Alan DE LA ZOUCHE

   FamilySearch ID: LZPG-WRJ
Find A Grave ID: 101081265

  General Notes:

Knight of Ashby de la Zouche, Leicestershire, of Swavesey and Fulbourn, Cambrisgeshire, of Great Gaddesden, Hertfodshire, of Brackley, Northamptonshire and of Treve in Tillington and Nutbourne in Pulborough, Sussex. Constable of Rockingham Castle.

Son of Sir Roger la Zouche and Ela Longpee, grandson of Sir Alan de la Zouche and Ellen de Quincy, Sir Stephen Longespee and Emeline de Ridelisford. Alan was born at North Molton, Devon. His mother has an unknown burial I will not link to; unknown burials over thirty days are strictly against Findagrave policy.

Alan married Eleanor de Seagrave, daughter of Sir Knight Nicholas de Seagrave and Maud de Lucy. Her maritagium included the manor of Great Dalby, Leicestershire.

Eleanor and Alan had three daughters:
* Ellen m Sir Knight Nicholas de Saint Maur
* Maud m Sir Knight Robert de Holand
* Elizabeth, a nun at Brewood

In 1288, Alan was in Gascony and given by King Edward as a hostage to Alfonso of Aragon. He was in service to King Edward in Scotland, Gascony and Flanders, fought at the Battle of Falkirk in Scotland 22 July 1298, summoned to Parliament 1299 to 1313, directed by writs that made him Lord La Zouche. Alan was present at the Battle of Caerlaverock in 1300, attended King Edward II's coronation, went on a pilgrimage to Spain in 1308 and accompanied Aymer de Valence, the Earl of Pembroke in 1313.

Alan de la Zouche died shortly before 25 March 1314.

  Noted events in his life were:

1. King's Service: Pledge, in October 1288, in , , , Gascony. ⁹⁵⁰
In October 1288 in Gascony, France, Edward I became heavily involved in negotiating the release of Charles II of Naples (Charles the Lame) from Aragonese captivity. Alan la Zouche's role was that of a hostage (or pledge) of high noble status, serving a diplomatic function for King Edward I. Alan's primary role was to serve as a guarantee of good faith to Alfonso III of Aragon. He was not a prisoner due to misconduct, but rather a human form of collateral for a complex international agreement. By offering Alan, a young noble heir of a prominent baronial family, Edward I provided tangible evidence of his commitment to fulfill the treaty's terms. Alan's standing as the hostage was directly related to the value and seriousness of the agreement, which was underscored by the fact that the young noble heir had just come of age the year before. In doing this deed he is affirming his loyalty and importance to the crown and marking the beginning of his influential career in royal service.

2. King's Service: administrative and political, in June 1291, in , , , Scotland. ⁹⁵⁰
In June 1291, Alan la Zouche was in Scotland performing essential duties for King Edward I, although his service was administrative and political rather than military. This period fell during the crucial Scottish succession crisis, where Edward I was arbitrating the claims to the vacant Scottish throne. Alan la Zouche was part of the King's retinue at the pivotal assemblies held at Norham or Berwick-upon-Tweed, ensuring the King's authority was maintained during the political proceedings. His role was deemed important enough that he was granted a royal writ of protection until Christmas, safeguarding his property and legal interests in England while he was away on this extended, non-military duty.

3. Alan served in the military on 28 March 1296 in Bordeaux, Gironde, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, France: Incident at Bordeaux. ⁹⁵⁰
Alan la Zouche and the Incident at Bordeaux (1295\endash 1296) : Alan la Zouche served in the Gascon War against the French, participating in the English efforts to defend the Duchy of Gascony throughout 1295 and 1296. The campaign was a defense against the aggressive French forces, commanded by Charles of Valois (King Philip IV's brother), who were actively campaigning to capture Gascon fortresses and towns. A specific event occurred on 28 March 1296 when Alan la Zouche was at Bordeaux, the administrative heart of English Gascony. During a skirmish or raid near the city, the French managed to capture his standard-bearer. The standard-bearer carried Alan's banner, a crucial symbol for identifying the leader and rallying troops in battle. The loss of the banner and its bearer was considered a serious humiliation and a military setback for the English forces defending their positions, though the incident itself was a small part of the larger, unsuccessful English efforts of that year to regain territories that had been lost.

4. He served in the military in 1297 in , French Flanders, Hauts-de-France, France: Franco-Flemish War. ⁹⁵⁰
In 1297 he was summoned for service in the Franco-Flemish War. Alan's Role in the Franco-Flemish War : Alan la Zouche's involvement in the 1297 campaign against the French was in his capacity as a feudal tenant and military commander fulfilling his obligation to the Crown. This conflict, known as the Franco-Flemish War, was a continuation of the larger struggle between England's Edward I and France's Philip IV. King Edward I sought to curb French power by forging an alliance with Guy of Dampierre, the Count of Flanders, whose territory had strong economic ties to England through the wool trade and was hostile to French encroachment. In August 1297, King Edward I launched an expedition, landing at Ghent in Flanders with his forces, who were allied with other German princes. Alan la Zouche was summoned for service in that year, a requirement that meant he had to gather his armed followers and knights and join the King's main army. This obligation confirmed Alan's status as a high-ranking military retainer essential to the King's war efforts. He traveled to Flanders as part of the English force, and he and his retinue would have participated in the English attempt to hold key Flemish towns, such as Ghent, and support their allies. However, the campaign was ultimately inconclusive. Despite the alliances formed, the English forces were unable to achieve a decisive victory against the French. Edward I was also distracted by ongoing political problems back home and the escalating costs of the war. The entire campaign concluded with a truce in 1298, which allowed Edward I to return to England and redirect his attention to Scotland, where Alan la Zouche would soon fight at the Battle of Falkirk.

5. Alan served in the military on 22 July 1298 in Falkirk, , Stirlingshire, Scotland: Scottish Wars of Independence. ⁹⁵⁰
Scottish Wars of Independence - Battle of Falkirk - Alan la Zouche's role in the Battle of Falkirk on 22 July 1298 was that of a senior military commander fighting in the vanguard of the English army. The Vanguard (or van) refers to the foremost division of an army that marches and fights ahead of the main body. In the medieval period, the vanguard typically consisted of the most heavily armored and experienced troops, often led by the most trusted and aggressive commanders. By fighting in the vanguard, Alan la Zouche was positioned at the very front of the battle line, facing the enemy first. This was a position of honor, distinction, and immense danger. It indicates that King Edward I had a high degree of trust in Alan's military prowess and loyalty. The Battle of Falkirk was a decisive English victory over the Scottish forces led by William Wallace. At Falkirk, the Scots employed the schiltron, a dense infantry formation of spearmen braced together to create an impenetrable thicket against cavalry. This formation's defeat by the English forces\emdash who used longbowmen to break up the schiltrons, followed by a devastating charge from the heavy cavalry and the vanguard, in which Alan la Zouche was involved\emdash was a major development in military tactics of the medieval period. This service at Falkirk was one of the defining moments of Alan la Zouche's military career and was a crucial component of the loyalty that earned him his peerage title shortly thereafter.

6. Title of Nobility: Baron, on 5 February 1299, in Westminster, , Greater London, England. ⁹⁵⁰
Alan was bestowed the peerage title of Baron on 5 February 1298/99. A Baron is the lowest rank in the British peerage system, below Viscount but above commoners. It is nonetheless a formal title of nobility. With such distinction he is also allowed the honor of being called 'Lord'; a general term of address used for anyone holding a peerage title be they a Viscount, Earl, or Marquess. So, while every Baron is a Lord, not every Lord is a Baron. His titles of recognition and nobility are many and include: 1st Baron Zouche of Ashby; 1st Lord Zouche, - (1st Baron and 1st Lord were awarded 5 February 1298/99 as a Peer by Writ when he was first summoned to Parliament.), Lord Zouche of Ashby [6th in succession]; Alan de la Zouche of Ashby; Alan la Zouche, Knight; Baron de la Zouche; Constable of Rockingham Castle; Lord de la Zouch; Lord La Zouche; Lord Zouche; Sir Alan de la Zouche; Sir Alan la Zouche; and Sir Alan le Zouche. Overall, the most formal Peerage creation: is "Baron Zouche" which he received in 1299.

7. He served in the military in July 1300 in Dumfries, , Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland: Siege of Caerlaverock Castle. ⁹⁵⁰
Siege of Caerlaverock Castle - Alan la Zouche, 1st Baron la Zouche of Ashby, played the role of a major tenant-in-chief and a loyal feudal commander during King Edward I's military campaign in Scotland, specifically at the siege of Caerlaverock Castle in July 1300. His presence was not merely that of a soldier, but of a banneret, a nobleman leading his own substantial contingent of troops, demonstrating his high standing within the military hierarchy of the host. This stand is famously recorded in the contemporary Caerlaverock Poem, an early roll of arms that not only documented the shields present but also offered a narrative commentary on the knights. The poem's lines highlight his generous support, noting that his red banner, which was adorned with gold discs or bezants\emdash an appropriate reference given the pun on his name and wealth\emdash signified he had "spent Treasure more than that which hung in a purse." This poetic observation confirms his significant financial contribution to the war effort, establishing him as a crucial and well-resourced supporter of the King's campaign against the Scots.

8. He worked as a Constable of Rockingham Castle and Keeper of the Forests between 1311 and 1314 in , , Northamptonshire, England. ⁹⁵⁰
During the period from February 1311/12 to February 1313/14, a span of two years under the reign of King Edward II, Alan la Zouche 1st Baron la Zouche of Ashby held two significant royal offices simultaneously. His role as Constable of Rockingham Castle placed him in command of the important medieval fortress in Northamptonshire, which served not only as a defensive structure but also as a royal residence and administrative center for the surrounding forest. Complementing this, he was also appointed as Keeper of the Forests between the bridges of Oxford and Stamford, a vast and critically important jurisdiction for the English crown. This position made him responsible for managing and protecting the king's rights over the extensive royal forests in that area, including the large and historically significant Rockingham Forest. The Keeper was charged with upholding forest law, overseeing timber resources, managing game, and presiding over the forest courts. The two offices were closely linked, with the custody of Rockingham Castle often going hand-in-hand with the stewardship of the adjacent forest lands, placing Alan la Zouche as a key figure in the administration of the crown's property and legal authority across a considerable portion of central England.

Alan married Eleanor DE SEGRAVE, daughter of Sir Nicholas DE SEGRAVE 1st Baron Segrave and Matilda DE LUCY, about 1287.⁹⁵⁰ (Eleanor DE SEGRAVE was born about 1270 in Seagrave, , Leicestershire, England and died in 1314.)