A power couple of the Tudor era, Giles and Elizabeth Daubeny navigated difficult political circumstances, took risks and worked towards the future of their family.
Giles was the son of William Daubeny and Alice Stourton of South Petherton in Somerset, born in 1452. On William's death on 2 June 1461 Giles succeeded to his father's lands. Loyal to the crown, he served the new Yorkist king, Edward IV, rising to become one of the esquires of the king's body, a privileged position that was marked by the king's trust in him, but also gave him access to Edward's ear and influence.
Daubeny was granted a string of responsibilities and lands and was knighted by Edward. His wife Elizabeth, who he had married by 1476, was there with him every step of the way as he secured greater and more important responsibilities. In July 1477 Edward appointed him keeper of the forests of Petherton, and in the following December he headed a commission to arrest two men suspected of piracy against a merchant ship in Ireland. The victims had been despoiled of their cargo, stripped of their clothes and left naked on the shore at Kensale. In March 1478 he was one of the many men appointed to look into the properties and belongings of the king's brother George Duke of Clarence. Clarence had been executed (legend has it by forced drowning in a barrel of malmsey wine) for treason, after making a series of reckless decisions along with unwise remarks about the possibility of him ruling in his brother's place.
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| Effigy of Giles Daubeny, Westminster Abbey Jo Romero |
Meanwhile, the Daubeny's prospects and wealth rose further. In February 1483 Edward IV's mother Cecily Neville Duchess of York appointed Giles keeper of her castle at Bridgwater, showing that he was known to the duchess and had clearly gained her trust as much as Edward's. In April of that year however the royal court experienced a bombshell. Edward IV died of a short and sudden illness, thought by many to have been caused by exposure to the cold while out fishing, while others muttered about the effects of his luxurious lifestyle. After the thirteen-year old Prince Edward was proclaimed Edward V, Giles was sent to investigate subsidies owed to the crown in Somerset. Just weeks later, in July 1483, Edward V's uncle, Richard Duke of Gloucester processed to Westminster with his wife Anne Neville to be crowned king in his nephew's place. The unrest at Richard's accession is evidenced by Giles being commanded the following December to look into those who had 'committed treasons, insurrections and rebellions' and take their castles, lordships, lands, rents, goods and possessions into Richard III's hands.
It was here that the Daubenys' took a substantial risk. At the end of 1483 Giles had lent his support to the Duke of Buckingham, in a rebellion against the rule of Richard III and amid fresh doubts as to the fate of Edward IV's sons, the two princes. The rebellion failed, and it is believed that Daubeny fled to Brittany to join the cause of Henry Tudor. In England, his responsibilities and lands were swiftly seized and gifted to Ricardian supporters, and he is mentioned in records as a 'traitor'. Again, Elizabeth's movements during this time are not known, but it is possible that she was known to the wives of other Buckingham supporters like Margaret Gaynesford, Elizabeth Blount, Elizabeth Delabere and Katherine Woodville.
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| Effigy of Elizabeth Daubeny, Westminster Abbey, Jo Romero |
Giles drafted his will in the spring of 1508, when he was around 56 years old. He died in London just days later, on 20 May 1508, suggesting that he knew he was dying. He remained loyal to the end, and died as Chamberlain of the Household to Henry VII, a post he had held since 1495. Elizabeth, in order to control her fourteen-year old son's future, quickly petitioned the crown for control over his marriage and custody of his lands. She achieved this in 1510, in a grant given by the new king Henry VIII. In 1538 Henry Daubeny would be created Earl of Bridgwater, but died just a decade later at the age of 44.
Giles Daubeny was clearly a well-known figure at the court of four kings. He served Edward IV and Edward V. His allegiance shifted away from Richard III as he supported rebellion against him, but reinstated himself at the court of Henry VII where he received even greater rewards. He served politically, militarily and in state business. Elizabeth's trace in the record is less visible, but we can be certain that she was also a well-known figure among court circles. Evidence of women's actions in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries shows that they were not simply waving away servants and idly reading illuminated manuscripts in gardens. They were active in supporting the family by assisting in their husband's business, working towards alliances with other families and overseeing the education and safety of their children. Elizabeth celebrated her husband's success and stood alongside him during their adversity, along with considerable risk to the family. From a prominent and wealthy family in her own right, Elizabeth brought regional and financial power to the union, while Giles provided the all-important royal service that elevated them to political and social power.
The couple are buried in Westminster Abbey, with a railing around their joint effigy. Giles is portrayed in armour, with his Knight of the Garter insignia clearly shown. Elizabeth's head rests on a pillow supported by angels.
Notes and Sources
https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/giles-daubeney & visit to Westminster Abbey November 2024
Brayley, The History and Antiquities of Westminster, vol 2. 1823.
The Complete Peerage, ed 1 v3, 1890 George Cokayne
Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1476-1485
Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1485-1494
Calendar of Patent Rolls, 1494-1509
Letters and Papers, Henry VIII, Volume 1, 1510.
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