Biography of Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury 1187-1261

Before 1187 [her father] William of Salisbury 2nd Earl Salisbury [aged 36] and [her mother] Eleanor Vitre Countess of Salisbury [aged 28] were married. She by marriage Countess Salisbury. He the son of [her grandfather] Patrick of Salisbury 1st Earl Salisbury and [her grandmother] Adela Montgomery Countess of Salisbury and Surrey.

In 1187 Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury was born to [her father] William of Salisbury 2nd Earl Salisbury [aged 37] and [her mother] Eleanor Vitre Countess of Salisbury [aged 29] in Amesbury, Wiltshire [Map].

In 1196 [her father] William of Salisbury 2nd Earl Salisbury [aged 46] died. His daughter Ela [aged 9] succeeded 3rd Countess Salisbury.

In 1196 William Longespée Earl Salisbury [aged 20] and Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury [aged 9] were married. He by marriage Earl Salisbury. She the daughter of William of Salisbury 2nd Earl Salisbury [aged 46] and Eleanor Vitre Countess of Salisbury [aged 38]. He the illegitmate son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England and Ida Tosny Countess Norfolk [aged 40]. They were fifth cousin once removed.

In October 1196 Raymond Count of Toulouse [aged 39] and [her sister-in-law] Joan Plantagenet Queen Consort Sicily [aged 31] were married at Rouen, France [Map]. She by marriage Countess Toulouse. She the daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine Queen Consort Franks and England [aged 74]. He the son of Raymond Rouerge V Count Toulouse and Constance Capet Countess Boulogne and Toulouse. They were third cousin once removed.

On 4th September 1199 [her sister-in-law] Joan Plantagenet Queen Consort Sicily [aged 33] died at Rouen, France [Map]. She was buried at Fontevraud Abbey [Map].

Around April 1200 [her brother-in-law] King John of England [aged 33] and Isabella Fitzrobert 3rd Countess Gloucester and Essex [aged 27] marriage annulled due to consanuinity but more likely because John's new status as heir to the English throne mean't he had better prospects. He may have already decided to marry Isabella of Angoulême Queen Consort England [aged 12] who he married on 24th August 1200.

On 24th August 1200 [her brother-in-law] King John of England [aged 33] and Isabella of Angoulême Queen Consort England [aged 12] were married. She had been engaged to Hugh IX of Lusignan IV Count of La Marche [aged 37] who subsequently appealed to King Philip II of France [aged 35], their feudal overlord, who used the position to justify a war against John. The difference in their ages was 21 years. She the daughter of Aymer Angoulême I Count Angoulême [aged 40] and Alice Courtenay Countess Angoulême. He the son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine Queen Consort Franks and England [aged 78]. They were fourth cousin once removed.

Around December 1206 [her brother-in-law] Hugh Bigod 3rd Earl Norfolk [aged 24] and Maud Marshal Countess Norfolk and Surrey [aged 12] were married. She the daughter of William Marshal 1st Earl Pembroke [aged 60] and Isabel Clare Countess Pembroke [aged 34]. He the son of Roger Bigod 2nd Earl Norfolk [aged 62] and [her mother-in-law] Ida Tosny Countess Norfolk [aged 50]. They were third cousins.

Around 1207 [her daughter] Ida Longespée was born to [her husband] William Longespée Earl Salisbury [aged 31] and Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury [aged 20] at Salisbury. She a granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She married (1) Ralph Somery, son of Ralph Somery 1st Baron Dudley and Margaret Gras Baroness Dudley (2) before 1220 William Beauchamp and had issue.

On 8th December 1207 [her son] William Longespée was born to [her husband] William Longespée Earl Salisbury [aged 31] and Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury [aged 20]. He a grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. He married before 8th October 1240 Idoine Camville and had issue.

On 12th December 1212 [her illegitimate brother-in-law] Archbishop Geoffrey Plantagenet [aged 60] died at Normandy [Map]. He was buried at Notre Dame du Parc, Rouen.

On 31st October 1214 [her sister-in-law] Eleanor Plantagenet Queen Consort Castile [aged 53] died at Burgos [Map]. She was buried at Abbey of Santa Maria la Real de Huelgas [Map].

Around 1216 [her son] Stephen Longespée was born to [her husband] William Longespée Earl Salisbury [aged 40] and Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury [aged 29] at Salisbury. He a grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. He married 1242 Emmeline Riddlesford and had issue.

Before 1220 [her son-in-law] William Beauchamp [aged 34] and Ida Longespée [aged 12] were married. The difference in their ages was 22 years. She the daughter of William Longespée Earl Salisbury [aged 43] and Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury [aged 32].

In 1221 Roger Bigod 2nd Earl Norfolk [aged 77] died. His son [her brother-in-law] Hugh [aged 39] succeeded 3rd Earl Norfolk. Maud Marshal Countess Norfolk and Surrey [aged 27] by marriage Countess Norfolk.

Around 1222 [her daughter] Ida II Longespée was born to [her husband] William Longespée Earl Salisbury [aged 46] and Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury [aged 35] at Salisbury. She a granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She married her fourth cousin once removed Walter Fitzrobert and had issue.

On 18th February 1225 [her brother-in-law] Hugh Bigod 3rd Earl Norfolk [aged 43] died. His son Roger [aged 16] succeeded 4th Earl Norfolk.

In 1226 [her son-in-law] William Vesci and Isabella Longespée were married. She the daughter of William Longespée Earl Salisbury [aged 50] and Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury [aged 39]. They were fifth cousin once removed. She a granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

On 7th March 1226 [her husband] William Longespée Earl Salisbury [aged 50] died at Old Sarum [Map]. Roger of Wendover in his Flowers of History writes that some accused Hubert de Burgh Count Mortain 1st Earl Kent [aged 56] of having poisoned him.

Effigy at Salisbury Cathedral [Map].

In 1229 Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury [aged 42] founded Lacock Abbey [Map] as a nunnery of the Augustinian order.

On 12th August 1233 [her mother] Eleanor Vitre Countess of Salisbury [aged 75] died in Westcott, Dorking, Surrey.

In 1240 Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury [aged 53] was appointed Abbot Lacock.

Before 8th October 1240 William Longespée [aged 32] and Idoine Camville [aged 31] were married. He the son of William Longespée Earl Salisbury and Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury [aged 53].

Around 1242 Stephen Longespée [aged 26] and Emmeline Riddlesford [aged 19] were married. He the son of William Longespée Earl Salisbury and Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury [aged 55].

Before 26th June 1242 [her son-in-law] Thomas Beaumont 6th Earl Warwick [aged 34] and Ela Longespee Countess Warwick were married. She the daughter of William Longespée Earl Salisbury and Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury [aged 55]. He the son of Henry Beaumont 5th Earl Warwick and Philipa Basset Countess Warwick. They were half third cousin once removed. She a granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

In 1243 Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury [aged 56] resigned as Abbot Lacock due to ill health.

On 23rd January 1260 [her son] Stephen Longespée [aged 44] died at Sutton, Northamptonshire.

On 24th August 1261 Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury [aged 74] died. She was buried in Lacock Abbey [Map]. Her inscription reads... Below lie buried the bones of the venerable Ela, who gave this sacred house as a home for the nuns. She also had lived here as holy abbess and Countess of Salisbury, full of good works. Her great granddaughter Margaret succeeded 4th Countess Salisbury.

Effigy of William Longespee. [her former husband] WILLIAM Longespee was the bastard son of Henry the Second by the celebrated Rosamund de Clifford¹. His half-brother, [her former brother-in-law] Richard the First, gave him in marriage Ela, daughter and inheritrix of [her father] William Earl of Salisbury. He bore a conspicuous part in the domestic divisions in the reign of King John, whose general he was against the rebellious Barons in 1215, but in the following year went over to the party of Louis the son of the French king. On the death of John he abandoned the cause of Louis, did homage to the young King Henry the Third, and united with William Mareschal, the spirited Earl of Pembroke, then Regent, in raising the siege of Lincoln. In 1219 he was with other English noblemen at the siege of Damietta, which place was vigorously defended by the Saracens, and the capture of which cost the Christian forces very dear. In 1224 he went over into Gascony with Richard Earl of Cornwall, to subdue certain towns and castles to obedience to King Henry their Lord. Returning in the following year they were over-taken at sea by a violent tempest; after beating about for many nights and days they were carried far out of their course; and, giving themselves up for lost, committed all their treasure and rich garments to the deep. While they remained in darkness and despair, on a sudden the whole vessel was illuminated by the brilliant flame of a huge wax taper, which appeared on the prow, and by it a damsel of exceeding beauty, who protected the light with her garment from the force of the wind and rain. While the crew were lost in wonder at this miraculous nocturnal vision, the Earl of Salisbury proclaimed that their thanks were due to the Blessed Virgin for this merciful interposition, at whose shrine, on the day of his knighthood, he had offered a taper to be kept constantly burning on the daily celebration of the offices to her honour. The courage of the dispirited crew revived, and the following morning they made the Isle of Rhé, near Rochelle. Salisbury was speedily obliged to put to sea again, being informed of the design of the Lord of the place to make him prisoner. He braved the adverse elements for three months longer before he reached England. Such is the relation of Matthew Paris. His long absence gave occasion to a current report that he was lost at sea, and Hubert de Burgh, Justiciary of England, solicited to be allowed to match a kinsman of his, one Raymond, who had a claim to the Earldom of Salisbury, with his rich widow, but she, like another Penelope, rejected this suitor. At length the Earl landed unexpectedly in Cornwall, and demanded satisfaction of the King against Hubert, whose relative had assailed the honour of his wife. Hubert made submissive reparation by presents, but is reported to have taken the Earl off by poison, administered to him at a feast to which he had invited him in simulated reconciliation.

Note. William is now believed to be the son of Ida Tosny Countess Norfolk; a charter William made that mentions "Comitissa Ida, mater mea" (Countess Ida, my mother).

Chronica Majora by Matthew Paris. About the same time, Earl Richard, the king's brother, Earl G. Marshal, John, earl of Chester and Lincoln, the earl of Salisbury [Note. Unclear as to who this is referring since the last Earl of Salisbury William Longespée Earl Salisbury died in 1226 and his wife Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury, de jure Earl of Salisbury, remained unmarried], G. de Lucy, his brother, Richard Seward, and many other nobles, assumed the cross. Earl Rchard at once ordered his woods to be cut down and sold, and endeavoured by all the means in his power to raise money to sustain his pilgrimage. Not long afterwards, by means of Simon de Montfort, earl of Leicester, and (as was reported) Peter de Eivaulx, Richard Seward unjustly incurred the king's anger, and was taken and imprisoned; but was soon afterwards released with the same ease.

[her daughter] Mary Longespée was born to William Longespée Earl Salisbury and Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury. She a granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

[her daughter] Ela Longespee Countess Warwick was born to William Longespée Earl Salisbury and Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury. She a granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She married before 26th June 1242 her half third cousin once removed Thomas Beaumont 6th Earl Warwick, son of Henry Beaumont 5th Earl Warwick and Philipa Basset Countess Warwick.

[her daughter] Isabella Longespée was born to William Longespée Earl Salisbury and Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury. She a granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She married 1226 her fifth cousin once removed William Vesci.

[her son] Bishop Nicholas Longespée was born to William Longespée Earl Salisbury and Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury. He a grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

[her son] Richard Longespée was born to William Longespée Earl Salisbury and Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury. He a grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

[her daughter] Pernel Longespée was born to William Longespée Earl Salisbury and Ela of Salisbury 3rd Countess of Salisbury. She a granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.