Sir William Bourchier Knight, Count of Eu
- Born: Abt 1374, Little Easton, Essex, England
- Marriage: Anne Plantagenêt Countess of Buckingham 141
- Died: 28 May 1420, Troyes, Aube, Champagne, France about age 46 141
- Buried: 1420, Priory of Llanthony, Gloucestershire, England 141
 Information about this person:
• Background Information. 141
Sir William Bourghchier, or Bourgchier, son and heir of Sir William Bourghchier (who died in 1375), by Alianore, younger daugter and coheir, eventually sole heir, of Sir John de Lovayne, of Little Easton and Broxted, Essex, and Bildeston, Suffolk (who died 30 or 31 Jan. 1346/7), which last named William was a younger brother of Bartholomew, Lord Bourghchier. His mother, the said Alianore, who was born at Little Easton, 27 Mar. 1345, and baptized there and died 5 Oct. 1397. William the younger had livery of her lands, 14 Nov. 1397, his homage being respited, and his fealty ordered to be taken by the escheator in co. Suffolk. Thomas, Duke of Gloucester, had given him 50 marks a year, for life: this grant was renewed by Henry IV, 4 Mar. 1399/1400, and by Henry V, 1 Oct. 1413 On 15 Oct. 1401, the Prince of Wales gave him\emdash then the Prince's bachelor\emdash 50 marks a year, for life, and, when King, confirmed the grant, 1 Sep. 1413.
Sir William Bourghchier accompanied the King to France in Aug. 1415, was at the battle of Agincourt, 25 Oct. 1415, and on 26 Nov. following was appointed constable of the Tower of London, for life. He was appointed Captain of the town of Dieppe, 12 Feb. 1418/9, that town, and subsequently (18 Feb.) of all the castles and towns in the compté of Eu. On 10 Jun 1419, he was granted the compté of Eu, in tail male, to hold by homage, rendering yearly a gardebrache to the King.
Sir William Bourghchier married (pardon for marrying without royal license, 20 Nov. 1405)Anne, Countess of Buckingham, Hereford, and Northampton, widow of Edmund (de Stafford), Earl of Stafford (who was slain at the battle of Shrewsbury, 21 July 1403, and 1st daughter and eventually sole heir of Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester, by Alianore, elder daughter and coheir of Humphrey (de Bohun), Earl of Hereford, Essex, and Northampton, the last of that name.
On 5 Jan. 1409/10 Sir William Bourghchier obtained licence to convey the manors and advowsons of Little Easton and Bildeston to himself and Anne his wife, and the heirs of their bodies, with remainder to his own right heirs. On 1 Dec. 1414 he and his wife recovered the caste, town, and lordship of Oakham from Edward, Duke of York, to whom they had been granted after the fall of Thomas of Woodstock.
Sir William Bourghchier died at Troyes, 28 May 1420, and was buried in the Priory of Llanthony by Gloucester. His widow, who was aged 17 and more in 1399/1400, died 16 Oct. 1438, and was buried with him. Will dated 16 Oct. (1438) 17 Hen. VI.
~Cokayne's Complete Peerage, 2nd Edition, Vol. V, pp. 176-178
William married Anne Plantagenêt Countess of Buckingham, daughter of Thomas Plantagenêt Kight of the Garter, Duke of Gloucester and Alianore de Bohun.141 (Anne Plantagenêt Countess of Buckingham was born in Apr 1383 in Pleshy Castle, Essex, England,141 died between 16 and 24 Oct 1438 in England 141 and was buried in 1438 in Priory of Llanthony, Gloucestershire, England 141.)
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