Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster
Encyclopedia
Henry 3rd Earl of Leicester and Lancaster (c. 1281 – 22 September 1345) was an English
nobleman, one of the principals behind the deposition of Edward II of England
.
, Earl of Leicester
, who was a son of Henry III of England
and Eleanor of Provence
. Henry's mother was Blanche of Artois
, Queen Dowager of Navarre.
Henry's elder brother Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster succeeded their father in 1296, but Henry was summoned to Parliament
on 6 February 1298/99 by writ directed Henrico de Lancastre nepoti Regis, by which he is held to have become Lord Lancaster. He took part in the siege of Carlaverock in July 1300.
. A few years later, shortly after his accession in 1327 the young Edward III of England
returned the earldom of Lancaster to him, along with other lordships such as that of Bowland
.
and his namesake son Hugh the younger Despenser
.
He was sent in pursuit and captured the king at Neath in South Wales. He was appointed to take charge of the King, and was responsible for his custody at Kenilworth Castle
.
, and was also appointed captain-general of all the King's forces in the Scottish Marches
. He was appointed High Sheriff of Lancashire
in 1327.
, before 2 March 1296/1297.
Henry and Maud had seven children:
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
nobleman, one of the principals behind the deposition of Edward II of England
Edward II of England
Edward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
.
Family and lineage
He was the younger son of Edmund Crouchback, 1st Earl of LancasterEdmund Crouchback, 1st Earl of Lancaster
Edmund of Crouchback, 1st Earl of Leicester and Lancaster , was the second surviving son of King Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence. In his childhood he had a claim on the Kingdom of Sicily. His nickname refers to his participation in the Ninth Crusade.-Childhood:Edmund was born in London...
, Earl of Leicester
Earl of Leicester
The title Earl of Leicester was created in the 12th century in the Peerage of England , and is currently a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, created in 1837.-Early creations:...
, who was a son of Henry III of England
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
and Eleanor of Provence
Eleanor of Provence
Eleanor of Provence was Queen consort of England as the spouse of King Henry III of England from 1236 until his death in 1272....
. Henry's mother was Blanche of Artois
Blanche of Artois
Blanche of Artois was the queen consort of Navarre; after her husband Henry I of Navarre's death, she served as regent from 1274 to 1284 on behalf of her daughter, Joan I...
, Queen Dowager of Navarre.
Henry's elder brother Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster succeeded their father in 1296, but Henry was summoned to Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
on 6 February 1298/99 by writ directed Henrico de Lancastre nepoti Regis, by which he is held to have become Lord Lancaster. He took part in the siege of Carlaverock in July 1300.
Petition for succession and inheritance
After a period of longstanding opposition to King Edward II and his advisors, including joining two open rebellions, Thomas, in 1322, was convicted of treason, executed and his lands and titles forfeited. Henry did not participate in his brother's rebellions; he later petitioned for his brother's lands and titles, and on 29 March 1324 he was invested as Earl of LeicesterLeicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
. A few years later, shortly after his accession in 1327 the young Edward III of England
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
returned the earldom of Lancaster to him, along with other lordships such as that of Bowland
Lordship of Bowland
The Lordship of Bowland, an ancient English title connected with the Forest of Bowland in the northwest of England, was once thought lost and was only recently rediscovered. It disappeared from sight in 1885 when the estates of the Towneleys, one of Lancashire’s great aristocratic families, were...
.
Revenge
On the Queen’s return to England with Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March in September 1326, Henry joined her party against King Edward II, which led to a general desertion of the King’s cause and overturned the power of Hugh le Despenser, 1st Earl of WinchesterHugh le Despenser, 1st Earl of Winchester
Hugh le Despenser , sometimes referred to as "the Elder Despenser", was for a time the chief adviser to King Edward II of England....
and his namesake son Hugh the younger Despenser
Hugh the younger Despenser
Hugh Despenser, 1st Lord Despenser , also referred to as "the younger Despenser", was the son and heir of Hugh le Despenser, Earl of Winchester , and Isabella daughter of William, 9th Earl of Warwick.-Titles and possessions:Hugh Despenser the younger was knight of Hanley Castle, Worcestershire,...
.
He was sent in pursuit and captured the king at Neath in South Wales. He was appointed to take charge of the King, and was responsible for his custody at Kenilworth Castle
Kenilworth Castle
Kenilworth Castle is located in the town of the same name in Warwickshire, England. Constructed from Norman through to Tudor times, the castle has been described by architectural historian Anthony Emery as "the finest surviving example of a semi-royal palace of the later middle ages, significant...
.
Full restoration and reward
Henry was appointed chief advisor of the new king Edward III of EnglandEdward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
, and was also appointed captain-general of all the King's forces in the Scottish Marches
Scottish Marches
Scottish Marches was the term used for the Anglo-Scottish border during the late medieval and early modern eras—from the late 13th century, with the creation by Edward I of England of the first Lord Warden of the Marches to the early 17th century and the creation of the Middle Shires, promulgated...
. He was appointed High Sheriff of Lancashire
High Sheriff of Lancashire
The High Sheriff of Lancashire is an ancient officer, now largely ceremonial, granted to Lancashire, a county in North West England. High Shrievalties are the oldest secular titles under the Crown, in England and Wales...
in 1327.
Succession
He was succeeded as Earl of Lancaster and Leicester by his eldest son, Henry of Grosmont, who subsequently became Duke of Lancaster.Family
He married Maud ChaworthMaud Chaworth
Maud de Chaworth was an English noblewoman and wealthy heiress. She was the only child of Patrick de Chaworth. Sometime before 2 March 1297, she married Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster, by whom she had seven children...
, before 2 March 1296/1297.
Henry and Maud had seven children:
- Henry, Earl of DerbyHenry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of LancasterHenry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster, 4th Earl of Leicester and Lancaster, KG , also Earl of Derby, was a member of the English nobility in the 14th century, and a prominent English diplomat, politician, and soldier...
, (about 1300-1360/61) - Blanche of Lancaster, (about 1305 - 1380) married Thomas Wake, 2nd Baron Wake of LiddellThomas Wake, 2nd Baron Wake of LiddellThomas Wake, 2nd Baron Wake of Liddell , English baron, belonged to a Lincolnshire family which had lands also in Cumberland, being the son of John Wake , who was summoned to parliament as a baron in 1295, and the grandson of Baldwin Wake , both warriors of repute.Among Thomas Wake's guardians were...
- Maud of Lancaster, (about 1310-1377); married William de Burgh, 3rd Earl of Ulster
- Joan of LancasterJoan of LancasterJoan of Lancaster sometimes called Joan Plantagenet after her dynasty's name, was the third daughter of Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster and Maud Chaworth.-Marriage:...
, (about 1312-1345); married John de Mowbray, 3rd Baron MowbrayJohn de Mowbray, 3rd Baron MowbrayJohn de Mowbray, 3rd Baron Mowbray was the son of John de Mowbray, 2nd Baron Mowbray. He was born on 29 Nov 1310 at Hovingham, Yorks... - Isabel of Lancaster, Abbess of Amesbury, (about 1317-after 1347)
- Eleanor of LancasterEleanor of LancasterEleanor of Lancaster, Countess of Arundel was the fifth daughter of Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster and Maud Chaworth.-First marriage and issue:...
, (about 1318-1371/72) married (1) John De Beaumont and (2) 5 Feb. 1344/5, Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of ArundelRichard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of ArundelRichard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel and 8th Earl of Surrey was an English nobleman and medieval military leader.- Lineage :...
; - Mary of LancasterMary of LancasterMary of Lancaster, Baroness Percy , was the youngest surviving child of Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster by his wife Maud Chaworth. Through her father, she was a great-granddaughter of Henry III of England.-Family:...
, (about 1320-1362), who married Henry de Percy, 3rd Baron Percy, and was the mother of Henry Percy, 1st Earl of NorthumberlandHenry Percy, 1st Earl of NorthumberlandHenry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland, 4th Baron Percy, titular King of Mann, KG, Lord Marshal was the son of Henry de Percy, 3rd Baron Percy and a descendent of Henry III of England. His mother was Mary of Lancaster, daughter of Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster, son of Edmund, Earl of Leicester and...
.