Hugh le Despencer, 1st Baron le Despencer

Infobox Officeholder
honorific-prefix =
name =Hugh le Despencer
honorific-suffix =


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small

caption =
order =
office = Chief Justiciar
term_start =1260
term_end =May 1261cite web |url=http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/hugh_the_justiciar.htm |title=The Last Justiciar: Hugh le Despenser in the Thirteenth Century |author=Susan Higginbotham |accessdate=2008-02-15 |format=html |work= ]
monarch = Henry III
predecessor = Hugh Bigod
successor = Philip Bassetcite web |url=http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/hugh_the_justiciar.htm |title=The Last Justiciar: Hugh le Despenser in the Thirteenth Century |author=Susan Higginbotham |accessdate=2008-02-15 |format=html |work= ]

constituency =
majority =
order2 =
office2 =Chief Justiciar
term_start2 =July 1263
term_end2 =August 4, 1265cite web |url=http://www.susanhigginbotham.com/hugh_the_justiciar.htm |title=The Last Justiciar: Hugh le Despenser in the Thirteenth Century |author=Susan Higginbotham |accessdate=2008-02-15 |format=html |work= ]

monarch2 = Henry III
predecessor2 = Philip Basset
successor2 = none
birth_date =1223
birth_place =
death_date =August 4, 1265
death_place =Evesham
nationality =
party =Barons
spouse =Aline Bassett
relations =
children =Hugh le Despencer
residence =
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website =
footnotes =Sir Hugh (1223 – August 4, 1265) was an important ally of Simon de Montfort during the reign of Henry III. He served briefly as "Justiciar" of England in 1260 and as Constable of the Tower of London.

He was the son of Hugh le Despenser I and was summoned to Parliament by Simon de Montfort, and so might be deemed a baron, though the legality of that assembly is doubtful. He remained allied with Montfort to the end, and was present at the Battle of Lewes. He was killed fighting on de Montfort's side at the Battle of Evesham. He was slain by Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Wigmore; this caused a feud to begin between the Despenser and Mortimer families.

By his wife, Aline Bassett, he was father of Hugh the elder Despenser. She was the daughter of Philip Basset, who had also served as Justiciar.

References

Hugh le Despenser II had a probable homosexual relationship with Edward II which gained him favor. He was a an appointed Justiciar for the King. This did not please Edward II's wife, Isabella (aka The She-Wolf of France),who eventually deposed Edward II. Isabella had him executed in 1265. In a variation of the normal execution of traitors by hanging, drawing and quartering, Hugh also had his penis and testicles cut off and burnt in front of him as punishment for his relationship with Edward II. (See Alison Weir, Queen Isabella (2005)and Arizona Attorney, p. 17 footnote 7 (October 2008))