William Burdet

Sir William Burdet of Loseby was an English Parliamentary representative for Leicestershire.

Career and Life

The Burdet family had been dedicated supporters of the Order of St Lazarus's English headquarters at Burton Lazars since its earliest days but relations soured in 1294 when the Order appropriated the tithes to Lowesby parish for themselves.^[2] This was not popular with the villagers and sporadic riots broke out over the following few years. The vicar was excommunicated and in 1297 the churchyard was "polluted by bloodshed" by the actions of Sir William Burdet.^[2] The dispute was resolved in 1298 when William agreed to pay for the reconsecration of the church and to reconfirm his family's former grants to the Order of St Lazarus but the former good relationship was never re-established.

Sir William was summoned to Parliament in London on 6 Oct 1297 shortly after the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Stirling Bridge and was mustered for service in the Scottish Wars on 24 Oct 1299.^[3]

Sir William died before 8 Mar 1309 when his Inquisition Post Mortem was held to distribute his estate.^[3]

He held land at Branteston, Huncote, Friseby, Galby, Loseby, Stretton and Norton in Leicestershire and Maidford, Northamptonshire.^[3]

Family and descendants

He had at least one son:

• John (b.1290)^[3]

although his lands were soon passed to other members of the Burdet family.

His nephew Sir Robert Burdet was to later become an MP for Warwickshire.

References

Bibliography

• Harleian (1929). The Knights of Edward I. I. London: Harleian Society. 
• Marcombe, David (2003). Leper Knights. Woodbridge: Boydell Press. ISBN 1-84383-067-1. 
• Nichols, John (1795). The History and Antiquities of the County of Leicester. Leicester: John Nichols. 
• Parliamentary Writs. I. London: Public Record Office. 1827.