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Birth:          1205 of Ashby-de-la-Zouche, Leicestershire, England
Death:          10 Aug 1270 England

Notes
chr of North Molton, Devonshire, England
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_la_Zouche_(1205%E2%80%931270)
Alan la Zouche (1205-1270) was an English nobleman and soldier of Breton descent.
Background[edit]

The surname "la Zouche" may have derived from souch or zuche in Norman French 
indicating someone of stocky build.

He was the elder son of Roger de la Zouche and Margaret Biset and the grandson of 
Alain de Porhoet who took the name Alan la Zouche when he arrived in England. This 
elder Alan, the first of the family to be established in England, was a younger son of 
Geoffrey, viscount of Porhoet in Brittany (d. 1141); his elder brother, Eudes de 
Porhoet, was for a few years Count of Brittany, by marriage. Under Henry II Alain de 
Porhoet, or Alan la Zouche, established himself in England, and married Adeline de 
Belmais, sole heiress of the house of Belmais, her inheritance including Tong Castle in 
Shropshire, Ashby (afterwards called Ashby-de-la-Zouch) in Leicestershire, North 
Molton in Devonshire, and other lands in Cambridgeshire and elsewhere. Their son 
Roger la Zouche (1182-1238), succeeded in turn to these estates. Roger's support for 
Arthur of Brittany was almost fatal to him in 1203, but he managed to regain King 
John's favour. On 10 November 1228 he was appointed Sheriff of Devonshire. On 28 
January 1237 he witnessed the signature of Henry III confirming the Magna Carta.

Early service[edit]

On 15 June 1242 Alan was summoned to attend the king, Henry III, with horses and 
arms in Gascony. He was at La Sauve in October, at Bordeaux in March and April 
1243, and at La Réole in November. Before 6 August 1250 la Zouche was appointed 
justice of Chester and of the four cantreds in North Wales. Matthew Paris says that he 
got this office by outbidding his predecessor, John de Grey. He offered to pay a 
twelve hundred marks for the post instead of five hundred. La Zouche boasted that 
Wales was nearly all reduced to obedience to the English laws, but his high-handed 
acts provoked royal interference and censure. He continued in office as the Lord 
Edward's deputy after the king's grant of Chester and Wales to his eldest son.

In Ireland[edit]

Ireland had been among the lands which Edward had received from Henry III in 1254. 
In the spring of 1256 la Zouche was sent to there on the service of the Lord Edward, 
and soon afterwards he was appointed justiciar of Ireland under Edward, his first 
official mandate being dated 27 June 1256.[1] In 1257 he was still in Ireland. On 28 
June 1258 he received a mandate from the king, now under the control of the barons, 
not to admit any justice or other officer appointed by Edward to Ireland unless the 
appointment had the consent of the king and the barons. However, he ceased to hold 
office soon after this, Stephen Longespee being found acting as justiciar in October 
1258.

Loyalist[edit]

During the barons' wars la Zouche adhered to the king. He was on 9 July 1261 
appointed sheriff of Northamptonshire, receiving in October a letter from the king 
urging him to keep his office despite any baronial interlopers. He remained sheriff until 
1264, and sometimes ignored the provisions of Magna Carta by acting as justice 
itinerant in his own shire and also in Buckinghamshire and Hampshire. In 1261 he was 
also made justice of the forests south of Trent, and in 1263 king's seneschal. In April 
1262 he held forest pleas at Worcester.

On 12 December 1263 he was one of the royalist barons who agreed to submit all 
points of dispute to the arbitration of Louis IX. According to some accounts he was 
taken prisoner early in the battle of Lewes by John Giffard. He escaped almost 
immediately and took refuge in Lewes Priory, where he is said to have been found 
after the fight disguised as a monk.

In the summer of 1266 he was one of the committee of twelve arbitrators appointed to 
arrange the terms of the surrender of Kenilworth Castle. On 23 June 1267, after the 
peace between Henry III and Gilbert de Clare, 8th Earl of Gloucester, he was 
appointed warden of London and constable of the Tower. He continued in office until 
Michaelmas, whereupon his tenure was prolonged until Easter 1268.

In 1270 la Zouche had a suit against Earl Warenne with regard to a certain estate. On 
19 June the trial was proceeding before the justices at Westminster Hall, and la 
Zouche seemed likely to win the case. He was murderously attacked by Earl Warenne 
and his followers. Roger, his son, was wounded and driven from the hall; Alan himself 
was seriously injured and left on the spot. He was still surviving when, on 4 August, 
Warenne made his peace with the crown and agreed to pay a substantial 
compensation to the injured Zouches. He died on 10 August, and on 20 October his 
son Roger inherited his estate.

Alan's brother Eudo established the branch of the la Zouche family at Harringworth in 
Northamptonshire.

Legacy[edit]

Alan la Zouche was a benefactor of the Knights Templars, to whom he gave lands at 
Sibford, and to the Belmeis family foundation of Buildwas Abbey, after having carried 
on protracted lawsuits with that house.

Family[edit]

Alan la Zouche married Helen (d. 1296), one of the daughters and coheirs of Roger de 
Quincy, 2nd Earl of Winchester, and in 1267 succeeded to her share of the Quincy 
estates, and had issue:
Roger la Zouche (1242-1285), married Ela Longespee, daughter of Stephen Longspee 
and Emmeline de Ridelsford and granddaughter of William Longspee an illegitimate 
son of King Henry II of England. He was the father of Alan la Zouche, 1st Baron la 
Zouche of Ashby.
Helen who died in infancy
William
Oliver
Margaret, married Roger Fitzroger, Lord of Clavering (Essex), and had issues: 1.John 
de Clavering, Baron (1266-January 13, 1332), married Hawise de Tybetot
2.Euphemia FitzRobert de Clavering (1267-1329), married Jollan de Neville and Ralph 
Neville (1st Baron Neville de Raby)
3.Elizabeth Clavering, married John De Mauteby
4.Robert Clavering
5.Alexander Clavering
6.Henry Clavering
7.Roger Clavering, Of Burgh (b. 1278), married Beatrice de Clavering
8.Edmund Clavering
9.Anastasia, married Ralph de Neville

Henry who died in infancy

Parents
LA ZOUCHE Roger (ABT 1182 - BEF 14 May 1238)
BISET Margaret (ABT 1187 - 28 Jan 1232)

Siblings
LA ZOUCHE Alan II (1205 - 10 Aug 1270)
LA ZOUCHE Eudo (Eon) (ABT 1220 - BEF 25 Jun 1279)

Marriage To DE QUINCY Helen (Ellen) (ABT 1222 - BEF 20 Aug 1296)
    m.  

Notes

Parents
DE QUINCY Roger (ABT 1195 - 25 Apr 1264)
OF GALLOWAY Helen (Elena) (ABT 1202 - AFT 21 Nov 1245)

Children by DE QUINCY Helen (Ellen) ABT 1222 - BEF 20 Aug 1296
LA ZOUCHE Roger (ABT 1242 - BEF 15 Oct 1285)
LA ZOUCHE Margery (Mary) (ABT 1246 - )

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