Birthdate for Beatrice of Fauconberg
Michelle Murphy
>
> Does anyone have a reliable birth date (and some
> family background) for
> Beatrice of Fauconberg, third wife of Richard Earl
> of Cornwall (Henry III's
> brother)? I have dates of c.1253-1277 for her, but
> that would mean that she
> married Richard when she was 16 and he was 62 (a
> huge age gap even for
> medieval times) and would make her 18 years younger
> than Richard's eldest
> *son* and 4 years younger even than Richard's much
> younger second son by
> his second marriage.
>
> Amazingly, it would mean that Richard's first wife
> Isabel Marshal was 53
> years older than his third wife, and that Isabel had
> been dead for 13 years
> by the time Beatrice was even born!
>
> regards
>
> Michelle
>
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Peter Stewart
>Hi all,
>
>Does anyone have a reliable birth date (and some
>family background) for
>Beatrice of Fauconberg, third wife of Richard Earl
>of Cornwall (Henry III's
>brother)? I have dates of c.1253-1277 for her, but
>that would mean that she
>married Richard when she was 16 and he was 62 (a
>huge age gap even for
>medieval times) and would make her 18 years younger
>than Richard's eldest
>*son* and 4 years younger even than Richard's much
>younger second son by
>his second marriage.
>
>Amazingly, it would mean that Richard's first wife
>Isabel Marshal was 53
>years older than his third wife, and that Isabel had
>been dead for 13 years
>by the time Beatrice was even born!
Richard had been elected German king in 1257, and was a widower for
nearly eight years before he married Beatrice. Given his rank and vast
wealth, he could command just about any bride he fancied - and Beatrice
was said to be one of the most beautiful women of her time. The dates
you have appear to be correct: she was born b ca 1253, died on 17
October 1277, and buried in the Franciscan church at Oxford.
Her family name was Falkenburg (not -berg). Incorrect information is
given about this in many sources, including DNB and _Cambridge Medieval
History_. She was daughter of Dietrich I (sometimes numbered II) von
Heinsberg, lord of Falkenburg. For details, see 'Beatrice of Falkenburg,
the Third Wife of Richard of Cornwall' by Frank R Lewis, _English
Historical Review_ 52 (1937) 279-282.
Peter Stewart