Richard FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel
Encyclopedia
Richard FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel and 9th Earl of Surrey KG
(1346 – 21 September 1397) was an English medieval nobleman and military commander.
and Eleanor of Lancaster
and was born in 1346. He succeeded his father on 24 January 1376.
His brother was Thomas Arundel
who was Bishop of Ely
from 1374 to 1388, then Archbishop of York
from 1388 to 1397, then Archbishop of Canterbury
.
At the coronation
of Richard II
, Richard FitzAlan carried the crown
.
of the West and South. In this capacity, he attacked Harfleur
at Whitsun
1378, but was forced to return to his ships by the defenders. Later, he and John of Gaunt attempted to seize Saint-Malo
but were unsuccessful.
who was uncle of King Richard II. Thomas was opposed to Richard II's desire for peace with France
in the Hundred Years War and a power struggle ensued between him and Gloucester. In late 1386, Gloucester forced Richard II to name himself and Richard FitzAlan to Richard's Council. This Council was to all intents and purposes a Regency Council for Richard II, however Richard limited the duration of the Council's powers to be one year.
of England, as well as being made a Knight of the Garter. As Admiral of England, he defeated a Franco-Spanish-Flemish fleet off Margate
in March 1387, along with Thomas de Mowbray
, Earl of Nottingham
.
, Alexander Neville
, the Duke of Ireland
Robert de Vere
, Michael de la Pole
the Earl of Suffolk
, Sir Robert Tresilian
who was the Chief Justice, and the former Mayor of London
Nicholas Brembre
.
, taking the favorites prisoner. The Merciless Parliament
the next year condemned the favorites. FitzAlan was one of the Lords Appellant
who accused and condemned Richard II's favorites. He made himself particularly odious to Richard by refusing, along with Gloucester to spare the life of Sir Simon Burley who had been condemned by the Merciless Parliament, even though the queen, Anne of Bohemia went down on her knees before them to beg for mercy. Richard never forgave this humiliation and planned and waited for his moment of revenge. In 1394 he further antagonized the King by arriving late for the queen's funeral. Richard, in a rage snatched a wand and struck him in the face and drew blood. Shortly after that, Richard feigned a reconciliation but he was only biding his time for the right moment to strike. Arundel was named Governor of Brest
in 1388.
His first wife was Elizabeth de Bohun
, daughter of William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton
and Elizabeth de Badlesmere
. They married around 28 September 1359 and had seven children:
Arundel then married Philippa Mortimer, daughter of Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March. Her mother was Philippa Plantagenet, a daughter of Lionel of Antwerp and thus a granddaughter of Edward III
. They had no children.
and was attainted. He was beheaded on 21 September 1397 and was buried in the church of the Augustin Friars, Bread Street, London
. Tradition holds that his final words were said to the executioner, "Torment me not long, strike off my head in one blow". In October of 1400, the attainder
was reversed, and Richard's son Thomas succeeded to his father's estates and honors.
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...
(1346 – 21 September 1397) was an English medieval nobleman and military commander.
Lineage
He was the son of Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of ArundelRichard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel
Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel and 8th Earl of Surrey was an English nobleman and medieval military leader.- Lineage :...
and Eleanor of Lancaster
Eleanor of Lancaster
Eleanor of Lancaster, Countess of Arundel was the fifth daughter of Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster and Maud Chaworth.-First marriage and issue:...
and was born in 1346. He succeeded his father on 24 January 1376.
His brother was Thomas Arundel
Thomas Arundel
Thomas Arundel was Archbishop of Canterbury in 1397 and from 1399 until his death, an outspoken opponent of the Lollards.-Family background:...
who was Bishop of Ely
Bishop of Ely
The Bishop of Ely is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Ely in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese roughly covers the county of Cambridgeshire , together with a section of north-west Norfolk and has its see in the City of Ely, Cambridgeshire, where the seat is located at the...
from 1374 to 1388, then Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
from 1388 to 1397, then Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
.
At the coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
of Richard II
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
, Richard FitzAlan carried the crown
Coronation crown
A coronation crown is a crown used by a monarch when being crowned. In some monarchies, monarchs did not wear the one crown but had a number of crowns for different occasions; a coronation crown for the moment of coronation, and a state crown for general usage in state ceremonial...
.
Admiral
In 1377 he was AdmiralAdmiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
of the West and South. In this capacity, he attacked Harfleur
Harfleur
-Population:-Places of interest:* The church of St-Martin, dating from the fourteenth century.* The seventeenth century Hôtel de Ville .* Medieval ramparts * The fifteenth century museums of fishing and of archaeology and history....
at Whitsun
Whitsun
Whitsun is the name used in the UK for the Christian festival of Pentecost, the seventh Sunday after Easter, which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ's disciples...
1378, but was forced to return to his ships by the defenders. Later, he and John of Gaunt attempted to seize Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo
Saint-Malo is a walled port city in Brittany in northwestern France on the English Channel. It is a sub-prefecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine.-Demographics:The population can increase to up to 200,000 in the summer tourist season...
but were unsuccessful.
Power Struggle
FitzAlan was closely aligned with Thomas, Duke of GloucesterThomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester
Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Buckingham, 1st Earl of Essex, Duke of Aumale, KG was the thirteenth and youngest child of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault...
who was uncle of King Richard II. Thomas was opposed to Richard II's desire for peace with France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in the Hundred Years War and a power struggle ensued between him and Gloucester. In late 1386, Gloucester forced Richard II to name himself and Richard FitzAlan to Richard's Council. This Council was to all intents and purposes a Regency Council for Richard II, however Richard limited the duration of the Council's powers to be one year.
Knight of the Garter
In 1386, Richard II named him AdmiralAdmiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
of England, as well as being made a Knight of the Garter. As Admiral of England, he defeated a Franco-Spanish-Flemish fleet off Margate
Margate
-Demography:As of the 2001 UK census, Margate had a population of 40,386.The ethnicity of the town was 97.1% white, 1.0% mixed race, 0.5% black, 0.8% Asian, 0.6% Chinese or other ethnicity....
in March 1387, along with Thomas de Mowbray
Thomas de Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk
Thomas de Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk, KG, Lord Marshal and Earl Marshal was an English nobleman.-Life:...
, Earl of Nottingham
Earl of Nottingham
Earl of Nottingham is a title that has been created seven times in the Peerage of England.-Earls of Nottingham, First creation :* John de Mowbray , 5th Baron Mowbray-Earls of Nottingham, Second creation :...
.
New Favourites
In August, the King dismissed Gloucester and FitzAlan from the Council and replaced them with his favourites - including the Archbishop of YorkArchbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
, Alexander Neville
Alexander Neville
Alexander Neville was a late medieval prelate who served as Archbishop of York from 1374 to 1388.-Life:Born in about 1340, he was a younger son of Ralph Neville, 2nd Baron Neville de Raby and Alice de Audley...
, the Duke of Ireland
Duke of Ireland
The title of Duke of Ireland was created in 1386 for Robert de Vere, 9th Earl of Oxford, the favourite of King Richard II of England, who had previously been created Marquess of Dublin. Both titles were Life peerages. At this time, only the Pale of Ireland was under English rule...
Robert de Vere
Robert de Vere, Duke of Ireland
Robert de Vere, Duke of Ireland, Marquess of Dublin, and 9th Earl of Oxford KG was a favourite and court companion of King Richard II of England.-Royal favour:...
, Michael de la Pole
Michael de la Pole, 1st Earl of Suffolk
Michael de la Pole, 1st Baron de la Pole, later 1st Earl of Suffolk was an English financier and Lord Chancellor of England.- Life :...
the Earl of Suffolk
Earl of Suffolk
Earl of Suffolk is a title that has been created four times in the Peerage of England. The first creation, in tandem with the creation of the title of Earl of Norfolk, came before 1069 in favour of Ralph the Staller; but the title was forfeited by his heir, Ralph de Guader, in 1074...
, Sir Robert Tresilian
Robert Tresilian
Robert Tresilian was an English lawyer, and Chief Justice of the King's Bench between 1381 and 1387. He was born in Cornwall, and held land in Tresillian, near Truro...
who was the Chief Justice, and the former Mayor of London
Mayor of London
The Mayor of London is an elected politician who, along with the London Assembly of 25 members, is accountable for the strategic government of Greater London. Conservative Boris Johnson has held the position since 4 May 2008...
Nicholas Brembre
Nicholas Brembre
Sir Nicholas Brembre was a wealthy magnate and a chief ally of King Richard II in 14th c-entury England. He was Lord Mayor of London in 1377, and again from 1383-5. Named a "worthie and puissant man of the city" by Richard Grafton he was a son of Sir John Brembre, and, becoming a citizen and...
.
Radcot Bridge
The King summoned Gloucester and FitzAlan to meet with the King, but instead of coming, they raised troops and defeated the new Council at Radcot BridgeBattle of Radcot Bridge
The Battle of Radcot Bridge was fought on 19 December 1387 at Radcot Bridge in England, a bridge over the River Thames now in Oxfordshire but then the boundary between Oxfordshire and Berkshire...
, taking the favorites prisoner. The Merciless Parliament
Merciless Parliament
The Merciless Parliament, a term coined by Augustinian chronicler Henry Knighton, refers to the English parliamentary session of February through June 1388, at which many members of Richard II's Court were convicted of treason. The session was preceded by a period in which Richard's power was...
the next year condemned the favorites. FitzAlan was one of the Lords Appellant
Lords Appellant
The Lords Appellant were a group of nobles in the reign of King Richard II who sought to impeach some five of the King's favourites in order to restrain what was seen as tyrannical and capricious rule. The word appellant simply means '[one who is] appealing [in a legal sense]'...
who accused and condemned Richard II's favorites. He made himself particularly odious to Richard by refusing, along with Gloucester to spare the life of Sir Simon Burley who had been condemned by the Merciless Parliament, even though the queen, Anne of Bohemia went down on her knees before them to beg for mercy. Richard never forgave this humiliation and planned and waited for his moment of revenge. In 1394 he further antagonized the King by arriving late for the queen's funeral. Richard, in a rage snatched a wand and struck him in the face and drew blood. Shortly after that, Richard feigned a reconciliation but he was only biding his time for the right moment to strike. Arundel was named Governor of Brest
Brest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
in 1388.
Opposed to Peace
Peace was concluded with France in 1389, however Richard FitzAlan followed Gloucester's lead and stated that he would never agree with the peace that had been concluded.Marriage and children
Arundel married twice.His first wife was Elizabeth de Bohun
Elizabeth de Bohun
Elizabeth de Bohun, Countess of Arundel, Countess of Surrey was a member of the Anglo-Norman Bohun family, which wielded much power in the Welsh Marches and the English government...
, daughter of William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton
William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton
William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton, KG was an English nobleman and military commander.-Lineage:He was the fifth son of Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford and Elizabeth of Rhuddlan. He had a twin brother, Edward...
and Elizabeth de Badlesmere
Elizabeth de Badlesmere
Elizabeth de Badlesmere, Countess of Northampton was the wife of two English noblemen, Sir Edmund Mortimer and William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton...
. They married around 28 September 1359 and had seven children:
- Thomas FitzAlan, 12th Earl of ArundelThomas FitzAlan, 12th Earl of ArundelThomas Fitzalan, 12th Earl of Arundel and 10th Earl of Surrey, KG was an English nobleman, one of the principals of the deposition of Richard II, and a major figure during the reign of Henry IV.-Lineage:...
- Lady Eleanor FitzAlan (c.1365- 1375), on 28 October 1371, at the age of about six, married Robert de Ufford. Died childless.
- Elizabeth FitzAlan
- Joan FitzAlanJoan FitzalanJoan FitzAlan, Countess of Hereford, Countess of Essex and Countess of Northampton , was the wife of the 7th Earl of Hereford, 6th Earl of Essex and 2nd Earl of Northampton. She was the mother of Mary de Bohun, the first wife of Henry of Bolingbroke who later reigned as King Henry IV, and Eleanor...
(1375 - 14 November 1435), who married William Beauchamp, 1st Baron BergavennyWilliam Beauchamp, 1st Baron BergavennyWilliam de Beauchamp, 1st Baron Bergavenny, KG was an English peer.A younger son of Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick and Katherine Mortimer, he was summoned to Parliament on 23 July 1392 as "Willilmo Beauchamp de Bergavenny", by which he is held to have become Baron Bergavenny.- Marriage...
; - Alice FitzAlan (1378- before October 1415), married before March 1392, John Charleton, 4th Baron CherletonJohn Charleton, 4th Baron CherletonJohn Charleton , 4th Baron Cherleton, 4th Lord Charlton of Powys...
. (not mentioned as an heir of Thomas in the Complete Peerage). Had an affair with CardinalCardinal (Catholicism)A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
Henry Beaufort, by whom she had an illegitimate daughter, Jane Beaufort.[4] - Margaret FitzAlan, who married Sir Rowland Lenthall; by whom she had two sons.
- William (or Richard) FitzAlan
Arundel then married Philippa Mortimer, daughter of Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March. Her mother was Philippa Plantagenet, a daughter of Lionel of Antwerp and thus a granddaughter of Edward III
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...
. They had no children.
Death and Succession
On 12 July 1397 he was arrested for his opposition to Richard II, as well as plotting with Gloucester to imprison the king. He stood trial at WestminsterWestminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
and was attainted. He was beheaded on 21 September 1397 and was buried in the church of the Augustin Friars, Bread Street, London
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...
. Tradition holds that his final words were said to the executioner, "Torment me not long, strike off my head in one blow". In October of 1400, the attainder
Attainder
In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura is the metaphorical 'stain' or 'corruption of blood' which arises from being condemned for a serious capital crime . It entails losing not only one's property and hereditary titles, but typically also the right to pass them on to one's heirs...
was reversed, and Richard's son Thomas succeeded to his father's estates and honors.
Ancestry
External links
- FitzAlan Family accessed on 10 July 2007
- Foundation for Medieval Genealogy - FitzAlan accessed on 10 July 2007