Alice Perrers

Alice Perrers, also known as Alice de Windsor (circa 1348 –1400/1401) was an English royal mistress, lover of Edward III, King of England. As a result of his patronage, she became the wealthiest and most influential woman in the country. She was widely despised and accused of taking advantage of the old king. Life Early life Alice was born around 1348. No birth record remains, but it seems that Perrers was the surname of her first husband. Her ancestry has been the topic of much speculation, which is detailed below. Around 1360, at the age of 12, she married Janyn Perrers, a jeweler who died around 1364. Life at the royal court Perrers became a part of the household of Queen Philippa (1310/1315–1369) as a domicella ("damsel") before 1359. She became the mistress of the king, Edward III (1312–1377) around 1366, when she was around 18 years old and the king 55. During the queen's life, they had three children together. Three years after their relationship started, the queen died, which devastated the king, causing him to lean more on Perrers. This resulted in her receiving more, mostly negative, attention from the court.