Background
Hugh de Spencer was born between the years of 1286 and 1290, making him just around the ages of Edward, Gaveston, and Mortimer. Though in the play Spencer is introduced as a retainer of the Earl of Gloucester, in actuality he was of relatively high birth as the son of a baron and first cousin to the Earl of Warwick.
In 1306 he was married to Eleanor de Clare, sister to the same Margaret de Clare who would later be married to Piers Gaveston.
In 1306 he was married to Eleanor de Clare, sister to the same Margaret de Clare who would later be married to Piers Gaveston.
Favorite of the King
In 1318, Spencer replaced the now deceased Gaveston as the King's favorite. In 1320, Hugh de Spencer bought a third of the land of a Baron named William Brewes out from under Humphrey de Bobun, Earl of Hereford, as well as Roger Mortimer. They were displeased. This caused the Barons at Shireburn to enter into a confederacy against Hugh de Spencer and his father, "Swearing not to lay down their arms till the Spencers were banish'd." Hugh de Spencer responded by invading the country of Glamorgan in order to take the other two thirds by force. While Gaveston had certainly been power-happy, Spencer was power-hungry. He utilized his status as favorite to manipulate King Edward II much more than his predecessor had. This meant that the nobles, and especially Queen Isabella, hated him to an even further degree than they did Gaveston. This is evidenced by his gruesome death.
"by 1321 he'd provoked the Marchers (the barons in Wales and along the border) into what is known as the Despenser War, when thousands of people attacked the lands of Hugh and his father in Wales and England, destroying and stealing whatever they could. Hugh and his father were exiled from England for a few months, during which Hugh became a pirate in the English channel - a successful one, as Edward III had to pay compensation to Genoese merchants many years later."
Additionally, Spencer's family had a long standing feud with the Mortimer family, making it that much worse for Spencer when his King was dethroned and killed.
"by 1321 he'd provoked the Marchers (the barons in Wales and along the border) into what is known as the Despenser War, when thousands of people attacked the lands of Hugh and his father in Wales and England, destroying and stealing whatever they could. Hugh and his father were exiled from England for a few months, during which Hugh became a pirate in the English channel - a successful one, as Edward III had to pay compensation to Genoese merchants many years later."
Additionally, Spencer's family had a long standing feud with the Mortimer family, making it that much worse for Spencer when his King was dethroned and killed.
Death
“…He was dragged from his horse, his clothing stripped off him and the surcoat bearing his arms reversed. A crown of nettles was fashioned and forced on his head. His enemies does knives and scratched into his bare skin verses from the scriptures denouncing his evil arrogance. He was then forced back on his horse and led into the city to the bray of trumpets and the mocking tunes of a bagpipe. The mob were allowed to have their way. Everything at hand was hurled at both him and his marshal, Simon of Reading, who was forced to walk in front carrying de Spencer’s disgraces, polluted standard. The fallen favorite was suffering so much that, according to one chronicle, such a horrid sound came from him as had never been heard before. Judgement was again pronounced. De Spencer was dragged off his horse, tied to a sled pulled by four horses, and taken into the town square to be hanged on a specially erected gallows fifty feet high. Still conscious, he was cut down, his body sliced open, his intestines plucked out and burnt before his eyes before decapitation put an end to his pain…. The entire proceedings were watched by the Queen, Mortimer and others, who feasted and celebrated. De Spencer’s head was sent for display in London, the quarters of his corpse to different cities of the realm.”