Elizabeth de Montfort

Elizabeth Montfort
Effigy of Elizabeth Montfort in Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
Spouse(s)	William Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu Thomas Furnivall, Baron Furnivall
Issue John Montagu William Montagu Simon Montagu Edward Montagu Alice Montagu Katherine Montagu Mary Montagu Elizabeth Montagu Hawise Montagu Maud Montagu Isabel Montagu
Father	Sir Peter Montfort
Mother	Maud de la Mare
Died	August 1354
Buried	Priory of St Frideswide, Oxford

Lady Elizabeth de Montfort (died August 1354) was an English noblewoman.

Elizabeth Montfort was the daughter of Peter de Montfort, Knight, of Beaudesert Castle, Warwickshire (d. before 4 March 1287) and Maud de la Mare, daughter and heiress of Sir Henry de la Mare (d.1257), of Ashtead, Surrey; Royal Justice, Seneschal to William Longspree II, Earl of Salisbury; by Joan Neville, daughter of John Neville, Knt and Hawise de Courtney; granddaughter of Peter de Montfort of Beaudesert Castle by Alice Audley. She was born at Beaudesert Castle in Warwickshire.

Her marriage to William Montagu was arranged by Eleanor of Castile, the first wife of King Edward I of England. Edward was eager to make peace with the after the battle, and things were fairly well patched up within a few years. His wife’s role in arranging the marriage was part of an elaborate system of arranged marriages designed to reinforce the power of the King and his aristocracy.

Both Elizabeth and her husband came from wealthy families, and they donated some of their money to various causes. Elizabeth was a major benefactor of the Priory of St Frideswide, Oxford, now Christ Church Cathedral at Oxford University. Her tomb now lies between the Latin Chapel, whose construction she funded, and the Dean’s Chapel, where she was originally buried under its magnificent painted ceiling (now faded by time).

She also donated a large piece of land to St. Frideswide in exchange for a chantry. This meant that two chantry priests would say daily mass in black robes bearing the Montacute and Montfort coats of arms. This continued until the Reformation. This piece of land, just south of the church is now called Christ Church Meadow. Later, the path through this was named Christ Church Walk and is now a very popular attraction in Oxford.

She married firstly, about 1292, William Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu, by whom she had four sons and seven daughters: