Margaret de Fiennes, Baroness Mortimer of Wigmore
Margaret de Fiennes, was a French noblewoman who married the English marcher lord, Edmund Mortimer, 2nd Baron Mortimer of Wigmore, and was mother of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March.
Origins
She was a daughter of Guillaume II de Fiennes and his wife, Blanche, the daughter of Jean de Brienne, Grand Butler of France, and his first wife Jeanne de Châteaudun.Her grandfather, Sir John II of Brienne, was the third son of John of Brienne, King of Jerusalem and Emperor of Constantinople, and his third wife Berengaria of León, which made Margaret a cousin of Queen Eleanor of Castile. Her paternal grandparents were Enguerrand II de Fiennes and Isabel de Condé.
Her brother, Jean de Fiennes, married Isabel, daughter of Guy de Dampierre, Count of Flanders and his second wife Isabel of Luxembourg.
Life
In September 1285, when she was fourteen or fifteen years old, Margaret married Edmund Mortimer, the second son of Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Mortimer of Wigmore and his wife Maud de Braose. He had succeeded to his father's lands and barony in 1282 and was already a national hero after killing Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, his cousin, in battle.They had eight known children:
- Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March married Joan de Geneville, by whom he had twelve children.
- Maud de Mortimer, married Sir Theobald II de Verdun at Wigmore on 29 July 1302, by whom she had four daughters, Joan de Verdun, who married John de Montagu, eldest son and heir apparent of William Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu; Elizabeth de Verdun, who married Bartholomew de Burghersh, 1st Baron Burghersh; Margaret de Verdun, who married firstly Sir William le Blount of Sodington, Worcestershire, secondly Sir Mark Husee, and thirdly Sir John de Crophill; and Katherine de Verdun.
- John de Mortimer, accidentally slain in a joust by John de Leyburne.
- Walter de Mortimer, a priest, Rector of Kingston.
- Edmund de Mortimer, a priest, Rector of Hodnet, Shropshire and Treasurer of the cathedral at York.
- Hugh de Mortimer, a priest, Rector of church at Old Radnor, Wales.
Her husband died on 17 July 1304 and she lived until 1333, probably being buried in Wigmore Abbey.