Sir Richard Pole
Encyclopedia
Sir Richard Pole, KG
(1462 - bef. 18 December 1505) was a Welsh
supporter of King Henry VII created Knight of the Garter and married to Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury
, a member of the Plantagenet dynasty, to reinforce the Tudor
alliance between the houses of Lancaster
and York
.
. Sir Richard Pole was a landed gentleman
of Buckinghamshire, the son of Sir Geoffrey Pole of Worrell
, Cheshire
, and of Wythurn in Medmenham
, Buckinghamshire
(1431 - 1474 / 4 January 1479, interred in Bisham Abbey
). His mother was Edith St John, daughter of Sir Oliver St John of Bletso, Bedfordshire (d. 1437) and the half-sister of Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII
. They both shared the same mother, Margaret Beauchamp of Bletso
, who had married three times. He was thus first cousin of Alice St John, wife of Henry Parker, 10th Baron Morley
and mother of Jane Parker
, wife of George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford
.
and Montgomery castle
s and the High Sheriff of Merionethshire
. In 1495 Pole raised men against the rebellion of Perkin Warbeck
.
Sir Richard Pole was "a valiant and expert commander" first retained to serve Henry VII in the wars of Scotland in 1497 with five demi-lances and 200 archers, and shortly afterwards with 600 men-at-arms, 60 demilances, and 540 bows and bills.
King Henry later made him Chief Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to Arthur, Prince of Wales
. Pole was invested as a Knight of the Garter on April 1499. After Prince Arthur married Catherine of Aragon
in 1501 Pole accompanied them to Ludlow Castle
where Arthur took his role as President of The Council of Wales and Marches. Pole was later given responsibility for the Welsh Marches
. He also had the daunting task of meeting with the council of Wales and Marches on how best to inform the King of his much loved eldest son's death on the 2 April 1502.
, daughter of George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence
and Isabella Plantagenet, Duchess of Clarence
, between 1491 and 1494, or on 22 September 1494. On the topic of the marriage William Shakespeare
wrote "His [The Duke of Clarence's] daughter meanly have I match'd in marriage." and Horace Walpole wrote in his correspondence "Henry had married her to the insignificant Sir Richard Pole who is called a Welsh Knight". Sir Richard Pole may have been chosen by King Henry VII as husband for his wife's cousin Margaret on the basis that he was 'safe' because his mother was a half-sister of Henry's own mother, Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond - that is, one of the St Johns, and her mother in turn, was a Beauchamp.
He died before 18 December 1505. Stammtafeln says he died in 1525.
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...
(1462 - bef. 18 December 1505) was a Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
supporter of King Henry VII created Knight of the Garter and married to Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury
Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury
Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury was an English peeress, one of two women in sixteenth-century England to be a peeress in her own right with no titled husband, the daughter of George of Clarence, the brother of King Edward IV and King Richard III...
, a member of the Plantagenet dynasty, to reinforce the Tudor
Tudor dynasty
The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...
alliance between the houses of Lancaster
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...
and York
House of York
The House of York was a branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet, three members of which became English kings in the late 15th century. The House of York was descended in the paternal line from Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, the fourth surviving son of Edward III, but also represented...
.
Family
A descendant of an ancient Welsh familyPole (surname)
This surname, Pole or de la Pole, has many origins. The one of Sir William de la Pole of Hull is obscure. His father's name is not certainly known but may have been William. His mother Elena remarried John Rotenheryng. Some genealogical tables indicate Sir William was related to the old ruling...
. Sir Richard Pole was a landed gentleman
Landed gentry
Landed gentry is a traditional British social class, consisting of land owners who could live entirely off rental income. Often they worked only in an administrative capacity looking after the management of their own lands....
of Buckinghamshire, the son of Sir Geoffrey Pole of Worrell
Worrell
Worrell is a mainly English surname of:People* Bernie Worrell , American keyboardist and composer* Cameron Worrell , American football player* David Worrell , Irish football player...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, and of Wythurn in Medmenham
Medmenham
Medmenham is a village and civil parish in the Wycombe district of Buckinghamshire, England. It is on the River Thames, about three and a half miles southwest of Marlow and three miles east of Henley-on-Thames....
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
(1431 - 1474 / 4 January 1479, interred in Bisham Abbey
Bisham Abbey
Bisham Abbey is a Grade I listed manor house at Bisham in the English county of Berkshire. The name is taken from the now lost monastery which once stood alongside. Bisham Abbey was previously named Bisham Priory, and was the traditional resting place of many Earls of Salisbury...
). His mother was Edith St John, daughter of Sir Oliver St John of Bletso, Bedfordshire (d. 1437) and the half-sister of Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother 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....
. They both shared the same mother, Margaret Beauchamp of Bletso
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...
, who had married three times. He was thus first cousin of Alice St John, wife of Henry Parker, 10th Baron Morley
Henry Parker, 10th Baron Morley
Henry Parker, 10th Baron Morley , was an English peer and translator, Lord of Morley, Hingham, Hockering, &c., in Norfolk. He was the son of Alice Parker, 9th Baroness Morley, née Lovel Henry Parker, 10th Baron Morley (1476/1480/1481 – 3 December 1553/1556), was an English peer and translator, Lord...
and mother of Jane Parker
Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford
Jane Boleyn, Viscountess Rochford was an English noblewoman who lived in the reign of Henry VIII. She was a sister-in-law of Henry's second wife Anne Boleyn and lady-in-waiting to his fifth wife Catherine Howard, with whom she was executed.-Early life:Born Jane Parker, she was the daughter of...
, wife of George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford
George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford
George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford was an English courtier and nobleman, and the brother of queen consort Anne Boleyn...
.
Tudor Rule
Henry VII gave him various offices in Wales including the constableship of HarlechHarlech Castle
Harlech Castle, located in Harlech, Gwynedd, Wales, is a concentric castle, constructed atop a cliff close to the Irish Sea. Architecturally, it is particularly notable for its massive gatehouse....
and Montgomery castle
Montgomery Castle
Montgomery Castle is a stone masonry castle looking over the town of Montgomery in Powys, mid Wales. It is one of many Norman castles on the border between Wales and England.- Motte & Bailey Castle :...
s and the High Sheriff of Merionethshire
High Sheriff of Merionethshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Merionethshire. The historic county of Merioneth was originally created in 1284. The administrative county of Merioneth was created from the historic county under the Local Government Act 1888. This was abolished in turn under the Local Government Act 1972 on...
. In 1495 Pole raised men against the rebellion of Perkin Warbeck
Perkin Warbeck
Perkin Warbeck was a pretender to the English throne during the reign of King Henry VII of England. By claiming to be Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, the younger son of King Edward IV, one of the Princes in the Tower, Warbeck was a significant threat to the newly established Tudor Dynasty,...
.
Sir Richard Pole was "a valiant and expert commander" first retained to serve Henry VII in the wars of Scotland in 1497 with five demi-lances and 200 archers, and shortly afterwards with 600 men-at-arms, 60 demilances, and 540 bows and bills.
King Henry later made him Chief Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to Arthur, Prince of Wales
Arthur, Prince of Wales
Arthur Tudor, Prince of Wales was the first son of King Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York, and therefore, heir to the throne of England. As he predeceased his father, Arthur never became king...
. Pole was invested as a Knight of the Garter on April 1499. After Prince Arthur married Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon , also known as Katherine or Katharine, was Queen consort of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and Princess of Wales as the wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales...
in 1501 Pole accompanied them to Ludlow Castle
Ludlow Castle
Ludlow Castle is a large, partly ruined, non-inhabited castle which dominates the town of Ludlow in Shropshire, England. It stands on a high point overlooking the River Teme...
where Arthur took his role as President of The Council of Wales and Marches. Pole was later given responsibility for the Welsh Marches
Welsh Marches
The Welsh Marches is a term which, in modern usage, denotes an imprecisely defined area along and around the border between England and Wales in the United Kingdom. The precise meaning of the term has varied at different periods...
. He also had the daunting task of meeting with the council of Wales and Marches on how best to inform the King of his much loved eldest son's death on the 2 April 1502.
Marriage
He married Margaret PlantagenetMargaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury
Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury was an English peeress, one of two women in sixteenth-century England to be a peeress in her own right with no titled husband, the daughter of George of Clarence, the brother of King Edward IV and King Richard III...
, daughter of George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence
George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence
George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence, 1st Earl of Salisbury, 1st Earl of Warwick, KG was the third son of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, and Cecily Neville, and the brother of kings Edward IV and Richard III. He played an important role in the dynastic struggle known as the Wars of the...
and Isabella Plantagenet, Duchess of Clarence
Isabella Plantagenet, Duchess of Clarence
Lady Isabel Neville was the elder daughter of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, the Kingmaker of the Wars of the Roses, and Anne de Beauchamp, 16th Countess of Warwick. She was the wife of George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence...
, between 1491 and 1494, or on 22 September 1494. On the topic of the marriage 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"...
wrote "His [The Duke of Clarence's] daughter meanly have I match'd in marriage." and Horace Walpole wrote in his correspondence "Henry had married her to the insignificant Sir Richard Pole who is called a Welsh Knight". Sir Richard Pole may have been chosen by King Henry VII as husband for his wife's cousin Margaret on the basis that he was 'safe' because his mother was a half-sister of Henry's own mother, Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond - that is, one of the St Johns, and her mother in turn, was a Beauchamp.
He died before 18 December 1505. Stammtafeln says he died in 1525.
Issue
He and his wife were parents to five children:- Henry Pole, 1st Baron MontaguHenry Pole, 1st Baron MontaguHenry Pole, 1st Baron Montagu , the only holder of the title Baron Montagu under its 1514 creation, was most famous as one of the peers in the trial of Anne Boleyn.-Life:...
(c. 1492 - 9 January 1539), most famous as one of the peers in the trial of Anne BoleynAnne BoleynAnne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
; married Jane Neville, daughter of the 4th and 2nd Baron BergavennyGeorge Nevill, 4th Baron BergavennySir George Nevill, 4th and de jure 2nd Baron Bergavenny was an English nobleman.George was the son of Edward Nevill, 3rd Baron Bergavenny and Elizabeth de Beauchamp, Lady of Abergavenny. He was knighted by Edward IV on 9 May 1471, after fighting for the King at the Battle of Tewkesbury...
and the former Margaret Fenne. Henry Pole, his wife and his mother were beheaded by Henry VIII. Ironically a great-grandson of Henry Pole was Sir John Bourchier, a regicide of beheaded King Charles I of EnglandCharles I of EnglandCharles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
- a great-great-grandnephew of Henry VIII. - Reginald Pole (c. 1500 - 17 November 1558), cardinal, papal legate in various regions, including England, and the final Roman Catholic Archbishop of CanterburyArchbishop of CanterburyThe 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...
. - Sir Geoffrey PoleGeoffrey PoleSir Geoffrey Pole of Lordington, Sussex was an English knight who supported the Catholic Church in England and Wales when Henry VIII of England was establishing the alternative Church of England with himself as leader....
(c. 1501 or 1502 - 1558), Lord of the ManorLord of the ManorThe Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
of Lordington in SussexSussexSussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, suspected of treason by King Henry VIII and accused of conspiring with Charles V, Holy Roman EmperorCharles V, Holy Roman EmperorCharles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
; lived in exile in EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
; married Constance Pakenham, granddaughter and heiress of Sir John Pakenham. John Pakenham was ancestor to Sir Edward PakenhamEdward PakenhamSir Edward Michael Pakenham GCB , styled The Honourable from his birth until 1813, was an Irish British Army Officer and Politician. He was the brother-in law of the Duke of Wellington, with whom he served in the Peninsular War...
brother-in-law to Duke of WellingtonDuke of WellingtonThe Dukedom of Wellington, derived from Wellington in Somerset, is a hereditary title in the senior rank of the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first holder of the title was Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington , the noted Irish-born career British Army officer and statesman, and...
. - Sir Arthur PoleArthur Pole (1502–1535)Sir Arthur Pole of Broadhurst, Sussex was an English knight.-Life:He was the youngest son of Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury and Sir Richard Pole. His brother, Cardinal Reginald Pole, became the last Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury under Queen Mary I...
(c. 1502 - 1535), Lord of the ManorLord of the ManorThe Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
of Broadhurst in SussexSussexSussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
; married Jane Lewknor, daughter of Sir Roger Lewknor and the former Eleanor Tuchet, herself daughter of the 6th Baron AudleyJohn Tuchet, 6th Baron AudleyJohn Tuchet, 6th Baron Audley, 3rd Baron Tuchet was an English peer.John Tuchet was the son of James Tuchet, 5th Baron Audley . He married Ann Echingham, daughter of Sir Thomas Echingham with whom he had seven children...
and the former Anne Echingham. - Lady Ursula Pole, Baroness StaffordUrsula Pole, Baroness StaffordUrsula Pole, Baroness Stafford was an English noblewoman, a wealthy heiress, and the only daughter of Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury, the last surviving member of the Plantagenet dynasty who was executed for treason by the command of King Henry VIII in 1541...
(c. 1504 - 12 August 1570), married the 1st Baron StaffordHenry Stafford, 1st Baron StaffordHenry Stafford, 1st Baron Stafford was born in Penshurst, Kent, England the eldest son of Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Eleanor Percy, Duchess of Buckingham. Eleanor was the daughter of Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland and Maud Herbert, Countess of Northumberland...
.