Ralph Neville, 2nd Earl of Westmorland
Encyclopedia
Ralph Neville, 2nd Earl of Westmorland (1408 – 3 November 1484) was an English peer
.
The eldest son of John Neville, Lord Neville, he became heir apparent to his grandfather Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland upon his father's death in 1420. He succeeded to the earldom in 1425, although it was greatly impoverished by his grandfather's bequests to the children of his second marriage. Westmorland was knighted by King Henry VI
in 1426. In that year, he married Lady Elizabeth Percy
(d. 1437), daughter of Sir Henry Percy and widow of John Clifford, 7th Baron de Clifford
. They had one son:
In 1438, he was appointed a Commissioner of Array
in the northern counties of England and Captain of the Scottish Marches
. During the 1440s, he was deeply involved in the inheritance dispute between his branch of the Neville family and his paternal half-uncles and their descendants, such as the Earl of Salisbury
. That side of the family was predominantly Yorkist, while Westmorland and his relatives were Lancastrian
.
As his second wife, he married before February 1441/1442 Margaret de Cobham, 4th Baroness Cobham de jure
, by whom he had one daughter, who died young.
Upon his death, he was succeeded by his nephew, Ralph Neville, 3rd Earl of Westmorland
.
He was dramatised by William Shakespeare
as a character in Henry VI, Part 3
.
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
.
The eldest son of John Neville, Lord Neville, he became heir apparent to his grandfather Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland upon his father's death in 1420. He succeeded to the earldom in 1425, although it was greatly impoverished by his grandfather's bequests to the children of his second marriage. Westmorland was knighted by 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...
in 1426. In that year, he married Lady Elizabeth Percy
Lady Elizabeth Percy
Lady Elizabeth Percy was the daughter of Henry Hotspur Percy and Lady Elizabeth Mortimer.She married John Clifford, 7th Baron de Clifford in 1404. They had the following children:...
(d. 1437), daughter of Sir Henry Percy and widow of John Clifford, 7th Baron de Clifford
John Clifford, 7th Baron de Clifford
Sir John Clifford, 7th Baron de Clifford, also 7th Lord of Skipton, KG , hereditary High Sheriff of Westmorland was an English peer.-Life:...
. They had one son:
- Sir John Neville (d. bef. 1451), married Anne Holland, daughter of John Holland, 2nd Duke of ExeterJohn Holland, 2nd Duke of ExeterJohn Holland, 2nd Duke of Exeter KG was an English nobleman and military commander during the Hundred Years' War.-Family:...
and died without issue
In 1438, he was appointed a Commissioner of Array
Commission of Array
A Commission of Array was a commission given by English royalty to officers or gentry in a given territory to muster and array the inhabitants and to see them in a condition for war, or to put soldiers of a country in a condition for military service...
in the northern counties of England and Captain of 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...
. During the 1440s, he was deeply involved in the inheritance dispute between his branch of the Neville family and his paternal half-uncles and their descendants, such as the Earl of Salisbury
Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury
Richard Neville, jure uxoris 5th Earl of Salisbury and 7th and 4th Baron Montacute, KG, PC was a Yorkist leader during the early parts of the Wars of the Roses.-Background:...
. That side of the family was predominantly Yorkist, while Westmorland and his relatives were 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...
.
As his second wife, he married before February 1441/1442 Margaret de Cobham, 4th Baroness Cobham de jure
De jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
, by whom he had one daughter, who died young.
Upon his death, he was succeeded by his nephew, Ralph Neville, 3rd Earl of Westmorland
Ralph Neville, 3rd Earl of Westmorland
Ralph Neville, 3rd Earl of Westmorland was an English peer.He was the son of John Neville, 1st Baron Neville de Raby, in turn the younger brother of Ralph Neville, 2nd Earl of Westmorland. His mother was Anne Holland, daughter of John Holland, 2nd Duke of Exeter...
.
He was dramatised by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
as a character in Henry VI, Part 3
Henry VI, part 3
Henry VI, Part 3 or The Third 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...
.