Edward WINDSOR (3° B. Windsor of Bradenham)

Edward was born into a landowning family of Norman ancestry that had steadily increased its possessions through the Middle Ages, including estates in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Middlesex and Surrey. They were hereditary wardens of Windsor Castle, from which they derived their name, and their close association with the monarchy temporarily lost them their lands on the defeat of Richard III in 1485. His grandfather, the first Lord Windsor was born Andrew Windsor and made Keeper of the wardrobe in 1506 - a position in the king's secret financial machinery which gave him control of a budget of thousands of pounds and great opportunities for profit. He was an important part of the network of his cousin, the notorious Edmund Dudley, but early knowledge of the king's death allowed him to side-step Dudley's fall and he kept his position until his death in 1543. On his accession in 1509, the new King Henry VIII signalled his acceptance of Sir Andrew into the inner circles of government.

In his grandfather's dotage in 1542, during a visit by Henry VIII, Lord Windsor was obliged to surrender one of the family manors, Stanwell between Hampton Court and Windsor to the crown, in return given a more modest historic farm of Hewell Grange, a manor of Tardebigge in north Worcestershire. The following year his grandfather died aged approximately 74. By contrast, his father, William, 2nd Baron Windsor, only survived 13 more years. This enabled Edward to succeed as 3rd Baron Windsor in 1558, at age 26.

Catherine De Vere, lady Windsor

by the Master of the Countess of Warwick

Edward Windsor married Lady Catherine de Vere, the daughter of John de Vere, 16th Earl of Oxford and his first wife, Dorothy Neville. Catherine's father died on 3 Aug 1562, leaving behind a widow, Margery Golding, and their two children, Edward (then 13) and Mary (then 10 or under).

He was appointed a Knight of the Carpet on 2 Oct 1553, a day after Mary was crowned queen. He fought at the Battle of St. Quentin (1557), an engagement of the Italian War of 1551–1559, as part of an English force commanded by Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford.

In 1558, he succeeded to his father's title of Baron Windsor, which brought him a seat in the House of Lords during sessions of parliament.

By 28 Jun 1563, Catherine and Edward Windsor had sued to have Edward and Mary declared illegitimate. Oxford's marriage to Golding was somewhat irregular, but not illegal. The Windsors lost their suit, and the de Veres lost their wealth. John de Vere's son Edward inherited the title.

Edward Windsor and his family, 1568

Formerly attributed to Master of the Countess of Warwick

In 1563 Edward Windsor sold the remaining Middlesex family manor of Littleton (bought in 1528) to Francis Vaughan. Edward entertained Queen Elizabeth I in great splendour at Bradenham in 1566, on her return from visiting the University of Oxford.

A firm Roman Catholic, he lived many years on the continent of Europe.

Windsor was admitted to the bar as a member of the Middle Temple, the bench book of which records:

"Ordered, that Edward lord Windsor shall have, at his pleasure, his chamber called "the Parliament Chamber", notwithstanding the admission of Mr. Jerome Corbet, who will move therefrom whenever the said lord or Frederick, his eldest son, shall wish to reside there; but they must pay Corbet for his expenses in the said chamber"

He died in Venice, where he is buried in the Basilica of San Giovanni & San Paolo. His monument there has been called "a sober, classical work attributed to Alessandro Vittoria".

Edward Windsor's sons by Catherine were Frederick Windsor, otherwise known as Ferdinand, and Henry Windsor, both of whom succeeded to their father's honours, becoming respectively the fourth and fifth Lord Windsor.

On Edward's death in 1574, Bradenham passed to his eldest son, Frederick. Edward Windsor left instructions for Frederick to build and endow almshouses, for a master and six poor men of the Parish. Strangely this bequest was never executed.

to Bios Page	to Family Page
to Peerage Page	`to Home Page`