William de Beauchamp (died 1260)

Template:Short description Template:Use British English William de Beauchamp (c.1186–1260) was a British judge and high sheriff.

Early life

William was the son of Simon de Beauchamp and his wife Isabel.Template:Sfn

Joins Barons' War

William took part in the 1210 expedition to Ireland and the 1214 expedition to Poitiers. He joined the rebellious barons in 1215 at the beginning of the First Barons' War,Template:Sfn entertaining them at his seat of Bedford Castle;Template:Sfn as such, de Beauchamp was one of the rebels excommunicated by Pope Innocent III.Template:Sfn William was captured at the Battle of Lincoln on 20 May 1217 but made his peace with Henry III's regency government.Template:Sfn By this point he had already lost Bedford Castle to Falkes de Breauté in 1215, leading to an odd situation: Breauté was granted the castle, while William held the barony. When Breauté fell from power Bedford Castle was besieged and partially destroyed on royal orders, but William was granted licence to build a residence within its Bailey. He was part of a royal expedition ambushed by Richard Marshal in 1233, and was appointed a Baron of the Exchequer in 1234 and 1237.

Other offices

William also served as Sheriff of Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire for 1236,Template:Sfn and when Eleanor of Provence was crowned queen that year he served as an almoner.Template:Sfn

Family and death

William married firstly, Gunnor Lanvaley.Template:Sfn She died before 1220.Template:Sfn William married secondly, Ida Longespee, daughter of William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury and Ela, Countess of Salisbury.Template:Sfn

William died in 1260, leaving a son, William, as well as five other children.Template:Sfn

Sources

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