John de Vesci - Lord of Alnwick
John de Vesci was a Nobleman and Lord of Alnwick who sided with Simon de Montfort against King Henry III during the Second Barons' War. He would become friend and confidant to King Edward I.
John was born on July 18th, 1244, at Alnwick Castle. He was the eldest son of William de Vesci and Agnes de Ferrers. William died in Gascony, France, in 1253 when John was still a minor. John inherited his father's titles and estates, which included the barony of Alnwick and considerable lands in Northumberland and Yorkshire. However, since John was still a minor, his wardship was conferred on Peter II, Count of Savoy. Peter would control the barony of Alnwick for ten years. John would be educated the following year at Windsor Castle with the King's son Edmund and Henry de Lacy.
John married Agnes de Saluzzo, daughter of Manfred III, Marquis de Saluzzo, sometime before 1262. Agnes died soon afterward.
During the Second Barons' War, John sided with Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, against King Henry III. John was summoned to the great parliament of January 1265.
On August 4th, 1265, he was wounded at the Battle of Evesham and taken prisoner. During the Dictum of Kenilworth, he was released and pardoned, and his lands were restored after paying penalties to the King.
In 1267, John de Vesci participated in another uprising with other northern barons. However, when Prince Edward, later to become King Edward I, traveled north with an army, John was forced to surrender after being besieged at Alnwick Castle. Being treated well by Edward, John became a devoted friend and traveled with Edward on a crusade to Palestine between 1271 and 1272. He was one of two barons who led Edward's wife, Eleanor of Castile, away from him when he was operated on to treat his poisoned wound at Acre. In 1273, John was made governor of Scarborough Castle.
In 1275, de Vesci was part of an expedition against Godred Magnusson, who was leading an uprising in Mann to try and establish himself as King of Mann. On October 7th, a Scottish fleet landed at Ronaldsway, and John de Vesci and the Scottish Magnates arrayed their forces on St Michael's Isle and sent an offer to Godred for peace. Godred did not accept the offer, and the next morning before dawn, Godred and his followers were soundly defeated during the Battle of Ronaldsway by the Scots and De Vesci.
Sometime between 1278 and 1280, John married Isabella de Beaumont and was granted lands in Northumberland and Kent, including Eltham, by King Edward I. John and Isabella would have no children.
John de Vesci became a counselor to the King and his secretary, and in 1282, he was sent with Antony Bek to Aragon to negotiate the marriage between Alfonso, the son of King Peter III of Aragon, and Eleanor, Edward's daughter. In June of 1285, he was sent to negotiate the marriage between Edward's daughter Elizabeth and John, son of Floris V, Count of Holland.
In 1288, John was given by Edward I to King Alfonso III as a hostage. He died in 1289 at Montpellier in Gascony and was buried at Alnwick Abbey in Northumberland, England. His heart was buried in 1290 with the hearts of Queen Eleanor and her eldest son Alfonso at Blackfriars in London.
His brother, William de Vesci, inherited his estates. His wife, Isabella, was a friend to King Edward II and his wife, and she procured the advancement of her brothers, Henry de Beaumont, the claimant to the Earldom of Buchan, and Lewis de Beaumont, who later became Bishop of Durham. She was also granted custody of Bamburgh Castle.
