Hugh le Despenser, Earl of Gloucester

Also known as: Hugh lord Spenser late earle of Glocester · Family: Richard II's party · Role: lord and conspirator · First appears: Henry IV 5

Life events

c. 1399 · The conspirators planned to kill Henry IV during jousts and restore Richard to liberty and power.(Henry IV 5 · 📍 Oxford)
- With: John Holland, Duke of Exeter Thomas Holland, Earl of Kent Edward Plantagenet, Duke of York John Montagu, Earl of Salisbury John, Bishop of Carlisle Thomas Blount Maudelen Henry IV
- “when he should be most busilie marking the martiall pastime, he suddenlie should be slaine and destroied, and so by that means king Richard, who as yet liued, might be restored to libertie, and haue his former estate & dignitie.”
c. 1399 · The conspirators sealed an indenture and swore to keep their plot secret until death.(Henry IV 5)
- With: John Holland, Duke of Exeter Thomas Holland, Earl of Kent Edward Plantagenet, Duke of York John Montagu, Earl of Salisbury John, Bishop of Carlisle Thomas Blount Maudelen
- “Hervpon was an indenture sextipartite made, sealed with their seales, and signed with their hands, in the which each stood bound to other, to do their whole indeuour for the accomplishing of their purposed exploit. Moreouer, they sware on the holie euangelists to be true and secret each to other, euen to the houre and point of death.”

enemies with Henry IV “The abbat after he had felt the minds of sundrie of them, called to his house on a day in the terme time, all such lords & other persons which he either knew or thought to be as affectioned to king Richard, so enuious to the prosperitie of king Henrie, whose names were, Iohn Holland earle of Huntington late duke of Excester, Thomas Holland earle of Kent late duke of Surrie, Edward earle of Rutland late duke of Aumarle sonne to the duke of Yorke, Iohn Montacute earle of Salisburie, Hugh lord Spenser late earle of Glocester”

Extracted from the original text of Holinshed's Chronicles — the reigns Shakespeare dramatized. Made with Rho MD.