More background on the parentage of Sir John de Botetourt
Edward I - Edward II - Piers Gaveston - Sir John Botetourt (Main page) - The Botetourt Story
This page is written in the form of a letter to John. He sent me a snail-mail letter via the Parish Council and I was very bad in that I did not reply. Even though he did include a stamped and addressed envelope.
As I spent so much time in researching the connections that John gave me it seemed too late to send the letter. However, if he is still interested and he has access to the Internet (which I suspect that he is not too savvy) he can always send me an email or get an associate to do so.
3 Nov 2026 - I moved the letter to notes as it is now confusing if the page is found, which it was.
The letter
Dear John,
Sorry to take so long to get back to you as I have been updating some of my pages relating to the
Botetourt family.
It was great to get your package of information and your family trees. I find it facinating to hear
your theory about the parentage of Sir John de Botetourt and that he is legitimate a decendant of
Edward I.
You say that the Maurice Boddy records indicate that you are decendant of the Botetourt family.
The connection through
Joyce de Zouche (de Botetourt) and the Mortimer family is still something that I am looking at.
The Wikitree pages and the Wikipedia pages do not reveal any clarity for me as yet.
Joyce de Zouche
was married to William la Zouche in 1329??
Sir John de Botetourt, 2nd Lord Botetourt and grandson of Sir John de Botetourt (of Belchamp Walter
chantry chapel fame), was married to Joyce de Zouche - according to the Wikitree record.
The research into the first
Sir John de Botetourt (Belchamp Walter chantry) life has revealed much information. The research of his
descendants
is leading me down a whole new "rabbit hole"!
I feel guilty in not responding to you before now as you have obviously performed much research for
yourself.
With your permission I would like to incorporate some of your research and charts in my own. I admit
that at the moment I have only scratched the surface.
Looking more closely at some of your charts I
agree with the comment (Notes) on the reliance on American sources, Douglas Richardson (associated with LDS).
I also see that you that you think that one of the Zouches was involved with the death of
Piers Gaveston. It is my understanding that Sir John de Botetourt, of Belchamp Walter, was also.
The reference to Gerald Paget and a footnote on the Hailes Abbey Chronicals seems to be similar
to that of F.N. Craig, The American
Genealogist, in respect to "supporting evidence" of the parentage of Botetourt.
My research was from the perspective of the Sir John who has a chantry in the church at Belchamp
Walter and that it is unclear (to me at least) who his father was. Your research follows the connection
through
Joan of Acre, both lead to a connection with Edward I.
I do have access to the archive of Maurice Boddy's website and am more than happy to provide links
to it. While I have quoted Wikipedia and other user participant sources I am more likely trust the
orginal sources.
Re-reading your letter to Jan I am interested to see your conclusions relating to the connection
of your heritage and the Sacheverell family. The marriage of Joyce de Botetourt to Sir Baldwin de Freville
was new to me as I had not followed the descendants of my Sir John. I was more interested in the
activities of who was obviously a significant player in 14th Century Edwardian history. My Sir John
served both Edward I and Edward II as governor of his prison for the captured nobles of the
Battle of Dunbar in 1296.
Sir John was then in the service of Edward I in Scotland as a Justicar in Galloway, warden of Lochmaben,
Annan Nithsdale and Dumfries. (1304-1307)
In 1311 and 1312 Sir John was involved with Hereford and Pembrooke in the Ordinances in an attempt
to control Edward II and was involved in the capture of Piers Gaveston in 1312 (your gay ancestor).
In 1322 Sir John fought at the Battle of Boroughbridge, probably as a commander as he was 57 years old.
This was on the side of the Thomas, Earl of Lancaster against king Edward but he was pardoned and fined
£1,000.
Sir John had a son Thomas and Thomas had a son who became the 2nd Lord Botetourt, who was your
ancestor via Sir Baldwin de Freville.
I also see that The Montgomery family or de Montgomerie
is connected to the Sacheverell family.
Isabella Montgomery being the mother of Catherine Sacheverell.
The Montgomerys of Faulkborne Hall form a connection to Belchamp Walter
in that Phillipa Montgomery married Thomas Montgomery, Phillipa being the daughter of John Helion, Esq.
and Edith Rolfe, circa 1460.
In a similar manner to my communication with you I have established a contact with
Tomas O Helion
who is descended from an ancient Norman family that also fought with William at the Conquest. Another
connection to the Botetourt family.
John Lloyd Marlow
Top
Below are some of my notes relating to some of the families on your trees.
Joan of Acre and the de Clares
Joan was the ? daughter of Edward I (Price Edward at the time) when
he was on crusade.
She first married Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Gloucester. Her second marriage is a little more
confusing as it was reported to have been in secret. The family names of Zouche and Mortimer are
of relevance here.
Joan of Acre and Mortimer
Joan of Acre second marriage was to Ralph de Monthermer (it is not known if this is Mortimer). The
variance in spellings is not unknown in historical records.
Joan of Acre's Daughter - Eleanor de Clare
Eleanor de Clare was also known as Baroness la Zouche (Eleanor la Zouche).
The Wikipedia page says:
In January 1329 Eleanor was abducted from Hanley Castle by William la Zouche, 1st Baron Zouche of Mortimer,
who had been one of her first husband's captors and who had led the siege of Caerphilly Castle.
The abduction may in fact have been an elopement; in any case, Eleanor's lands were seized by King Edward III,
and the couple's arrest was ordered. At the same time.
and later on the Wikpedia page says:
Eleanor's troubles were by no means over, however. After Eleanor's marriage to Zouche, John de Grey,
1st Baron Grey de Rotherfield claimed that he had married her first. In 1333 Grey was still attempting
to claim marriage to Eleanor; the case was appealed to the Pope several times. Ultimately, Zouche won
the dispute and Eleanor remained with him until his death in February 1337, only a few months before
Eleanor's own death. By Zouche Eleanor had one child:
William de la Zouche, born 1330, died after 1360, a monk at Glastonbury Abbey.
Catherine Sacherevell of Morley, Derbyshire
Joyce de Botetourt and Sir Baldwin de Freville - 1387/88
The de Montgomery Family
Sir Henry Sacherevell and Isabella Montgomery are featured in John's heritage.
The Wikitree page on Sir Henry Sacherevell has details on the Lords of Morley. Futher research
needs to be performed as there is a connection to the Zouche family.
John Sacheverell died at the Battle of Bosworth.
Leicestershire & Rutland Family History Society
John wrote an obiturary for the L&R FHS for Maurice Boddy. If I get the text for this I am
more than happy to post it on this website.
