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Birth:          ABT 1320 of Norfolk, England
Death:          24 Mar 1399 
Burial:         Grey Friars, London, England

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret,_Duchess_of_Norfolk
Margaret, in her own right Countess of Norfolk (sometimes surnamed Brotherton or 
Marshal;[1] c.?1320–24 March 1399), was the daughter and eventual sole heir of 
Thomas of Brotherton, eldest son of Edward I, by his second marriage. In 1338 she 
succeeded to the earldom of Norfolk and the office of Earl Marshal.
Family[edit]

Margaret (b. about 1320), was the daughter of Thomas of Brotherton and Alice de 
Hales (d. in or before 1330). Her paternal grandparents were Edward I and Margaret 
(1279?–1318), daughter of Philippe III of France (d.1285).[2] Her maternal 
grandparents were Roger de Hales of Hales Hall in Loddon, Roughton, Norfolk and 
Alice.[3][4] She had a brother and sister:
Edward of Norfolk, who married Beatrice de Mortimer, daughter of Roger de Mortimer, 
1st Earl of March, but died without issue before 9 August 1334.[5]
Alice of Norfolk, who married Sir Edward de Montagu.[6]

Life[edit]

In 1335 aged 15 (the typical age of marriage for maidens of that era), she was married 
to John Segrave, 4th Baron Segrave, and proceeded to have four children - two sons 
and two daughters - by him. In 1350, she sought a divorce on the ground that they 
had been contracted in marriage (in other words betrothed) before she was of 
marriageable age, and that she had never consented to cohabit with him. She made 
known her intention of traveling to the continent in order to plead personally with the 
Pope for a divorce. King Edward III prohibited her from leaving England, but she set 
off incognito anyway, having taken care to obtain a safe conduct from the King of 
France.

The following year (1351) Edward III charged her with having crossed the English 
Channel in contravention of his prohibition.[7] The inquisition, regarding this incident, 
shows that Margaret unlawfully crossed the Channel and met with a servant of her 
future husband, Sir Walter de Mauny, who broke his lantern with his foot so she could 
pass unnoticed and acted as her guardian during her sojourn in France. This incident 
and the involvement of her future husband's retainer may indicate the real motivation 
for Margaret seeking a divorce.

The divorce case was ultimately heard by the Pope's auditor, the Dean of St. Hilary's 
at Poitiers. However, Margaret's first husband died in 1353, before the divorce could 
be finalized. Shortly thereafter, and just before 30 May 1354, she married Sir Walter 
de Mauny without the King's licence. They were married 18 years, and had three 
children before he died at London on 8 or 13 January 1372.[8]

On 29 September 1397, Margaret was created Duchess of Norfolk for life.[8][why?] 
She died 24 March 1399, and was buried in the choir of Grey Friars in the City of 
London.[8]

The executors of her will are reported to be John Sileby & Walter fitz Piers, who in 
1399 were reported to be attempting to recover money due to her estate.[9]

Marriages and issue[edit]

Margaret married firstly, about 1335,[4] John Segrave, 4th Baron Segrave, by whom 
she had two sons and two daughters:[10]
John de Segrave, who died young.[10]
John de Segrave (d. before 1 April 1353), second of that name, who was contracted 
to marry Blanche of Lancaster, younger daughter and coheiress of Henry of Grosmont, 
1st Duke of Lancaster. However the contract was later declared void[11] and Blanche 
later married John of Gaunt. About 1349, a double marriage was solemnized in which 
John Segrave married Blanche Mowbray, while John's sister, Elizabeth Segrave, 
married Blanche Mowbray's brother, John de Mowbray, 4th Baron Mowbray, Pope 
Clement VI having granted dispensations for the marriages at the request of 
Lancaster, in order to prevent 'disputes between the parents', who were neighbours.
[12][13][11]
Elizabeth de Segrave, 5th Baroness Segrave, who married John de Mowbray, 4th 
Baron Mowbray.[11]
Margaret de Segrave, who died young, before 1353.[11]

Shortly before 30 May 1354, Margaret married secondly, and without the King's 
licence, Sir Walter Mauny,[14] by whom she had a son and two daughters:[11]
Thomas Mauny, who was drowned in a well at Deptford at the age of ten.[11]
Anne Mauny, who married John Hastings, 2nd Earl of Pembroke.[11]
Isabel Mauny, who was living in 1358, but died without issue before 30 November 
1371.[11]

Distinction[edit]

As her brother had died without issue, she succeeded to the earldom of Norfolk and 
the office of Earl Marshal at her father's death in 1338. To date, she is the only 
woman to have held the latter office.

Fictional representations[edit]

Margaret is a character in Georgette Heyer's last novel My Lord John, where she is 
portrayed sympathetically as a kindly though outwardly formidable old lady.

Parents
PLANTAGENET Thomas "of Brotherton" (1 Jun 1300 - 4 Aug 1338)
DE HALES Alice (ABT 1302 - ABT 1327)

Siblings
PLANTAGENET Margaret (ABT 1320 - 24 Mar 1399)

Marriage To DE SEGRAVE John (4 May 1315 - 1 Apr 1353)
    m. ABT 1335 

Notes

Parents
DE SEAGRAVE Stephen John (ABT 1285 - 1325)
FITZ ALAN (ARUNDELL) Alice (Aline) (ABT 1289 - AFT 12 Dec 1325)

Children by DE SEGRAVE John 4 May 1315 - 1 Apr 1353
DE SEGRAVE Elizabeth (25 Oct 1338 - BEF 1368)

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