Walter BLOUNT

                   Augustan Mag. Eng. Genealogist #15 & 16 p 417 (Baronial BLOUNTS)
Staff. Pub. A V4 pt 2 p 77  Hist & Antiq Soms. by J. kCollenson
Eng. V V9 p331,
   Eng. Q. V1 p355,
Warws. 8 V1 Pt 2 p 157
   Eng. W, V1 p 93


THE BARONIAL BLOUNTS AND SOME OF THEIR DESCENDANTS:
     Ref:  The Augustana Society Mag.; English Genealogist # 15 & 16, pp. 415-418

       The nordic origin of the Blounts is preserved in their family, originally Le Blund, the Blonde.
       A cadet line of the barons of Belton changed their name to Croke in 1404.
       Although the antiquity of the Blounts has never been disputed there is some difference of opinion regard the generations berween Sir Stephen Le Blount (dead by 1235,) and his descendant Sir walter Blount (d. 1403.)  The account of these generations which appears to the writer to be the most reliable has been followed here.
       Sir William Le Blount (d. 1315 or 1316,) younger son of Sir Robert, by the heiress of Belton, married Isabel, daughter of William de Beauchamp, feudal Baron of Elmley, Worcestershire, by Isabel Mauduit.  Burke confuses Sir William's wife with her niece, Isabel de Baeuchamp, daughter of William, first Earl of Warwick.  The eldest son of this marriage Sir Peter le Blount (died sine prole) was Chamberlain to the unfortunate King Edward II.  On the seal of Sir Peter appear the arms of Blount modern, and those of Blount of Saxlingham, and Beauchamp of Elmley.
       Sir Peter's younger brother, Sir Walter Blount of "The Rock," County Worcester (died ante 1324,) married the sister and heir of Sir William de Sodington, of Sodington (d.s.p. 1301.)  The eldest son of this marriage, Sir William Blount, inherited Sodington through his mother, and by his marriage with Margaret, one of the daughters and co-heirs of theobald de Verdon, Lord Justice of Ireland, acquired the castle and lordship of Weobley in Herefordshire, and other lands and lordshiips.  He was summoned to Parliament, as Baron Blount, in the 2nd Edward III, 1328, but died without issue in 1337.
       This third Blount barony became extinct at his death, but Sodington passed to his younger brother, Sir John.  Sir John Blount, of Sodington (d. 1358) married first Isolda, daughter and heir of Sir Thomas de Mountjoy, by whom he had two sons, Richard, who died without issue, and Sir John (d. 1424) who succeeded his father at Sodington.  Sir John Blount, senior, married secondly, Elianor, daughter of John, Baron Beauchamp, of Hacche, Somerset, by whom he had two younger sons, Sir Walter (fell at Shrewsbury 1403) and Thomas (beheaded s.p. 1400.)
       Sir Walter Blount, elder son of Sir John Blount, of Sodington (d. 1358) by his second wife, Eleanor Beauchamp, purchased from his elder half-brother Sir John Blount, Jr. (d. 1424) the estates inherited through Isolda Mountjoy.  He acquired by purchase also the estates of the Bakepulz family in the counties of Derby, Stafford, Leicester and Hertford.  He took service with John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and accompanied him overseas in 1377-1378.  He probably accompanied the duke to Castile in 1386, to claim the crown of Gaunt's wife Constance, daughter of Pedro, "The Cruel."  John of Gaunt's claim was disputed by King Pedro's bastard half-brother Henry of Trastamara, who mounted the throne of Castile, as Henry II.
       In 1393 Sir Walter Blount was sent to Castile in a legation to negotiate peace with Henry of Trastamara's grandson, King Henry III, who in that year married Catherine Plantagenet, daughter of John of Gaunt by Constance of Castile.  Sir Walter married Dona Sancha de Ayala, who had come to England in the train of Constance of Castile.  This lady was the daughter of don Diego Gomez de Toledo, Chief Justice of Toledo, and Principal Secretary of Castile, and his wife Dona Inez Alfon de Ayala, a descendant of the kings of Castile and Leon.
       In 1398 Sir Walter Blount was granted, with the approval of King Richard II, an annuity of 100 marks in recognition of his services to John of Gaunt.  When the duke died in 1399, Blount was appointed one of his executors.  Sir Walter continued to adhere to the house of Lancaster and at the battle of Shrewsbury was one of the followers of Henry IV, who, in order to preserve the life of the king wore armor which resembled his.  The Earl of douglas, deceived by this ruse slew Walter, thinking that he had slain King Henry.  Shakespeare has used this incident in the first part of his Henry IV (Act V, Scene 3.)
       Sir Walter was buried in the church of St. Mary, Newark, Leicestershire.  Don Sancha survived her husband fifteen years.
       Sir Walter and wife Dona Sancha de Ayala had four sons and two daughters.  The elder son, Sir John, succeeded his father in 1403, was made Knight of the Garter in 1413.  He distinguished himself as a warrior under Henry V, was at the siege of Rouen in 1418 and was appointed governor of Calais.  He died without issue, however and was succeeded by his brother, Sir Thomas.