John Welles, 1st Viscount Welles
Encyclopedia
John Welles, 1st Viscount Welles, KG (c. 1450 – 9 February 1498, London
) was an English Lancastrian
Nobleman who was made a Knight of the Garter.
John was born about 1450 to Lionel de Welles, 6th Baron Welles
and Margaret Beauchamp
. He was a maternal half-brother of Margaret Beaufort, and thus an uncle of the half-blood of Henry VII
.
became the 7th Baron; however he was beheaded in 1470. Richard's son and heir Robert, 8th Baron was also executed. The attainder of those two prevented John the younger son of Lionel to the barony.
A pardon in 1478 did not prevent him from participating in Buckingham's rebellion. He escaped to his nephew in Brittany after its collapse. Henry knighted him on 7th August 1485 and was created Viscount before 1 September 1487 and given substantial grants.
the daughter of Edward IV
and Elizabeth Woodville
, making him a member of the Royal Family
. The apparent aim of Henry VII
was to reward his uncle for loyalty and keep Cecily from marrying a more ambitious man. John and Cecily had at least two children, both whom died young, and a possible third.
He died 9 February 1498 Anne his only surviving daughter and heiress soon died after.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
) was an English Lancastrian
House of Lancaster
The House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
Nobleman who was made a Knight of the Garter.
John was born about 1450 to Lionel de Welles, 6th Baron Welles
Lionel de Welles, 6th Baron Welles
Lionel de Welles, 6th Baron Welles, KG was an English nobleman and soldier. He was killed fighting on the Lancastrian side at the Battle of Towton.-Life:Born about 1405, he was son of Eudo de Welles by Maude de Greystoke...
and Margaret Beauchamp
Margaret Beauchamp of Bletso
Margaret Beauchamp, of Bletso, Bedfordshire, Spelsbury, Oxfordshire and Lydiard Tregoze, Wiltshire was the daughter of John Beauchamp, of Bletso and Edith Stourton...
. He was a maternal half-brother of Margaret Beaufort, and thus an uncle of the half-blood of Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
.
War of the Roses
His father Lionel de Welles was killed at Towton in 1461 and his elder half-brother RichardRichard de Welles, 7th Baron Welles
Richard Welles, 7th Baron Welles was an English nobleman and soldier. From a Lancastrian family, he came to be on good terms with the Yorkist King Edward IV, but was executed after then being associated with plotting against him.-Life:...
became the 7th Baron; however he was beheaded in 1470. Richard's son and heir Robert, 8th Baron was also executed. The attainder of those two prevented John the younger son of Lionel to the barony.
A pardon in 1478 did not prevent him from participating in Buckingham's rebellion. He escaped to his nephew in Brittany after its collapse. Henry knighted him on 7th August 1485 and was created Viscount before 1 September 1487 and given substantial grants.
Marriage
Some time in December 1487 John married Princess Cecily of YorkCecily of York
Cecily of York, Viscountess Welles was an English Princess and the third, but eventual second surviving, daughter of Edward IV, King of England and his queen consort, née Lady Elizabeth Woodville, daughter of Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers.-Birth and Family:Cecily was born in Westminster Palace...
the daughter of Edward IV
Edward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
and Elizabeth Woodville
Elizabeth Woodville
Elizabeth Woodville was Queen consort of England as the spouse of King Edward IV from 1464 until his death in 1483. Elizabeth was a key figure in the series of dynastic civil wars known as the Wars of the Roses. Her first husband, Sir John Grey of Groby was killed at the Second Battle of St Albans...
, making him a member of the Royal Family
Royal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
. The apparent aim of Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
was to reward his uncle for loyalty and keep Cecily from marrying a more ambitious man. John and Cecily had at least two children, both whom died young, and a possible third.
- Elizabeth Welles (c. 1489-1498)
- Anne Welles (c. 1491-c. 1499)
He died 9 February 1498 Anne his only surviving daughter and heiress soon died after.
See also
- Lionel de Welles, 6th Baron WellesLionel de Welles, 6th Baron WellesLionel de Welles, 6th Baron Welles, KG was an English nobleman and soldier. He was killed fighting on the Lancastrian side at the Battle of Towton.-Life:Born about 1405, he was son of Eudo de Welles by Maude de Greystoke...
- John de Welles, 5th Baron WellesJohn de Welles, 5th Baron WellesJohn de Welles, 5th Baron Welles was an English soldier and noble. He married Margaret de Mowbray , daughter of John, Lord Mowbray by Elizabeth, Baroness Segrave....
- Cecily of YorkCecily of YorkCecily of York, Viscountess Welles was an English Princess and the third, but eventual second surviving, daughter of Edward IV, King of England and his queen consort, née Lady Elizabeth Woodville, daughter of Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers.-Birth and Family:Cecily was born in Westminster Palace...
- Governor Thomas WellesThomas WellesThomas Welles is the only man in Connecticut's history to hold all four top offices: governor, deputy governor, treasurer, and secretary. In 1639, he was elected as the first treasurer of the Colony of Connecticut, and from 1640–1649 served as the colony's secretary...
- Viscount WellesViscount WellesThe title Viscount Welles was created once. It was created for John Welles by Henry VII his half nephew, in 1488. The title went extinct 9 February 1499 with the death of John Welles. He had two daughters who died young and a possible son whom he would have disowned.-References:...
- Baron WellesBaron WellesThe title of Baron Welles has been created thrice. It was first created for Adam de Welles on May 6, 1299 in the Peerage of England by writ of summons. This creation was extinguished by attainder in 1469. It was created a second time in the Peerage of England by writ of summons for Sir Richard...