de St Leger KB is a member of the House of St Leger.

Sir Thomas St Leger was a member of the aristocracy in England.

Sir Thomas Saint Leger was a Knight of the Order of the Bath and Ambassador to France. He along with Louis XI and others signed the treaty of Pecquigny, ending the Hundred Years War. He married Anne Plantagenet, Duchess of Exeter. Upon Edward IV of England's death in 1483, St. Leger was beheaded by Richard III of England. He and Anne, who had died giving birth to their only child, also named Anne, are buried in The Roos Chapel, St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. Their daughter married Sir George Manners, of the family of the Duke of Rutland. Their tomb (Sir George Manners) can be found in the Queen's private chapel in St. George's Chapel, Windsor.

Sir Thomas St. Leger was executed at Exeter in 1483 and his body interred in St. George's Chapel, Windsor, alongside that of his wife, Anne Duchess of Exeter. No mention is made of his ignominious end on the copper plate fixed to the wall of their chantry, now called the Rutland Chapel. On a shield above his head are the St. Leger arms. The Plantagenet arms appear on the shield above his wife Anne's, head and the inscription reads : Wythin thys Chappell lyethe beryed Anne Duchess of Exetur suster unto the noble kyng Edward the forte. And also the body of syr Thomas Sellynger knyght her husband whych hathe funde wythin thys College a Chauntre wyth too prestys sy'gyng for eu'more. On whose soule god haue mercy. The wych Anne duchess dyed in the yere of oure lorde M Thowsande CCCC1xxv. The photo of the tomb is that of Sir Thomas's daughter Anne by his wife Anne Duchess of Exeter, and her husband George Manners, eleventh Lord Ros and their tomb is known as the Ros tomb. The tomb clearly displays the St. Leger arms. The St. Leger Chantry was restyled the Rutland Chapel after their descendants.

Research Notes

ANNE PLANTAGENET, born at Fotheringhay Castle, Northamptonshire 10 August 1439. She married (1st) before 30 July 1447 HENRY (or HARRY) HOLAND (HOLLAND), Knt., Duke of Exeter, Earl of Huntingdon and Ivry. They were divorced 12 Nov. 1472 (he (Henry) drowned Sept. 1475). She (Anne Plantagenet) married (2nd) about 1472/3 THOMAS SAINT LEGER Knt. ... son of John Saint Leger, Esq., of Ulcombe, Kent, Sheriff of Kent, by Margery, daughter and heiress of James Donet [see RAYNSFORD 11.i.a for his ancestry]. They had one son, Anthony, and one daughter, Anne. Anne Plantagenet died 12 (or 14) Jan. 1475/6. He (Thomas Saint Leger) presented to the church of Blagdon, Somerset in 1479. He was present at the funeral of King Edward IV in 1483. SIR THOMAS SAINT LEGER was the chief instigator of the Buckingham rising in Surrey against King Richard III, in 148. He was taken at Torrington and beheaded at Exeter, Devon 12 Nov. 1483.

Sources

• "Royal Ancestry" 2013 Douglas Richardson Vol. II. page 540

• "Royal Ancestry" 2013 Douglas Richardson Vol. IV. page 461

• "Royal Ancestry" 2013 Douglas Richardson Vol. V. page 455

• "Ancestors/Descendants of Royal Lines" (Contributors: Manuel Abranches de Soveral, Reynaud de Paysac, F.L. Jacquier <Genealogy of Lewis Carroll, Justin Swanstrom, The Royal Families of England Scotland & Wales by Burkes Peerage; Debrett's Peerage & Baronage; Table of descendants French Canadian Genealogical Society>, H.R. Moser <Burke Peerage>, L. Orlandini, O.Guionneau, L.B. de Rouge, E. Polti, A.Terlinden <Genealogy of the existing British Peerage, 1842>, L. Gustavsson, C. Cheneaux, E. Lodge, S. Bontron, Brian Tompsett, R. Dewkinandan, C. Donadello) http://geneastar.org.
• "Ancestors/Descendants of Raoul VII de Montfort" http://www.geneastar.org.
• Monument to Sir Thomas St.Leger & Anne of York