Earl of Winchester | Earl Winchester

Earl of Winchester was a title that was created three times in the Peerage of England during the Middle Ages. The first was Saer de Quincy, who received the earldom in 1207/8 after his wife inherited half of the lands of the Beaumont earls of Leicester. This creation became extinct in 1265 upon the death without male heirs of Saer's son Roger de Quincy. In 1322 Edward II created the elder Hugh le Despenser Earl of Winchester. This creation lapsed after Despenser's execution in 1326.

During his exile in 1470–71 Edward IV had been the guest of a Flemish nobleman, Louis de Bruges. After Edward's return to the throne Louis was rewarded with the earldom of Winchester. His son, the second Earl, returned it to the crown in 1500.

In medieval times earldoms closely associated with counties, and the Earls of Winchester were sometimes referred to as Earls of Southampton (for Winchester is the county seat of Hampshire, which in those days was known as County Southampton or Southamptonshire).

Famous quotes containing the words earl of, earl and/or winchester:

“I call to mind the navy great
That the Greeks brought to Troye town,
And how the boistous winds did beat
Their ships, and rent their sails adown;
Till Agamemnon’s daughter’s blood
Appeased the gods that them withstood.”
—Henry Howard, Earl Of Surrey (1517?–1547)

“Instead of giving in to the greatest misfortune that can happen at my age, deafness, I busy myself in searching out all possible compensations, and I apply myself much more to all the amusements that are here within my grasp.”
—Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl Chesterfield (1694–1773)

“Up from the South at break of day,
Bringing to Winchester fresh dismay,
The affrighted air with a shudder bore,
Like a herald in haste, to the chieftain’s door,
The terrible grumble, and rumble, and roar,
Telling the battle was on once more,
And Sheridan twenty miles away.”
—Thomas Buchanan Read (1822–1872)