William de Warenne's death and noble networks

William de Warenne married into the de Vere earls of Oxford, was related to Henry III and Edward I, and died at a Croydon tournament soon after the birth of his heir John. The archbishop of Canterbury, the earl marshal, the earl of Oxford, and other barons attended his burial, showing the reach of William's connections. Weddings, births, and burials doubled as political gatherings where aristocratic families maintained their networks. The Lewes Priory chronicle may exaggerate its praise because the Warennes patronized the house, although the senior attendance supports the claim that William was well regarded. The account leaves the recurring suspicion of murder weakly founded, even though unnatural medieval deaths often attracted such rumors.