Alice Chaucer, Duchess of Suffolk

{{Short description|15th-century English noble}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}} {{Infobox nobility |name=Alice Chaucer |post-nominals={{post-nominals|country=GBR|LG|size=100%}} |title=Duchess of Suffolk |image=File:Alice de la Pole.jpg |caption=Alice de la Pole, detail from her effigy in [[Ewelme]] Church, Oxfordshire |birth_date={{circa|1404}} |death_date=1475 |burial_place=St Mary's Church, [[Ewelme]] |spouse=Sir [[John Phelip]]<br>[[Thomas Montagu, 4th Earl of Salisbury]]<br>[[William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk]] |issue=[[John de la Pole, 2nd Duke of Suffolk]] |father=[[Thomas Chaucer]] |mother=Matilda Burghersh }} [[File:ChaucerArms.png|thumb|Arms of Chaucer, paternal arms of Alice de la Pole: ''Argent, a chief gules overall a lion rampant double queued or'', as visible on her monument in Ewelme Church]] '''Alice Chaucer, Duchess of Suffolk''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|LG}} ({{circa|1404}}–1475) was an English noblewoman and patron of the arts, granddaughter of the [[English people|English]] poet [[Geoffrey Chaucer]]. Married three times, she eventually became a Lady of the [[Order of the Garter|Most Noble Order of the Garter]], an honour granted rarely to women and marking the friendship between herself and her third husband, [[William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk]], with [[Henry VI of England|King Henry VI]] and his wife [[Margaret of Anjou]].<ref name="WAYB">{{cite web| url = http://www.fordsfarm.co.uk/Ewelme-VII.html| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060903144303/http://www.fordsfarm.co.uk/Ewelme-VII.html| archive-date = 2006-09-03| title = The Church, Almhouses and School|access-date=30 September 2023}}</ref>

==Origins== She was born as Alice Chaucer, a daughter of [[Thomas Chaucer]] by his wife, Matilda Burghersh. Her grandfather was the poet [[Geoffrey Chaucer]], author of ''[[The Canterbury Tales]]''.

==Marriages and children== She married three times: *Firstly, when aged 11, she married Sir [[John Phelip]] ({{circa|1380}}–1415).<ref>Archer, Rowena E. [https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/54434 "Chaucer <nowiki>[</nowiki>married names Phelip, Montagu, de la Pole<nowiki>]</nowiki>, Alice, duchess of Suffolk"], ''[[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]]'', 19 May 2011. Accessed 5 February 2019.</ref> The couple lived briefly at [[Donnington Castle]], but Sir John died within a year. Sir John, also titled Lord Donnington, had married Maud, the widow of Walter Cookesey of Caldwall Castle, [[Kidderminster]] in the County of [[Worcestershire]]. Sir John lived at [[Caldwall Castle]] during his marriage to Maud and upon her death married Alice Chaucer. Sir John, a close personal friend of [[Henry V of England|Henry V]], died of [[dysentery]] after the successful 22 September 1415 capture of the fortress of [[Harfleur]] in [[Normandy]]. Sir John is buried at [[St Mary and All Saints' Church, Kidderminster]]. *Secondly, after 1421, Alice married [[Thomas Montagu, 4th Earl of Salisbury]] (1388–1428),<ref>Curry, Anne. [https://doi.org/10.1093/ref:odnb/18999 "Montagu, Thomas <nowiki>[</nowiki>Thomas de Montacute<nowiki>]</nowiki>, fourth earl of Salisbury"], ''[[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]]'', 03 January 2008. Accessed 5 February 2019.</ref> one of the most important English commanders during the [[Hundred Years' War]], who died at the [[Siege of Orléans (1428–1429)|Siege of Orléans]]. *Thirdly, in 1430, she married [[William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk|William de la Pole]] (1396–1450), whose father [[Michael de la Pole, 2nd Earl of Suffolk|Michael]] had also died at [[Harfleur]], along with Sir John Phelip. William was [[Lord Steward|Steward of the Household]] to King [[Henry VI of England|Henry VI]], and from 1447 to 1450 was the dominant force in the Council and [[List of English chief ministers|Chief Minister]] to the king; as such he was particularly associated with the unpopular royal policies whose failures culminated in the anti-court protest and political violence of [[Jack Cade|Cade's Revolt]] in 1450. He was Constable of [[Wallingford Castle]] in 1434. By William de la Pole she had a son: **[[John de la Pole, 2nd Duke of Suffolk|John de la Pole]] (1442–1492) who married [[Elizabeth of York, Duchess of Suffolk|Elizabeth of York]], making him the brother-in-law of two kings, [[Edward IV of England|Edward IV]] and [[Richard III of England|Richard III]]. John became 2nd [[Duke of Suffolk]] in 1463.

==Career== Alice was a [[lady-in-waiting]] to [[Margaret of Anjou]] in 1445, and a patron of the arts.

==Patron of art== She ordered the making of a series of tapestries depicting the life of [[St Anne]], which were displayed in the room in her house at [[Ewelme]] in [[Oxfordshire]] where she greeted visitors. She outlived her husband for a number of years and dwelled at Ewelme as the mistress of the house for a decade (during which times the tapestries were commissioned). She is a rare and important example of an autonomous woman patronising art works depicting empowered historical female characters. St Anne, mother of [[Mary, mother of Jesus|Virgin Mary]] and grandmother of [[Jesus]], was a saint who was enjoying increasing popularity amongst female worshippers and was of particular pertinence to Alice as Anne, like Alice, also had had three marriages and was pregnant later in her life. Images of St Anne teaching the Virgin Mary to read were a popular image of Anne at this time, implying perhaps a contemporary reverence for literacy and education for women, though Alice is frequently overlooked as an historical figure of significance because of patriarchal assumptions about the subservience of women in history. Alice was a woman of intelligence and her life reveals information about the late medieval experience of women. She possessed a large library. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leedstrinity.ac.uk/departments/english/misericordia/profane%20arts%201998%20a/05%20jambeck,%20karen%20k.%20(1998)-the%20library%20of%20alice%20chaucer,%20duchess%20of%20suffolk.pdf |access-date=13 March 2014 |url-status=dead |title=The Library of Alice Chaucer, The Duchess of Suffolk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140313211710/http://www.leedstrinity.ac.uk/departments/english/misericordia/profane%20arts%201998%20a/05%20jambeck%2C%20karen%20k.%20%281998%29-the%20library%20of%20alice%20chaucer%2C%20duchess%20of%20suffolk.pdf |archive-date=13 March 2014 }}</ref>

Alice Chaucer's library collection was extensive and varied. She owned many French texts, which are believed to be obtained when she went to France with her husband in 1444/5 for an extended time. She also owned many religious service books. Some of the French texts she owned were an original [[Charlemagne]] romance published by [[William Caxton|Caxton]], known as ''[[The Four Sons of Aymon]],'' [[Christine de Pizan|Christine de Pizan's]], ''[[The Book of the City of Ladies|Le Livre de la Cité des Dames]]'', a translation of the ''De Morali Principis Institutione'' by [[Dominican Order|Dominican]] [[friar]] [[Vincent of Beauvais|Vincent de Beauvais]], and [[John Lydgate]]'s translation of Deguileville's ''Pèlerinage de la Vie Hamaine''. <ref>{{Cite book|title=Middle-aged women in the Middle Ages|date=2011|others=Sue Niebrzydowski|isbn=978-1-84615-793-6|location=Cambridge|oclc=774293897}}</ref>

==Widowhood== Alice could be both ruthless and acquisitive in pursuit of the inheritance of her son, John de la Pole. In 1437, the Duke constructed the ''God's House'' at [[Ewelme]], a reminder of their Catholic devotions. But after her husband's execution she took back many of the [[Norfolk]] manors of her friend [[Paston Letters|Margaret Paston]], with dubious title deeds. The [[Paston family]] grew to dislike her for this.

In 1450, William de la Pole was impeached by the [[House of Commons of England|House of Commons]] in Parliament, but [[Henry VI of England|Henry VI]] intervened to exile his favourite rather than have him tried by the [[House of Lords]]. On his way across the [[English Channel]] his vessel was intercepted by ''The Nicholas of the Tower'' whose crew subjected him to a mock trial, after which he was beheaded and his body thrown overboard. William's remains were recovered from the beach at [[Dover]], and Alice had her husband buried at the [[Charterhouse, Kingston upon Hull|Kingston Charterhouse]], founded in 1377 by his grandfather, [[Michael de la Pole, 1st Earl of Suffolk]]. After William was killed, his properties, including [[Wallingford Castle]] and the [[Honour of Wallingford]] and St Valery, passed to Alice. She lent the Crown 3,500 marks whereupon the king spared the family from [[attainder]] of title. She survived many challenges to her position, including a state trial in 1451. Whilst she had benefited from [[House of Lancaster|Lancastrian]] connections, she switched to supporting the [[House of York]] during the [[Wars of the Roses]]. In 1455 she was custodian of the [[Henry Holland, 3rd Duke of Exeter]] at [[Wallingford Castle]]. She was officially [[castellan]] at [[Wallingford, Oxfordshire|Wallingford]] until at least 1471 and possibly until her death in 1475. In 1472 Alice became custodian of [[Margaret of Anjou]], her former friend and patron. A wealthy landowner, Alice de la Pole held land in 22 counties, and was a patron of the poet [[John Lydgate]].

==Death and burial== [[File:Ewelme, Kirche St Mary the Virgin, Alice-Grabmal mit Durchblick zur St John-Kapelle.jpg|thumb|Monument (north side) to Alice Chaucer, Duchess of Suffolk, St Mary's Church, Ewelme]] She died in 1475 and was buried in St Mary's Church, [[Ewelme]], where survives her elaborate [[cadaver tomb]] [[church monument|monument]].<ref>{{cite thesis|title=Leicester Research Archive: Saint Christopher Wall Paintings in English and Welsh Churches, c.1250-c.1500 |date=15 January 2010 |publisher=University of Leicester |hdl= 2381/7964|type=thesis |last1=Pridgeon |first1=Eleanor Elizabeth }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.friendsofewelmechurch.co.uk/history/alice-chaucers-tomb/ |title=Alice Chaucer's Tomb - Friends of Ewelme ChurchFriends of Ewelme Church |website=Friendsofewelmechurch.co.uk |access-date=30 January 2016 |archive-date=5 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205175420/http://www.friendsofewelmechurch.co.uk/history/alice-chaucers-tomb/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The alabaster monument, almost undamaged by time, consists of a [[chest tomb]] on top of which is the [[recumbent effigy]] of the Duchess, with a canopy of panelled stone above. The space beneath the effigy encloses her sculpted cadaver, which is visible through elaborate reticulated arches.<ref>{{cite web|author=[[Julia Bolton Holloway]] |url=http://www.florin.ms/Duchess.html# |title=Geoffrey Chaucer. The Tomb of the Duchess |website=Florin.ms |access-date=30 January 2016}}</ref>

Her effigy was examined by [[Queen Victoria]]'s commissioners to discover how a lady should wear the [[Order of the Garter]], which she wears on her left wrist.<ref name="WAYB"/> The Latin inscription on the monument is: ''Orate pro Anima Serenissimae Principissae Aliciae Ducissae Suffolciae Huius Ecclesiae Patronae, et Primae Fundatricis Huius Eleemosynariae Quae obit XX Die Mensis Maii Anno 1475''<ref name="WAYB"/> ("Pray ye all for the soul of the Most Serene Princess Alice, [[Earl of Suffolk|Duchess of Suffolk]], [[Advowson|patron]] of this church, and first founder of this charity, who died on the 20th day of the month of May in the year 1475"). The title of "Most Serene Princess" she probably acquired by her son's royal marriage.<ref name="WAYB"/>

On the monument are sixteen heraldic shields, displaying the arms of Chaucer, the [[Royal Arms of England]], de la Pole, [[House of Montagu|Montagu]] quartering Monthermer, and Roet.<ref>[http://www.fordsfarm.co.uk/Ewelme-VII.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060903144303/http://www.fordsfarm.co.uk/Ewelme-VII.html|date=3 September 2006}}, which incorrectly identifies the arms of Chaucer as Burghersh throughout.</ref>

==Children and Yorkist claim to the throne== ===Son=== Alice's son, [[John de la Pole, 2nd Duke of Suffolk]], married [[Elizabeth of York, Duchess of Suffolk|Elizabeth of York]], the second surviving daughter of [[Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York]] and [[Cecily Neville, Duchess of York|Cecily Neville]]. Elizabeth's brothers included the [[House of York|Yorkist]] kings [[Edward IV of England|Edward IV]] and [[Richard III of England|Richard III]] and her other [[sibling]]s included [[George, Duke of Clarence]] and [[Margaret of York]] (later Duchess of Burgundy).

===Grandsons=== Three of John de la Pole's four sons by Elizabeth of York - Alice's grandsons - pursued the unsuccessful [[House of York|Yorkist]] claim to the throne against [[Henry VII of England|Henry VII]]. # [[John de la Pole, 1st Earl of Lincoln]], was designated heir to his uncle Richard III and pursued the Yorkist claim to the throne under [[Henry VII of England|Henry VII]]. Along with his aunt [[Margaret of York|Margaret, Duchess of Burgundy]] he supported the pretender [[Lambert Simnel]], but was killed at the [[Battle of Stoke]] (1487). # Lincoln's younger brother, [[Edmund de la Pole, 3rd Duke of Suffolk]], became the leading [[House of York|Yorkist]] claimant to [[Henry VII of England|Henry VII]]'s throne and was executed in 1513. # [[Richard de la Pole]], their youngest brother, continued the Yorkist claim until he was slain at the [[Battle of Pavia]], 1525.

==Further reading== *{{cite book|title=The History of Wallingford, in the County of Berks: 1327 to 1880. Churches and monastic institutions|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i58xAQAAIAAJ|year=1881|publisher=W. Clowes}} *{{cite book|last=Mate|first=Mavis E.|title=Women in Medieval English Society|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YUVXsG5CaywC|year=1999|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-58733-4}}

==In popular culture== Alice Chaucer is a main character in several of [[Margaret Frazer]]'s [[Margaret Frazer#Dame Frevisse series|Dame Frevisse]] historical mysteries, and is mentioned in several others.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://detecs.org/frevisse.html|title = Dame Frevisse (Margaret Frazer)}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chaucer, Alice}} [[Category:15th-century English nobility]] [[Category:1400s births]] [[Category:1475 deaths]] [[Category:Nobility from Oxfordshire]] [[Category:People from Shaw-cum-Donnington]] [[Category:Geoffrey Chaucer]] [[Category:De Montagu family|Alice]] [[Category:De la Pole family|Alice]] [[Category:Holders of the Honour of Wallingford]] [[Category:English countesses by marriage|Salisbury]] [[Category:English duchesses by marriage|Suffolk]] [[Category:Ladies of the Garter]] [[Category:Wives of knights]] [[Category:15th-century English ladies-in-waiting]]