under the misapprehension that it belonged to his mother-in-law; he relinquished it on discovering that the rightful owner was, in fact, the Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1318 he murdered Llywelyn Bren, a Welsh hostage in his custody. Eleanor and Hugh had nine children who survived infancy: Hugh le Despenser (c. 1308/9 – 8 February 1349), Baron le Despenser, who was summoned to Parliament in 1338. At his death without issue, his nephew Edward, son of his brother Edward, was created Baron le Despenser in 1357. Edward le Despenser (c. 1310 – 30 September 1342), soldier, killed at the siege of Vannes; father of Edward Despenser, Knight of the Garter, who became Baron le Despenser in a new creation of 1357 Isabel le Despenser, Countess of Arundel (c. 1312 – aft. 1356), the first wife of Richard Fitzalan, 10th Earl of Arundel. The marriage was annulled and their child, Edmund, was disinherited. Joan le Despenser (c. 1314 – 15 November 1384), nun at Shaftesbury Abbey Gilbert le Despenser (c. 1316 – April 1382) John le Despenser (c. 1317 – June 1366) Eleanor le Despenser (c. 1319 – February 1351), nun at Sempringham Priory Margaret le Despenser (c. August 1323 – 1337), nun at Whatton Priory Elizabeth le Despenser (c. December 1325 – 13 July 1389), married Maurice de Berkeley, 4th Baron Berkeley. Political manoeuverings Despenser became royal chamberlain in 1318. As a royal courtier, he manoeuvred into the affections of King Edward, displacing the previous favourite, Roger d'Amory. This came much to the dismay of the baronage as they saw him both taking their rightful places at court at best, and at worst being the new, worse Gaveston. By 1320 his greed was running free. He also supposedly vowed revenge on Roger Mortimer, because Mortimer's grandfather had killed his own. By 1321 he had earned many enemies in every stratum of society, from Queen Isabella in France, to the barons, to the common people. There was even a plot to kill Despenser by sticking his wax likeness with pins. Finally the barons took action against King Edward and, at the beseeching of Queen Isabella, forced Despenser and his father into exile in August 1321. However, Edward's intent to summon them back to England was no secret. The king rallied support after an attack against Isabella's party at Leeds Castle, an event possibly orchestrated. Early in the following year, with Mortimer's barons