Blanche de Mowbray, Lady Poynings

Blanche de Mowbray was married four or five times, after her broken engagement with Edward Montague.[1] She is sometimes referred to as "Lady Poynings.”

"Blanche de Mowbray (d. 1409) went on to marry Sir Robert Bertram of Bothal (Northumb.) (d. 1363), Thomas de Poynings (d.s.p. 1375), Sir John de Worth (d. 1391) and finally Sir John Wiltshire (fl. 1405): GEC x. 662."

Biography

https://www.facebook.com/Poynings.Family/photos/a.108801680970670/1...

Blanche de Mowbray was the daughter of John 3rd Baron Mowbray, and Joan, youngest daughter of Henry, Earl of Lancaster. Born before 1349 she had been betrothed once and married twice before she wed Thomas in 1372. Her betrothal to Edward de Montagu ended long before his death in early 1359. Being closely related to first husband John de Segrave (d. April 1353), son of Margaret, Duchess of Norfolk, meant they required a papal dispensation. Presumably this was an unconsummated child marriage. Her next possible husband was Sir Robert Bertram, Baron of Bothale, who died in 1363. In 1378 Blanche married for a fourth time to Sir John de Worth (d. 1391). He was the land steward for Joan, Princess of Wales, and also served as her executor. Her fifth and final husband Sir John Wiltshire, a close adherent of Thomas, 5th Earl of Arundel outlived her, dying in1428.

Despite her multiple marriages Blanche never had a child. Her first two marriages might not have been consummated as she was probably under fifteen, assuming she was born close to 1349. Although child marriages took place, parents were well aware that early consummation was dangerous to the woman. Consummation was commonly deferred until a wife was at least fifteen. Although Thomas and Blanche were married for three years, he spent long periods on campaigns with John of Gaunt, so there may have been limited opportunity to conceive a child.

During her marriage to Thomas she was granted gifts by John of Gaunt. He also paid some of the couple’s expenses incurred in attending the memorial service for his late wife, Blanche, Duchess of Lancaster. She was Blanche Lady Poyning’s first cousin. It was usual for a woman to use the title of her highest ranking husband, so Blanche was known as the Lady of Poynings for her lifetime. She was favoured by Richard II and became a key member of his court. As, 4x great grandchildren of Henry III, they were related. She was first issued with garter robes in 1385. Richard liked to have a loyal and magnificent court, whose members on him for their positions. Creating Blanche a Lady of the Garter would have served Richard’s purpose. He also gave her highly expensive gifts, including a diamond ring worth £5 in 1397. This has been wrongly attributed to Eleanor de Grey, wife of Robert, 4th Baron Poynings.

In 1388, the Lord’s Appellant excluded Blanche from court. The senior appellants were Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester, the king’s uncle, Richard, Earl of Arundel and Surrey, and Thomas Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick. They intended to bring Richard II under their control. Through the Merciless Parliament they exiled or executed many of his close retainers and companions, including Sir James Berners, guardian of Richard, 3rd Baron Poynings. Exclusion was probably as much a relief as a disappointment to Blanche as the atmosphere at court must have been tense to say the least.

Stability was restored in 1389, when John of Gaunt, Richard’s uncle and Gloucester’s oldest surviving brother returned from Spain. In 1396 Richard planned to marry the seven year old daughter of the King of France, Isabella. Blanche was one of the ladies appointed to meet her and escort her to her wedding. Presumably she also played an active role in the royal wedding and as a lady in waiting.

Henry IV, also her 4th cousin, appointed her as one of the ladies returning little Queen Isabella, to France in 1400, following Richard II’s deposition and death. In 1408 and 1409, Henry IV issued her garter robes. Suggesting that she managed to maintain her position at court and convince him of her loyalty. She died in 1409, having had a long and eventful life, compared to those of four of her five husbands.

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Mowbray-62

• m.1 (dispensation from Clement VI[1] 25 March 1349) John de Segrave. No issue.[5] [6][7]
• (DISPUTED) m.2 (after 01 Apr 1353) Sir Robert Bertram, Sheriff of Northumberland, Baron of Bothal (p. Robert Bertram and Margaret Fenton).[8][9]
• m. (ante 05 Jun 1372) Thomas de Poynings, 2nd Lord Poynings, (p. Sir Michael Poynings, 1st Lord Poynings and Joane Rokesley).[2][8][3][2]
• m. (ante 21 Mar 1378) Sir John de Worthe (p.Sir John de Worthe and Beatrice de St. Maur). No issue.[2]
• m.5 (ante 05 Nov 1394) Sir John Wiltshire . No issue.[10]

Property

• Slaugham[3]
• Eastwell[4]
• Horsmonden, Kent[5]

Will

Date: 16 July 1409 Requested burial at St. Pancras Priory, Lewes, Sussex[3][4]

Sources

• https://buist-keatch.org/buist/goring/5250.html
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Mowbray-62 cites
• "Blanche de Mowbray no. 106883." The Peerage, citing: Weir, A. (1999). Britain's Royal Families (pp. 78). London: Bodley Head. Web.[6]
• Fildes, K.E. (2009). The Baronage in the Reign of Richard II, 1377-1399. University of Sheffield, (pp.). Google Books.
• Lewis, (n.d.) citing: Richardson, Royal Ancestry, Vol. IV, p. 182-185, 265, 260, 421; Richardson, Plantagenet Ancestry, p. 530-531, 551-553; Richardson, D. (2011). Magna Carta Ancestry, 2ed, Vol. III, p. 202-205. Salt Lake City.
• "No. 5: Report made to the Right Honorable the Master of Rolls," (1888). Annual Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records, (Vol. 49, pp.595). London: H.M. Stationery Office. Google Books.
• ↑ A contract for the marriage of Blanche Mowbray and Edward de Montagu was signed in May 1343; marriage agreement was subsequently voided and the marriage did not take place.[2,3,5]
• ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Fildes: The Baronage in the Reign of Richard II, 1377-1399, page 224
• ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Weir, MISTRESS OF THE MONARCHY: The Life of Katherine Swynford, Duchess of Lancaster
• ↑ 4.0 4.1 Wikipedia:John de Mowbray
• ↑ marriage license 25 Mar 1349; Papal Dispensation - 4th degree kin. No issue.[10,2,3,4]
• ↑ Annual Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records, Volume 49, p 595 (dispensation)
• ↑ Magna Carta Ancestry, p 585: "Blanche Mowbray".
• ↑ 8.0 8.1 Entry on thePeerage.com
• ↑ Fildes, Weir: Bertram's second wife Blanche UNKNOWN, was dead in 1386, so this alleged marriage is doubtful. Not even Ogle (1902), claims this alleged link ... it stems from Weir's belief.
• ↑ his 2nd wife.[1,2,3,4]
• https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/m/y/e/Ron-C-Myers/GENE30-0323.html
• https://mathcs.clarku.edu/~djoyce/gen/oldfolks/rr05/rr05_117.html

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Individual Record FamilySearch™ Ancestral File v4.19

Blanche De MOWBRAY (AFN: 9FFB-RV) Pedigree

Sex:  F  Family     

Event(s)

Birth:   Abt 1341     Of, Epworth, Isle Of Axholme, Lincolnshire, England   

Death:   21 Jul 1409    

Parents

Father:  John De MOWBRAY (AFN: 9GWB-7M)  

Mother:  Joan PLANTAGENET (AFN: 9FTX-7T)     

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Marriage(s)

1. Spouse: John De SEGRAVE (AFN: 9FTX-DP) Family

Marriage:  Abt 1349  

 Dispensation  

2. Spouse: Robert BERTRAM (AFN: 9FFB-QP) Family

Marriage:  Bef 1356  

3. Spouse: Thomas De POYNINGS (AFN: 9FFB-F5) Family

Marriage:  Bef 5 1372 Jun  

4. Spouse: John De WORTH (AFN: 9FN5-JP) Family

Marriage:  Bef 21 1377/1378 Mar  

5. Spouse: John WILTSHIRE (AFN: 9G15-F9) Family

Marriage:  Bef Nov 1394      

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Ancestral File is a collection of genealogical information taken from Pedigree Charts and Family Group Records submitted to the Family History Department since 1978 

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Person Sheet

Name Blanche de Mowbray Baroness Poynings/Baroness Poynings

Birth abt 1341, Of Epworth, Isle of Axholme, Lincolnshire, England

Death 21 Jul 1409

Father John de Mowbray Baron Mowbray/Baron Mowbray (1310-1361)

Mother Eleanor Plantagenet [Countess of Arundel]/[Countess of Arundel] (~1310-1372)

Spouses

1 John de Segrave1

Birth abt 1342, <Abbey, Croxton, Leicestershire, England>

Death Young

Marriage abt 1349, Dispensation

Father John de Segrave Baron Segrave/Baron Segrave (1314-1353)

Mother Margaret Plantagenet [Duchess of Norfolk]/[Duchess of Norfolk] (~1322-1398)

2 Robert Bertram Lord of Bothal/Lord of Bothal1

Marriage bef 1356

3 Thomas de Poynings [Baron Poynings]/[Baron Poynings]1

Marriage bef 5 Jun 1372

Birth abt Mar 1349, Slaugham, Sussex, England

Death bef 25 Jun 1375, Sp

Burial Poynings, Sussex, England

Father Michael de Poynings [Baron Poynings]/[Baron Poynings] (~1317-1368)

Mother Joan de Rokesley [Baroness Poynings]/[Baroness Poynings] (~1321-1369)

4 John de Worth [Sir Knight]/[Sir Knight]1

Marriage BEF 21 Mar 1377/1378

5 John Wiltshire [Sir Knight]/[Sir Knight]1

Marriage bef Nov 1394

http://www.uscousins.com/reports/ps07/ps07_080.html