Baron Zouche

Barony of Zouche
Arms of Alan la Zouche, 1st Baron la Zouche of Ashby (1267-1314) as shown on his seal affixed to the Barons' Letter of 1301: Gules, ten bezants 4, 3, 2, 1.
Creation date	16 August 1308 (Baron Zouche of Haryngworth)
Monarch	Edward II
Peerage	Peerage of England
First holder	William la Zouche, 1st Baron Zouche
Present holder	James Frankland, 18th Baron Zouche
Remainder to	Heirs of the body

Baron Zouche is a title that has been created three times in the Peerage of England.

The la Zouche family descended from Alan la Zouche (d. 1190), lord of the manor of North Molton in North Devon, England, originally called Alain de Porhoët or Ceoche, who was a Breton nobleman who settled in England during the reign of King Henry II (1154-1189). He was the son of Vicomte Geoffrey de Porhoët and Hawise of Brittany. He married Adeline (or Alice) de Belmeis, daughter of Phillip de Belmeis and Maud la Meschine and died at North Molton in 1150. By his marriage he obtained the manor of Ashby in Leicestershire (called after him Ashby-de-la-Zouch). His son was Roger la Zouche (c. 1175 – bef. 14 May 1238) who was the father of Alan la Zouche (1205–1270) and Eudo la Zouche.

Alan (1205–1270) was justice of Chester and justice of Ireland under King Henry III (1216-1272). He was loyal to the king during his struggle with the barons, fought at the Battle of Lewes and helped to arrange the Peace of Kenilworth. As the result of a quarrel over some lands with John de Warenne, 6th Earl of Surrey, he was seriously injured in Westminster Hall by the earl and his retainers, and died on 10 August 1270. Alan's grandson from the marriage of his son Roger to Ela Longespée, namely Alan la Zouche, was summoned by writ to Parliament on 6 February 1299 as Baron la Zouche of Ashby. He was Governor of Rockingham Castle and Steward of Rockingham Forest. However, this barony fell into abeyance on his death in 1314 without male progeny.