Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester
Encyclopedia
Humphrey of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Pembroke, KG
(3 October 1390 – 23 February 1447), also known as Humphrey Plantagenet, was "son, brother and uncle of kings", being the fourth and youngest son of king Henry IV of England
by his first wife, Mary de Bohun
, brother to king Henry V of England
, and uncle to the latter's son, king Henry VI of England
.
Humphrey was the exemplar of the romantic chivalric persona. Mettled, courageous 'Good ole' Humph' was a foil for the beautiful princess Jacqueline, his wife. His learned, widely read, scholarly approach to the early renaissance cultural expansion demonstrated the quintessential well-rounded princely character. He was a paragon for Eton College, an exemplar for Oxford, accomplished, diplomatic, with political cunning. Unlike his brothers, he was not naturally brave, but opinionated, fervent and judgmental. He exaggerated his own achievements, but idolised his brother Henry V.
The youngest in a powerful triumvirate of brothers, they were very close companions. On 20 March 1413 Henry and Humphrey had been at their dying father's bedside. Thomas, John and Humphrey had all been knighted in 1399. They joined the Order of the Garter together in 1400.
The place of his birth is unknown, but he was named after his maternal grandfather, Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford
.
in 1414, and Chamberlain of England, and he took his seat in Parliament. In 1415 he became a member of the Privy Council.
Before embarking for France the army camped at Southampton. It was there that the Earl of Cambridge
failed in an assassination plot to kill the king. During Henry V's campaigns in France, Humphrey gained a reputation as a successful commander. His knowledge of siege warfare, gained from his classical studies, contributed to the fall of Honfleur. During the Battle of Agincourt Humphrey was wounded; as he fell, the king sheltered his body, and withstood a determined assault from French knights. Humphrey and his brother, the Duke of Clarence
, led an Inquiry of Lords to try Lords Cambridge and Scrope for high treason on 5 August. For his services, Humphrey was granted offices including Constable of Dover, Warden of the Cinque Ports on 27 November, and King's Lieutenant. His tenure in government was peaceful and successful. This period commenced with Emperor Sigismund's peace mission. At Paris in March 1416, the Emperor was arrested on the beach by Duke Humphrey who extracted a promise to keep fealty. The Treaty of "eternal friendship" signed at Canterbury on 15 August served only to anticipate renewed hostility from France.
Upon the death of his brother, King Henry V of England
in 1422, Humphrey became Lord Protector
to his young nephew King Henry VI
. He also claimed the right to the regency of England following the death of his elder brother, John, Duke of Bedford
. Humphrey's claims were strongly contested by the lords of the king's council, and in particular his half-uncle, Cardinal Henry Beaufort. Henry V's will, rediscovered at Eton College in 1978, actually supported Humphrey's claims.
In 1436 Philip, Duke of Burgundy, attacked Calais. Duke Humphrey was appointed garrison commander. The Flemings assaulted from landward but the English resistance was stubborn. He marched the army to Ballieul, taking the English to safety; and he threatened St Omer before sailing home.
Humphrey was consistently popular with the citizens of London and the Commons. He also had a widespread reputation as a patron of learning and the arts. His popularity with the people and his ability to keep the peace earned him the appointment of Chief Justice of South Wales.
However, his unpopular marriage to Eleanor Cobham became ammunition for his enemies. Eleanor was arrested and tried for sorcery and heresy in 1441, and Humphrey retired from public life. He himself was arrested on a charge of treason
on 20 February 1447. He died at Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk
three days later and was buried at St Albans Abbey
, adjacent to St Alban's shrine
. At the time, some suspected that he had been poisoned, though it is more probable that he died of a stroke.
, daughter of William VI, Count of Hainaut
. Through this marriage Gloucester assumed the title "Count of Holland
, Zeeland and Hainault", and briefly fought to retain these titles when they were contested by Jacqueline's cousin Philip, Duke of Burgundy (see: War of Succession in Holland
). They had a stillborn child in 1424.
The marriage was annulled
in 1428, and Jacqueline died (disinherited) in 1436.
Meanwhile, Gloucester remarried, his second wife being his former mistress, Eleanor Cobham
. In 1441, Eleanor was tried and convicted of practising witchcraft
against the King in an attempt to retain power for her husband. She was exiled and imprisoned for life.
He had two children:
, Gloucester enclosed Greenwich Park
and from 1428 had a palace built there on the banks of the Thames, known as Bella Court and later as the Palace of Placentia
. The Duke Humphrey Tower surmounting Greenwich Park was demolished in the 1660s and the site was chosen for building the Royal Observatory
. His name lives on in "Duke Humfrey's Library
", part of the Bodleian Library
in Oxford. Duke Humphrey was a patron and protector of Oxford, donating more than 280 manuscripts to the University. The possession of such a library did much to stimulate new learning.
Duke Humphrey was also a patron of literature, notably of the poet John Lydgate
and of John Capgrave. He was instrumental in bringing Italian scholarship to England, both through the purchase of books and through the scholars themselves. He corresponded with many leading Italian humanists and commissioned translations of Greek classics into Latin. His friendship with Zano Castiglione, Bishop of Bayeux, led to many further connections on the Continent, including Leonardo Bruno, Pietro Candido Decembrio
and Tito Livio de Forli. Duke Humphrey also patronised the Abbey of St. Albans
The phrase "to dine with Duke Humphrey" was used by poor people in Elizabethan
times to avoid mentioning that they did not have the money to pay for food. At dinnertime they would excuse themselves by saying they would be eating with the Duke [citation needed]. Duke Humphrey's Walk was the name of an aisle in Old St Paul's Cathedral
near Duke Humphrey's tomb (which, according to the 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, in reality was John of Gaunt's), an area frequented by thieves and beggars. In fact, Gloucester's tomb is in St Albans Abbey
and was restored by Hertfordshire Freemasons
in 2000 to celebrate the millennium. Saki
updates the phrase by referring to a "Duke Humphrey picnic", one without food, in his short story "The Feast of Nemesis".
Duke Humphrey is a major character in two Shakespeare plays. His conflict with Cardinal Beaufort is portrayed in Henry VI, Part 1
and his disgrace and death following his wife's alleged sorcery is depicted in Henry VI, part 2
. He also appears as a minor character in Henry V
.
The death of Duke Humphrey is the subject of a 2003 mystery novel The Bastard's Tale, by Margaret Frazer
.
.
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
(3 October 1390 – 23 February 1447), also known as Humphrey Plantagenet, was "son, brother and uncle of kings", being the fourth and youngest son of king Henry IV of England
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
by his first wife, Mary de Bohun
Mary de Bohun
Mary de Bohun was the first wife of King Henry IV of England and the mother of King Henry V. Mary was never queen, as she died before her husband came to the throne.-Early life:...
, brother to king Henry V of England
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
, and uncle to the latter's son, king Henry VI of England
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
.
Humphrey was the exemplar of the romantic chivalric persona. Mettled, courageous 'Good ole' Humph' was a foil for the beautiful princess Jacqueline, his wife. His learned, widely read, scholarly approach to the early renaissance cultural expansion demonstrated the quintessential well-rounded princely character. He was a paragon for Eton College, an exemplar for Oxford, accomplished, diplomatic, with political cunning. Unlike his brothers, he was not naturally brave, but opinionated, fervent and judgmental. He exaggerated his own achievements, but idolised his brother Henry V.
The youngest in a powerful triumvirate of brothers, they were very close companions. On 20 March 1413 Henry and Humphrey had been at their dying father's bedside. Thomas, John and Humphrey had all been knighted in 1399. They joined the Order of the Garter together in 1400.
The place of his birth is unknown, but he was named after his maternal grandfather, Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford
Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford
Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford, 6th Earl of Essex, 2nd Earl of Northampton, KG was an important medieval English noble during the reign of King Edward III of England.- Lineage :...
.
Diplomatic and Military Career
During the reign of Henry IV Humphrey received a scholar's education, while his elder brothers fought on the Welsh and Scottish borders. Following his father's death he was created Duke of GloucesterDuke of Gloucester
Duke of Gloucester is a British royal title , often conferred on one of the sons of the reigning monarch. The first four creations were in the Peerage of England, the next in the Peerage of Great Britain, and the last in the Peerage of the United Kingdom; this current creation carries with it the...
in 1414, and Chamberlain of England, and he took his seat in Parliament. In 1415 he became a member of the Privy Council.
Before embarking for France the army camped at Southampton. It was there that the Earl of Cambridge
Richard of Conisburgh, 3rd Earl of Cambridge
Richard of Conisburgh, 3rd Earl of Cambridge was the younger son of Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York and Isabella of Castile....
failed in an assassination plot to kill the king. During Henry V's campaigns in France, Humphrey gained a reputation as a successful commander. His knowledge of siege warfare, gained from his classical studies, contributed to the fall of Honfleur. During the Battle of Agincourt Humphrey was wounded; as he fell, the king sheltered his body, and withstood a determined assault from French knights. Humphrey and his brother, the Duke of Clarence
Thomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Clarence
Thomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Clarence, KG , also known as Thomas Plantagenet, was the second son of King Henry IV of England and his first wife, Mary de Bohun. He was born before 25 November 1387 as on that date his father's accounts note a payment made to a woman described as his nurse...
, led an Inquiry of Lords to try Lords Cambridge and Scrope for high treason on 5 August. For his services, Humphrey was granted offices including Constable of Dover, Warden of the Cinque Ports on 27 November, and King's Lieutenant. His tenure in government was peaceful and successful. This period commenced with Emperor Sigismund's peace mission. At Paris in March 1416, the Emperor was arrested on the beach by Duke Humphrey who extracted a promise to keep fealty. The Treaty of "eternal friendship" signed at Canterbury on 15 August served only to anticipate renewed hostility from France.
Upon the death of his brother, King Henry V of England
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
in 1422, Humphrey became Lord Protector
Lord Protector
Lord Protector is a title used in British constitutional law for certain heads of state at different periods of history. It is also a particular title for the British Heads of State in respect to the established church...
to his young nephew King Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
. He also claimed the right to the regency of England following the death of his elder brother, John, Duke of Bedford
John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford
John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford, KG , also known as John Plantagenet, was the third surviving son of King Henry IV of England by Mary de Bohun, and acted as Regent of France for his nephew, King Henry VI....
. Humphrey's claims were strongly contested by the lords of the king's council, and in particular his half-uncle, Cardinal Henry Beaufort. Henry V's will, rediscovered at Eton College in 1978, actually supported Humphrey's claims.
In 1436 Philip, Duke of Burgundy, attacked Calais. Duke Humphrey was appointed garrison commander. The Flemings assaulted from landward but the English resistance was stubborn. He marched the army to Ballieul, taking the English to safety; and he threatened St Omer before sailing home.
Humphrey was consistently popular with the citizens of London and the Commons. He also had a widespread reputation as a patron of learning and the arts. His popularity with the people and his ability to keep the peace earned him the appointment of Chief Justice of South Wales.
However, his unpopular marriage to Eleanor Cobham became ammunition for his enemies. Eleanor was arrested and tried for sorcery and heresy in 1441, and Humphrey retired from public life. He himself was arrested on a charge of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
on 20 February 1447. He died at Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
three days later and was buried at St Albans Abbey
St Albans Cathedral
St Albans Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral church at St Albans, England. At , its nave is the longest of any cathedral in England...
, adjacent to St Alban's shrine
Saint Alban
Saint Alban was the first British Christian martyr. Along with his fellow saints Julius and Aaron, Alban is one of three martyrs remembered from Roman Britain. Alban is listed in the Church of England calendar for 22 June and he continues to be venerated in the Anglican, Catholic, and Orthodox...
. At the time, some suspected that he had been poisoned, though it is more probable that he died of a stroke.
Marriages and children
In about 1422 he married Jacqueline, Countess of Hainaut and HollandJacqueline, Countess of Hainaut
Jacqueline of Wittelsbach was Duchess of Bavaria-Straubing, Countess of Hainaut and Holland from 1417 to 1432...
, daughter of William VI, Count of Hainaut
William II, Duke of Bavaria-Straubing
Duke William II of Bavaria-Straubing KG was also count William VI of Holland, count William IV of Hainaut and count William V of Zeeland. He ruled from 1404 until 1417, when he died of a dog bite. William was a son of Albert I and Margaret of Brieg.-Biography:William, allied with the Hooks, was...
. Through this marriage Gloucester assumed the title "Count of Holland
Count of Holland
The Counts of Holland ruled over the County of Holland in the Low Countries between the 10th and the 16th century.-House of Holland:The first count of Holland, Dirk I, was the son or foster-son of Gerolf, Count in Frisia...
, Zeeland and Hainault", and briefly fought to retain these titles when they were contested by Jacqueline's cousin Philip, Duke of Burgundy (see: War of Succession in Holland
Hook and Cod wars
The Hook and Cod wars comprise a series of wars and battles in the County of Holland between 1350 and 1490. Most of these wars were fought over the title of count of Holland, but some have argued that the underlying reason was because of the power struggle of the bourgeois in the cities against...
). They had a stillborn child in 1424.
The marriage was annulled
Annulment
Annulment is a legal procedure for declaring a marriage null and void. Unlike divorce, it is usually retroactive, meaning that an annulled marriage is considered to be invalid from the beginning almost as if it had never taken place...
in 1428, and Jacqueline died (disinherited) in 1436.
Meanwhile, Gloucester remarried, his second wife being his former mistress, Eleanor Cobham
Eleanor Cobham
Eleanor [née Eleanor Cobham], Duchess of Gloucester , was a mistress and the second wife of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester. A convicted sorceress, her imprisonment for treasonable necromancy in 1441 was a cause célèbre.-Family:...
. In 1441, Eleanor was tried and convicted of practising witchcraft
Witchcraft
Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the alleged use of supernatural or magical powers. A witch is a practitioner of witchcraft...
against the King in an attempt to retain power for her husband. She was exiled and imprisoned for life.
He had two children:
- Arthur of Gloucester, died 1447
- Antigone PlantagenetAntigone PlantagenetAntigone Plantagenet was an English noblewoman and the legitimised daughter of Humphrey of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Gloucester . She was the granddaughter of Henry IV of England. She was thought to have been born between 1425 and 1428...
of Gloucester, who married Henry Grey, 2nd Earl of TankervilleHenry Grey, 2nd Earl of TankervilleHenry Grey, 2nd Earl of Tankerville, 7th Lord of Powys was an English peer. He was the son of John Grey, 1st Earl of Tankerville and his wife Joan Charleton, co-heiress and 6th Lady of Powys.-Life:...
, Lord of Powys (c. 1419-1450) and then John d'Amancier.
Legacy
After inheriting the manor of GreenwichGreenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
, Gloucester enclosed Greenwich Park
Greenwich Park
Greenwich Park is a former hunting park in Greenwich and one of the largest single green spaces in south east London. One of the Royal Parks of London, and the first to be enclosed , it covers , and is part of the Greenwich World Heritage Site. It commands fine views over the River Thames, Isle of...
and from 1428 had a palace built there on the banks of the Thames, known as Bella Court and later as the Palace of Placentia
Palace of Placentia
The Palace of Placentia was an English Royal Palace built by Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester in 1447, in Greenwich, on the banks of the River Thames, downstream from London...
. The Duke Humphrey Tower surmounting Greenwich Park was demolished in the 1660s and the site was chosen for building the Royal Observatory
Royal Observatory, Greenwich
The Royal Observatory, Greenwich , in London, England played a major role in the history of astronomy and navigation, and is best known as the location of the prime meridian...
. His name lives on in "Duke Humfrey's Library
Duke Humfrey's Library
Duke Humfrey's Library is the oldest reading room in the Bodleian Library at the University of Oxford. It functions primarily as a reading room for maps, music, and pre-1641 rare books. It consists of the original medieval section , the Arts End , and the Selden End . It houses collections of...
", part of the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
in Oxford. Duke Humphrey was a patron and protector of Oxford, donating more than 280 manuscripts to the University. The possession of such a library did much to stimulate new learning.
Duke Humphrey was also a patron of literature, notably of the poet John Lydgate
John Lydgate
John Lydgate of Bury was a monk and poet, born in Lidgate, Suffolk, England.Lydgate is at once a greater and a lesser poet than John Gower. He is a greater poet because of his greater range and force; he has a much more powerful machine at his command. The sheer bulk of Lydgate's poetic output is...
and of John Capgrave. He was instrumental in bringing Italian scholarship to England, both through the purchase of books and through the scholars themselves. He corresponded with many leading Italian humanists and commissioned translations of Greek classics into Latin. His friendship with Zano Castiglione, Bishop of Bayeux, led to many further connections on the Continent, including Leonardo Bruno, Pietro Candido Decembrio
Pietro Candido Decembrio
Pietro Candido Decembrio was a well-known Italian humanist and author of the Renaissance, and one of those involved in the rediscovery of ancient literature.The son of the humanist Uberto Decembrio, he was born in Pavia, and named after his father's employer Peter of Candia...
and Tito Livio de Forli. Duke Humphrey also patronised the Abbey of St. Albans
The phrase "to dine with Duke Humphrey" was used by poor people in Elizabethan
Elizabethan era
The Elizabethan era was the epoch in English history of Queen Elizabeth I's reign . Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history...
times to avoid mentioning that they did not have the money to pay for food. At dinnertime they would excuse themselves by saying they would be eating with the Duke [citation needed]. Duke Humphrey's Walk was the name of an aisle in Old St Paul's Cathedral
Old St Paul's Cathedral
Old St Paul's Cathedral is a name used to refer to the medieval cathedral of the City of London which until 1666 stood on the site of the present St Paul's Cathedral. Built between 1087 and 1314 and dedicated to St Paul, the cathedral was the fourth church on the site at Ludgate Hill...
near Duke Humphrey's tomb (which, according to the 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue, in reality was John of Gaunt's), an area frequented by thieves and beggars. In fact, Gloucester's tomb is in St Albans Abbey
St Albans Cathedral
St Albans Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral church at St Albans, England. At , its nave is the longest of any cathedral in England...
and was restored by Hertfordshire Freemasons
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
in 2000 to celebrate the millennium. Saki
Saki
Hector Hugh Munro , better known by the pen name Saki, and also frequently as H. H. Munro, was a British writer whose witty, mischievous and sometimes macabre stories satirised Edwardian society and culture. He is considered a master of the short story and often compared to O. Henry and Dorothy...
updates the phrase by referring to a "Duke Humphrey picnic", one without food, in his short story "The Feast of Nemesis".
Duke Humphrey is a major character in two Shakespeare plays. His conflict with Cardinal Beaufort is portrayed in Henry VI, Part 1
Henry VI, part 1
Henry VI, Part 1 or The First Part of Henry the Sixt is a history play by William Shakespeare, and possibly Thomas Nashe, believed to have been written in 1591, and set during the lifetime of King Henry VI of England...
and his disgrace and death following his wife's alleged sorcery is depicted in Henry VI, part 2
Henry VI, part 2
Henry VI, Part 2 or The Second Part of Henry the Sixt is a history play by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1591, and set during the lifetime of King Henry VI of England...
. He also appears as a minor character in Henry V
Henry V (play)
Henry V is a history play by William Shakespeare, believed to be written in approximately 1599. Its full titles are The Cronicle History of Henry the Fifth and The Life of Henry the Fifth...
.
The death of Duke Humphrey is the subject of a 2003 mystery novel The Bastard's Tale, by Margaret Frazer
Margaret Frazer
Margaret Frazer is the pen name of an historical novelist known for more than twenty mystery novels and a variety of short stories. The pen name was originally used by Gail Frazer and Mary Monica Pulver Kuhfeld in their collaboration on The Novice's Tale, the first of the Sister Frevisse books...
.
Arms
As a son of the sovereign, Humphrey bore the arms of the kingdom, differenced by a bordure argentArmorial of Plantagenet
This is a list of the coats of arms known or believed to be borne by Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, and his descendants in the male line.- Family chief :- Heirs :- cadets :- House of Lancaster :- House of York :...
.