Life History

Notes

• Some genealogies show this Henry Le Strange (born 1432) as a son of John Le Strange (born 1387) and a brother to Roger Le Strange (born 1412).  This seems to be an error, however, according to the Le Strange dynasty lineage on the Le Strange Family Website.  I am following their information to show Henry as a son of Robert and grandson of John.  The age of Robert using the dates of birth commonly shown in genealogies matches for this relationship, with Robert being about 20 years old (born 1412) at the reported year of birth of Henry (born 1432).
  
  The Tudorplace Le Strange genealogy gives a marriage date of "abt 1434" for Roger le Strange and Jane (Joan) Beke.  But the Le Strange (of Hunstanton) Website, which has no marriage date, gives the birth date for Henry as 1431.  An anonymous source, with no documentation included, provides a date of 1432 for Henry's birth, still earlier than the reported marriage of his parents.   The Tudorplace date for Henry's birth is also 1432.
  
  Henry Le STRANGE of Hunstanton (Sir)
  Born: 1432, Hunstanton, Norfolk, England
  Died: 25 Nov 1485, Hunstanton, Norfolk, England
  Father: Roger Le STRANGE of Hunstanton
  Mother: Jane BEKE
  Married: Catherine DRURY ABT 1465
  --  Tudorplace, http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/STRANGE.htm#Henry Le STRANGE of Hunstanton (Sir)1
  
  The Tudorplace site also reports the birth date of 1432 for Henry, with no comment or explanation.  They have Roger's son John born in 1435 and Hamon in 1441.  Clues can be gleaned from these sites, but the lack of specific documentation or discussion limits the credibility and authority of such sites.
  
  Other children of John were born in the ear of 1412-17.  It does not seem likely there was a long break of 15 years, then Henry was born.  Reported dates of birth for Henry match the years of marriage of Roger and Joan and their children more closely.  The birth of Roger's first son John is pretty commonly reported as about 1435.  Leaning towards Henry's identity as a son of Roger, rather than Roger's father John, I have estimated the birth year for Henry to be after the marriage date and birth of brother John within a year in 1435.
  
  In regard to the Tudorplace date of birth for Henry, It seems odd that a sources that reports him as the son of Roger and Joan would still report a date of birth before their marriage.  This seems highly unlikely for a noble family, at least officially.  Henry appears in all references to be considered a legitimate heir.  We would expect the term Fitz to be included in his family name if he was illegitimate.
  
  Originally the term Fitz (as in the famous Fitzalan family) was used in its rightful meaning as Son of, comparable to the Irish-Scots Mac, Welsh Ap and the French De with father's name.  The term Fitz (Germanic-Norman for "son of") came to be used to identify an illegitimate son.  This practice arose because it was commonly accepted that kings and noble men would have concubines and mistresses.  The formalities of monogamy required by the Roman Church were honored officially by limiting inheritance of feudal lands and titles to legitimate first sons, or lacking sons, in many cases, to the daughters in order of birth.
  
  Illegitimate sons would be given their own estates and thus the common feudal title of Lord, but with no styling of a dynastic Barony.  In some cases, however, kings would bestow (or have Parliament bestow) baronies upon such a Fitzroy (son of the King) or Fitzpatrick (son of a noble) in his own right.
  
  Such a name-form is not used in sources for Henry Le Strange.

Sources

• 1. Le Strange Family Genealogy -- TudorPlace
• 2. Le Strange Website - No Longer Online
• 3. Le Strange Website - No Longer Online
  • Descent, http://www.ls.u-net.com/le_Strange/Seat-H2.htm
• 4. One World Tree (sm)
  • http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=4155877&st=1