William Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu
English peer
William Montagu, 2nd Baron Montagu (c. 1275 – 18 October 1319) (alias de Montagu, de Montacute, Latinized to de Monte Acuto ("from the sharp mountain")), was an English peer, and an eminent soldier and courtier during the reigns of Edward I and Edward II. He played a significant role in the wars in Scotland and Wales, and was appointed steward of the household to Edward II. Perhaps as a result of the influence of his enemy, Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, Edward II sent him to Gascony as Seneschal in 1318. He died there in October of the following year.
Origins
William Montagu was born in about 1275, the son and heir of Simon de Montagu, 1st Baron Montagu (d. 26 September 1316), by either his first wife, Hawise de St Amand (died 1287), daughter of Amaury de St Amand, or his second wife, Isabel, whose parentage is unknown. The Montagu family was of Norman origin, later prominent in the West Country of England. They held extensive lands in Somerset, Dorset and Devon. From his father's inquisition post mortem, he is known to have had two brothers, John Montagu and Simon Montagu.
Career
Montagu spent a great part of his life serving in the wars in Scotland, Wales and on the continent. He distinguished himself in the First War of Scottish Independence, having been summoned for feudal military service in 1301 and placed in charge of shipping for the war in March 1303.
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Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jun 18, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q7262160. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1275, 1319, 1318 and 1316.
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