Elizabeth de Burghersh, 3rd Baroness Burghersh

Elizabeth Despenser, 3rd Baroness Burghersh (c. 1342 – August 1402) was an English noblewoman born to Bartholomew de Burghersh, 2nd Baron Burghersh and his wife, Cicely Weyland.

Some recently constructed genealogies purport that she was first married, some time after 1347, to Maurice FitzGerald, 4th Earl of Kildare (d. 25 August 1390) and by him had at least four children. Yet it is more consistent with known dates of death of the 4th Earl of Kildare that he married instead Margaret, a daughter of the 1st Baron Burghersh. Otherwise there would be record of Kildare's divorce from Elizabeth and probably a mention in the original records of her 'remarriage' rather than of her 'marriage' to le Despencer.

But these 'recently constructed genealogies' appear to be incorrect. It is impossible that Elizabeth, wife of Maurice FitzGerald is the lady who remarried 2ndly Edward le Despencer. The reason is that Maurice died on 25 August 1390, well before Edward le Despencer's marriage. This makes it more certain that Despenser married Elizabeth, daughter of Bartholomew de Burghersh the younger, 2nd Baron Burghersh.

She was married (it is said for the second time) some time before 1373, to Edward Despenser, 1st Baron Despenser (c. 24 March 1335-6 – 11 November 1375) and they had six children. Upon the death of her father on 5 April 1369, she inherited the title of Baroness Burghersh.

After her husband died, she remained a widow for thirty-three years, dying in 1409. She was buried to the left of her husband at Tewkesbury Abbey in the Holy Trinity chapel, which she had built for him.

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