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Alice <I>Chaucer</I> de la Pole

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Alice Chaucer de la Pole

Birth
Death
1475 (aged 70–71)
Burial
Ewelme, South Oxfordshire District, Oxfordshire, England Add to Map
Memorial ID
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Countess of Suffolk. She was born Alice Chaucer, daughter to Thomas Chaucer and Matilda Burghersh. Her grandfather was the poet Geoffrey Chaucer. When she was 11 she married Sir John Philip. The couple lived briefly at Donnington Castle, but Sir John died within a year. Later, after 1421, she married Thomas Montacute, 4th Earl of Salisbury, who died in 1428. Finally, in 1430, she married William de la Pole, Earl and later Duke of Suffolk, by whom she had a son John, in 1442, who became 2nd Duke of Suffolk in 1463. William became constable of Wallingford Castle in 1434. She was a lady-in-waiting to Margaret of Anjou in 1445. After William was murdered on his way to exile in 1449, his properties including the castle and Honour of Wallingford and St Valery passed to her. She survived many challenges to her position, including a state trial. Whilst she had had benefited from Lancastrian connections, she switched to supporting the House of York during the Wars of the Roses. In 1455 she was custodian of the Duke of Exeter at the castle. She was officially castellan at Wallingford until least 1471 and possibly until her death in 1475. In 1472 Alice became custodian of Margaret of Anjou, her former friend and patron. A wealthy landowner, she held land in 22 counties, and was a patron to John Lydgate.
Countess of Suffolk. She was born Alice Chaucer, daughter to Thomas Chaucer and Matilda Burghersh. Her grandfather was the poet Geoffrey Chaucer. When she was 11 she married Sir John Philip. The couple lived briefly at Donnington Castle, but Sir John died within a year. Later, after 1421, she married Thomas Montacute, 4th Earl of Salisbury, who died in 1428. Finally, in 1430, she married William de la Pole, Earl and later Duke of Suffolk, by whom she had a son John, in 1442, who became 2nd Duke of Suffolk in 1463. William became constable of Wallingford Castle in 1434. She was a lady-in-waiting to Margaret of Anjou in 1445. After William was murdered on his way to exile in 1449, his properties including the castle and Honour of Wallingford and St Valery passed to her. She survived many challenges to her position, including a state trial. Whilst she had had benefited from Lancastrian connections, she switched to supporting the House of York during the Wars of the Roses. In 1455 she was custodian of the Duke of Exeter at the castle. She was officially castellan at Wallingford until least 1471 and possibly until her death in 1475. In 1472 Alice became custodian of Margaret of Anjou, her former friend and patron. A wealthy landowner, she held land in 22 counties, and was a patron to John Lydgate.


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  • Created by: julia&keld
  • Added: Aug 21, 2011
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/75264052/alice-de_la_pole: accessed ), memorial page for Alice Chaucer de la Pole (1404–1475), Find a Grave Memorial ID 75264052, citing St. Mary the Virgin Churchyard, Ewelme, South Oxfordshire District, Oxfordshire, England; Maintained by julia&keld (contributor 46812479).