Edmund de Lacy, Baron of Pontefract


Edmund de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln was an important landholder in Northern England, with a strategic manor at Stanbury which was important for east–west communication, and as Lord of the Honour of Pontefract he possessed Pontefract Castle.

Origins

Edmund was the son and heir of John de Lacy, jure uxoris Earl of Lincoln 8th Baron of Halton, 8th Hereditary Constable of Chester, and feudal baron of Pontefract. His father was one of the 25 barons who forced John, King of England to sign Magna Carta in 1215. Edmund's mother was Margaret de Quincy, suo jure Countess of Lincoln.

Earl of Lincoln

There is doubt as to whether Edmund de Lacy became Earl of Lincoln, as he predeceased his mother, but not his father. The Complete Peerage gives him as the 3rd Earl, but notes that "he does not appear to have been formally invested with the earldom, presumably because his mother outlived him". Although he signed as Constable of Chester on documents, contemporaries would refer to him as Earl of Lincoln and he is known to have held the estates of the earldom.

Tournament

Somewhere between 1248 and his death in 1258 he was the leader of a group of twenty knights headed for a tournament between Tickhill Castle and Blyth. A knight who gave him hospitality is known to have written a letter to his baillif;
A knight to his bailiff, greetings. You will have heard that on the morrow of the Purification we are to arrive with all our household at the estate that we have committed to your faithful keeping. We shall be coming to you with Lord E de Lacy, constable of Chester, who will be traveling through those parts with twenty knights to the tournament at Blyth. Therefore, I order you to provide for the needs of the said constable and myself in all matters, so that I may have cause to speak well of your service.

Career

When his father died in 1240 he inherited his father's titles and thus became 9th Baron of Halton, 9th Constable of Chester, feudal baron of Pontefract, Lord of Bowland, etc. He also became Earl of Lincoln, even though his mother, suo jure Countess was still alive. As he was a minor he became a ward of the king, which wardship was later acquired by his mother. Normally his inheritance would have been held in wardship until he reached the age of majority. However, Edmund was allowed to succeed his father at only 18 years of age. He was brought up at the royal court of King Henry III and Eleanor of Provence.

Marriage and issue

Having been brought up at the royal court of Henry III and Eleanor of Provence, in May 1247 at Woodstock Palace he made a 'Savoyard' marriage to Alésia of Saluzzo, who had been brought to England by Peter II, Count of Savoy Eleanor's uncle. She was the daughter of Manfred III of Saluzzo in Piedmont, and sister of Thomas I of Saluzzo. By his wife he had issue including:

Death and burial

He died 2 June 1258 and was buried at Stanlow Abbey founded by his paternal grandfather John fitz Richard, 6th Baron of Halton, 6th Hereditary Constable of Chester.