William de Beauchamp made his name as a great military leader under Edward I. Hewas the first Beauchamp to hold the title, Earl of Warwick, which would stay with the family for 148 years.
William's son, Guy de Beauchamp, was the 10th Earl of Warwick. He was among a group of earls known as the "Ordainers". With their own interests at heart, they banded together to impose control over the way King Edward II ruled the kingdom. It is said that Piers Gaveston, a knight and "special friend" of the King's, was seized by Guy de Beauchamp and taken to Warwick Castle. He was tried and sentenced to death, being beheaded at Blacklow Hill, just outside Warwick. Guy died approximately 3 years later (1315), leaving a young son to succeed him. His son, Thomas Beauchamp, would not become 11th Earl Warwick for 14 more years.
Thomas is credited for beginning the massive construction of Warwick Castle (how it is today). His allegiance was to Edward III and fought valiantly at the battles of Crecy and Poitiers. He was one of the very first men to be appointed a Knight of the Garter. Thomas was an advisor to Edward's son, the Black Prince.
The Earldom of Warwick was lost to the Beauchamp's, for a short time, during the reign of Richard II. Thomas, the son of the previous Thomas, along with four other Lord's at the "Merciless Parliament" (1388) forced Richard to either dismiss or execute some of his court favorites. In 1397, Richard brought the lords to trial. Earl Warwick confessed to treachery and was sentenced to exile on the Isle of Man. All his lands and title were forfeited. Two years later, Henry IV, overthrew Richard. At that time, Thomas reclaimed his inheritance.
Possibly the most prominent of the Beauchamp's was Thomas' son, Richard. He was the tutor to the young son of Henry V, who would later become King Henry VI. Serving as the Captain of Calais, it was his duty to oversee the trial of Joan of Arc for heresy, who was burned at the stake in the town of Rouen, France. Richard prospered from the Hundred Year War with enough financial gain to finish the costly rebuilding of Warwick Castle.
Richard's son, Henry, was a boyhood friend of King Henry VI. The king made Henry the 1st Duke fo Warwick in 1445. That title died with him the very next year. Henry's only survivor was his baby daughter. At the age of 5, she too died. After her death, the Earldom passed to Henry's sister, Anne Beauchamp. When Anne married Richard Neville, the Beauchamp dynasty ceased to exist.
Beauchamp
