42 Facts About Edmund Crouchback

Edmund, 1st Earl of Lancaster, known as Edmund Crouchback, was a member of the royal Plantagenet Dynasty and the founder of the first House of Lancaster.

Edmund Crouchback was Earl of Leicester, Lancaster and Derby in England and Count Palatine of Champagne in France.

In 1254, the 9-year-old Edmund Crouchback became involved in the "Sicilian business", in which his father accepted a papal offer granting the Kingdom of Sicily to Edmund Crouchback, who made preparations to become king.

Deterioration of relations between the barons and the king resulted in the Second Barons' War, in which the royal government, supported by Edmund Crouchback, triumphed over the baronage following the death of Montfort in the Battle of Evesham in 1265.

Edmund Crouchback received the lands and titles of Montfort and the defeated barons Nicholas Segrave, 1st Baron Segrave and Robert de Ferrers, 6th Earl of Derby, and became Earl of Lancaster, Leicester and Derby.

Edmund Crouchback was active in supporting his family members, such as assisting Edward in conquering Wales, advocating for the claims of his aunt Margaret against his uncle Charles I of Anjou in his mother and aunt's homeland of Provence and managing Ponthieu on behalf of his sister-in-law, Eleanor of Castile.

Edmund Crouchback negotiated an agreement with Philip where France would occupy Gascony for 40 days, and Edward would marry Philip's half-sister, Margaret.

Edmund Crouchback sailed for Gascony with his army and besieged the city of Bordeaux.

Unable to pay his troops, Edmund Crouchback was deserted by his army and retreated to Bayonne, where he died from illness in 1296.

Edmund Crouchback's body was brought back to England, where he was buried in Westminster Abbey in 1301.

Edmund Crouchback was a younger brother of Edward, Margaret and Beatrice, and an elder brother of Catherine.

Edmund Crouchback spent most of his childhood at Windsor Castle alongside his siblings.

Edmund Crouchback grew emotionally attached to his father Henry, who rarely spent extended periods apart from his family.

Edmund Crouchback suggested marrying Edmund to a daughter of Manfred to resolve the "Sicilian business" in the summer of that year.

Edmund Crouchback sought assistance from Parliament, but his request was denied.

However, Edmund Crouchback collaborated with Henry and his brother Edward to overturn the Provisions in midsummer of 1262.

Alongside his brother Edward, Edmund Crouchback focused on suppressing the rebel barons known as the "disinherited," whose lands had been confiscated by the royal government.

Edmund Crouchback compelled Robert to agree that he would regain his estates upon payment of an exceedingly hefty sum, fully aware that Robert would be unable to afford such a penalty.

Subsequently, the royal army besieged Kenilworth Castle, with Edmund Crouchback commanding one of the four divisions alongside Henry and Edward.

Either in the same month or the following year, Edmund Crouchback acquired Kenilworth Castle.

Edmund Crouchback was earl of Leicester and later Derby, though he is mostly associated with the earldom of Lancaster.

However, Edmund Crouchback wanted to ensure the security of his inheritance and decided to marry Isabel's daughter, Aveline de Forz, Countess of Aumale.

In 1394, John of Gaunt, the founder of the second House of Lancaster and the husband of Edmund Crouchback's great-granddaughter Blanche of Lancaster, interpreted the epithet differently, believing that Edmund Crouchback was a hunchback.

Edmund Crouchback then dispersed the rebels with Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Mortimer of Wigmore.

Edmund Crouchback succeeded him as Lord High Steward of England the following day.

In early 1277, Edmund Crouchback was summoned to return to England by Edward, along with other English nobles, to proceed against the Prince of Wales, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd.

In 1278, Edmund Crouchback travelled to his dominion of Champagne to administer the county, after which he returned to England to approve and attend the wedding of Llywelyn and his cousin Eleanor de Montfort, the daughter of Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, in Worcester.

The next year, Edward appointed Edmund Crouchback to be Ambassador to France to negotiate with their cousin King Philip III of France regarding the English claims on the Counties of Agenais and Quercy as part of the dowry of Edmund Crouchback and Edward's grand-aunt Joan of England, which were under the control of Alphonse, Count of Poitiers.

John was more ruthless in punishing the inhabitants of Provins than Edmund Crouchback; according to a chronicler of the abbey of Saint-Magloire, John ordered hangings, beheadings and mutilations.

Edmund Crouchback went back to visit his estates in England following his chastisement of Provins.

Edmund Crouchback returned privileges to the town, and allowed the inhabitants of Provins to build new fountains, acquire buildings for their courts and establish a bell to mark the work hours and curfew; in exchange, he enacted a harsh tax on the town.

That same month, Edmund Crouchback heard that Wales had launched a war against England, and returned to England to command the English army in South Wales.

Edmund Crouchback observed the claimants' pledges to accept his brother's decision and witnessed the Scottish nobility swearing fealty to Edward as their overlord.

In 1293, Edmund Crouchback founded the Abbey of the Minoresses of St Clare without Aldgate, a convent for the Order of Poor Clares, outside Aldgate.

Edmund Crouchback played a role in establishing a Greyfriars priory at Preston, located in his earldom of Lancaster.

Edmund Crouchback left England for France between the end of 1293 and the beginning of 1294, bringing his wife Blanche with him.

Edmund Crouchback was among the loudest of the nobles in their cries for war.

The Bretons responded by hanging the messengers, resulting in Edmund Crouchback's forces looting the countryside.

English soldiers looted the Abbey of Saint-Mathieu de Fine-Terre, although Edmund Crouchback ordered them to return all stolen valuables.

Edmund Crouchback did not find his brother-in-law there and the village there surrendered to him.

Edmund Crouchback then launched a siege of the castle in nearby Saint-Macaire, alerting Robert to send his forces to relieve the castle.

Edmund Crouchback's remains were embalmed and initially kept at the church of the Friars Minors in Bayonne.