Richard le Despenser, 4th Baron Burghersh, K.B (30 November 1396–7 October 1414)[1] was the son and heir of Thomas le Despenser, 1st Earl of Gloucester (1373–1400), by Constance of York.

Constance was a daughter of Edmund of Langley, Duke of York, fourth surviving son of Edward III of England, and Isabella of Castile, a daughter of Peter of Castile.

His ancestry and marriage placed him in influential circles of the English nobility and he was appointed Knight, Order of the Bath, on 8 April 1413.

[1] Richard married to his second cousin Lady Eleanor Neville[2] (a granddaughter of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (a brother of Edmund of Langley) and Katherine Swynford.

His widow Eleanor, Lady Burghersh remarried to Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland.