Walter Beke (fl.12th century)

Marriage and children

• Hugh Beke, eldest son and heir apparent, who died unmarried on his return from Crusade.
• Henry Beke, "weak of understanding", who nevertheless "found a well born and richly dowered bride", Alice de Multon, sister of Thomas de Multon. His son was Walter II Beke, of Eresby, who married Eve de Grey, a niece of Walter de Grey, Archbishop of York, and Lord Chancellor, and left three powerful sons:
• *John Beke, 1st Baron Beke, of Eresby
• *Thomas Beke, Lord Treasurer of England in 1279, Bishop of St David's in 1280, Chancellor of Oxford University in 1289.
• *Anthony Beke, Prince-Bishop of Durham in 1283, Patriarch of Jerusalem in 1305, "one of the greatest warriors of the day...who died seized of vast possessions in divers counties". He was "one of the chief potentates of his age", whom Dugdale described as follows: "The prowdest Lorde in Christientie...No man in all the realm, except the King, did equal him for habit, behaviour, and military pomp; and he was more versed in state affairs than in ecclesiastical duties, ever assisting the King most powerfully in his wars, having sometimes in Scotland 26 Standard Bearers, and of his ordinary retinue 140 Knights, so that he was thought to be rather a temporal Prince than a priest or Bishop".
• Walter Beke, 3rd son, of Lusceby in Lincolnshire' whose grandson Walter Beke was Constable of Lincoln Castle during the reign of King Henry III.
• Thomas Beke, a priest.