Biographies
Biographies
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Biographies of lesser people starting with L

The people listed on this page currently have less information so do not warrant a page of their own. As this website evolves and more information is added these people will be promoted to individual pages.

Fantasy image of Leofric (Bishop of Exeter)
Leofric (Bishop of Exeter)
Fantasy image of Leofwine (Earl of Kent and Essex)
Leofwine (Earl of Kent and Essex)

Please note: Portraits on this page are not intented to be accurate depictions of the individuals.

Leofric (Bishop of Exeter)

Died: 1072

Leofric was the first Bishop of Exeter and in 1050 had sought papal permission from Pope Leo IX to move the see from the small town of Crediton to Exeter itself. This was in the time of Danish raids and Crediton did not have the defensive walls to prevent attacks. On the other hand Exeter was better protected with walls and was a safer location for a major church and its treasures. Leofric was granted the bishopric by Edward the Confessor who had met him while in exile abroard and employed his services. Leofric populated the new cathedral with canons who followed the rule of St. Chrodehgang, the Bishop of Metz. The library of the new cathedral was almost empty when he arrived so Leofric set about obtaining all the books that had been taken from Exeter over time. From his own purse he also supplied money to keep the cathedral running until it was able to fund itself. He died in 1072.

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1050

The See of Devon and Cornwall had been located at Crediton in Devon but in 1050 Edward the Confessor moved the See to Exeter. This moved the cathedral from an obscure location to a more important one. Edward gave the new Bishopric to Leofric.

Leofric (Earl of Mercia)

Died: 1057

Leofric rose to power during the reign of Canute and Edward the Confessor. He became the Earl of Mercia and controlled large parts of the Midlands. He supported Edward against the Godwins. He appears to have been quite religious as there are records of him founding abbeys at Coventry and Wenlock. Leofric died in 1057.

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    Timeline

    1035

    King Canute died at Shaftesbury leaving the rule of the country in dispute between Harthacnut (the son of Emma) and Harold Harefoot (the son of Aelfgifu). The Earls of Northumbria and Mercia supported Harold's claim while Earl Godwin supported Harthacanute's. Canute's body was taken to Winchester to be buried. Harthacnut was in Denmark at the time of his father's death and was unable to travel to England because of invasion threats.

    1040

    Earl Leofric builds a new Minster on the site of older religious buildings at Much Wenlock.

    1043

    Leofric and his lady Godgifu found the Abbey on the site of Coventry Cathedral. Godgifu may have been the famous Lady Godiva who rode naked through the streets of Coventry to save the townsfolk from paying high taxes.

    Leofwine (Earl of Kent and Essex)

    Died: 1066

    eofwine was the son of Godwin, Earl of Wessex. He died at the Battle of Hastings.

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    Family Tree Details

    Father:Godwin (Earl of Wessex) (b.1000? - d.1053)
    Mother:Gytha
     Leofwine (Earl of Kent and Essex) ( - d.1066)
     Leofwine (Earl of Kent and Essex) ( - d.1066)

    Lionel (of Antwerp, Duke of Clarence)

    Born: 28 November 1338 Died: 7 October 1368

    on of Edward III.

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    1338

    Queen Philippa gave birth to another son. The child was born in Antwerp. ¹

     

    Family Tree Details

    Father:Edward (III, King of England 1327-1377) (b.1312 - d.1377)
    Mother:Philippa (of Hainault) (b.1314? - d.1369)
     Lionel (of Antwerp, Duke of Clarence) (b.1338 - d.1368)
        +Elizabeth (de Burgh) ( - d.1363)
        |   = Philippa (daughter of Lionel Duke of Clarence)
        |       +Mortimer, Edmund (3rd Earl of March) ( - d.1381)
        |           = Mortimer, Roger (4th Earl of March) (b.1374 - d.1398)
        |           |   +Holland, Eleanor (Wife of Roger, Earl of March)
        |           |       = Mortimer, Edmund (5th Earl of March) (b.1391 - d.1425)
        |           |       = Mortimer, Anne (daughter of Roger, Earl of March)
        |           = Mortimer, Edmund ( - d.1409)
        |               +Glyndwr, Katherine
        +Visconti, Violante
     Lionel (of Antwerp, Duke of Clarence) (b.1338 - d.1368)
        +Elizabeth (de Burgh) ( - d.1363)
        |   = Philippa (daughter of Lionel Duke of Clarence)
        |       +Mortimer, Edmund (3rd Earl of March) ( - d.1381)
        |           = Mortimer, Roger (4th Earl of March) (b.1374 - d.1398)
        |           |   +Holland, Eleanor (Wife of Roger, Earl of March)
        |           |       = Mortimer, Edmund (5th Earl of March) (b.1391 - d.1425)
        |           |       = Mortimer, Anne (daughter of Roger, Earl of March)
        |           = Mortimer, Edmund ( - d.1409)
        |               +Glyndwr, Katherine
        +Visconti, Violante

    Longsword, William

    Or William Longespee. William was the illegitimate son of King Henry II and became the earl of Salisbury after marrying the heiress to the earldom of Salisbury in 1198. William supported King John during his reign, including defeating the French fleet in 1213 preparing to invade.

    Timeline

    1232

    Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire was founded by Ela, Countess of Salisbury, the widow of William Longespee, the son of Henry II. ¹

     

    Family Tree Details

    Father:Henry (II, King of England 1154-1189) (b.1133 - d.1189)
    Mother:Illegitimate (Henry II)
     Longsword, William
     Longsword, William

    Louis (I, Duke of Orleans)

    Died: 1407

    Louis was the second son of Charles V, King of France and the younger brother of Charles VI. In 1389 Louis married Valentina Visconti the daughter of Gian Galeazzo, Duke of Milan. An agreement was reached that specified if Gian died without a male heir, the Duchy of Milan would pass to the hiers of Valentina. Gian and his two sons did die without producing any heirs and the Duchy the claimed by Valentina's grandson, King Louis XII, of France in 1498. Duke Louis played an important role in the Hundred Year's War against the English. This was because his elder brother King Charles suffered from bouts of madness and was unable to rule the country. Charles' wife Isabeau formed a regency counsel that ruled France until the King was well again. Another member of the councel was Philip the Bold of Burgundy. When Philip died in 1404, his son John the Fearless succeeded his father and began a power struggle with the Duke and Isabeau. In 1407, Duke Louis was assassinated on the streets of Paris, but John denied having anyting to do with it.

     

    Family Tree Details

    Father:Charles (V, King of France 1364 - 1380) (b.1338 - d.1380)
    Mother:Joan (of Bourbon)
     Louis (I, Duke of Orleans) ( - d.1407)
     Louis (I, Duke of Orleans) ( - d.1407)

    Louis (II, the Stammerer)

    Born: November 846 Died: April 879

    Louis who was physically weak and had a stammer, was the eldest son of Charles the Bald. He became King of Aquitaine in 867 when his elder brother died and then King of West Francia when his father died in 877. He was married twice, first to Ansgard and then to Adelaide of Paris. His marriage to Ansgard, the daughter of Hardouin of Burgundy was performed in secret and when Louis' father the king found out the pair were forbidden to see each other. From this first marriage he had two sons, Louis and Carloman, who became joint rulers of France after the death of their father. King Louis II died in April of 879 while campaigning against Vikings that were attacking France. His reign lasted less than two years and was ineffectual.

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      877    (Age: 31yrs)

      King Louis II the Stammerer was crowned King of West Francia.

      879    (Age: 33yrs)

      Vikings were again pushing into Europe and King Louis II started a campaign against their advance, but he fell ill and died. He was succeeded by his two sons Louis and Carloman who jointly ruled the areas of France.

       

      Family Tree Details

       Louis (II, the Stammerer) (b.846 - d.879)
          +Ansgard (of Burgundy) ( - d.890)
              = Louis (III, King of France 879-882) ( - d.882)
              = Carloman (II, King of France 879-884) ( - d.884)
       Louis (II, the Stammerer) (b.846 - d.879)
          +Ansgard (of Burgundy) ( - d.890)
              = Louis (III, King of France 879-882) ( - d.882)
              = Carloman (II, King of France 879-884) ( - d.884)

      Louis (III, King of France 879-882)

      Died: 882

      Louis was the eldest son of Louis, the Stammerer. When his father died, Louis and his brother Carloman became joint rulers. While Louis ruled the north of the kingdon, Carloman ruled the south. At the battle of Saucourt-en-Vimeu in 881, Louis defeated the Vikings. He died suddenly in the following year leaving Carloman to rule alone.

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        879

        Vikings were again pushing into Europe and King Louis II started a campaign against their advance, but he fell ill and died. He was succeeded by his two sons Louis and Carloman who jointly ruled the areas of France.

        881

        A battle in which Louis III, King of France defeated the Vikings.

         

        Family Tree Details

        Father:Louis (II, the Stammerer) (b.846 - d.879)
        Mother:Ansgard (of Burgundy) ( - d.890)
         Louis (III, King of France 879-882) ( - d.882)
         Louis (III, King of France 879-882) ( - d.882)

        Lucy, Richard de

        Constable of the Tower of London from 1153 and later Justiciar of England.

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        1153

        Richard de Lucy was appointed the title of Constable at the Tower of London, an extremely important position, by King Stephen.

        Lulach (Scottish King)

        Died: 1058

        Scottish king from 1057 until 1058. He was the stepson of Macbeth and became king of the Scots after Macbeth was killed by Malcolm. Lulach was also killed by Malcolm who became the next king. Lulach was known as the 'fool' or the 'simple'.

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        1057

        Macbeth was killed by Malcolm III, also known as Malcolm Canmore, who later became the King of Scotland. Macbeth was succeeded by his stepson Lulach who was crowned at Scone.

        1058

        Malcolm had killed Macbeth at Lumphanan in Aberdeenshire. Macbeth's stepson Lulach was crowned king and reigned for four months until he too was killed at Strathbogie. Malcolm became King of the Scots and was crowned at Scone. ¹

        Selection of references used:

        • 1. Hubert Cole, The Black Prince, 1976, ISBN:0-246-10778-2
        • 2. John Timbs & Alexander Gunn, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England & Wales (North), 1872
        • 3. J.D. Mackie, A History of Scotland, 1978, ISBN:0-7139-1206-5

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