Walter Blount, 1st Baron Mountjoy
Encyclopedia
Sir Walter Blount, 1st Baron Mountjoy KG (c. 1416 – 1474) was an English
baron and aristocrat.
.
. He succeeded his father, Sir Thomas Blount, as Treasurer of Calais
in 1460, becoming governor a year later as a reward for service rendered to King Edward IV at the Battle of Towton
. Edward conferred on him in 1467 rich estates in Devon forfeited by the Earl of Devon; and in 1465 Blount was made lord high treasurer and created Baron Mountjoy
. This creation is noteworthy as one of the earliest examples of a baronial title not being of a territorial character; nor the title of a dignity already existing. Blount's great-grandfather had married Isolda, daughter and heiress of Sir Thomas de Mountjoy, and the title was probably chosen to commemorate this alliance.
He was made a Knight of the Garter in 1472.
On his death on 1 August 1474 in Greyfriars, London his grandson Edward Blount, 2nd Baron Mountjoy
inherited his title. His eldest son (and Edward's father) Sir William Blount had been killed at the Battle of Barnet in 1471.
In 1467, Walter married secondly Ann Neville, widow of Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
baron and aristocrat.
Early life and family
Walter Blount was born circa 1416, the eldest son of Sir Thomas Blount (1378 – 1456) and Margery Gresley and grandson of Sir Walter BlountWalter Blount (soldier)
Sir Walter Blount , was a soldier and supporter of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster. He later supported John's son and heir Henry Bolingbroke in his bid to become king Henry IV and in later battles against his enemies...
.
Career
He was made Steward of the High Peak in Derbyshire and became a bitter rival of the local Vernon and Longford families, replacing the Vernons in parliament as the near permanent Knight of the Shire (1446–1448, 1450–1468) for DerbyshireDerbyshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Derbyshire is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832...
. He succeeded his father, Sir Thomas Blount, as Treasurer of Calais
Treasurer of Calais
Calais was in English hands from 1347 to 1558. The task of the Treasurer, in conjunction with the Captain of Calais was keeping the defences in order, supplying victuals and paying the garrison...
in 1460, becoming governor a year later as a reward for service rendered to King Edward IV at the Battle of Towton
Battle of Towton
In 1461, England was in the sixth year of the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars between the Houses of York and Lancaster over the English throne. The Lancastrians backed the reigning King of England, Henry VI, an indecisive man who suffered bouts of madness...
. Edward conferred on him in 1467 rich estates in Devon forfeited by the Earl of Devon; and in 1465 Blount was made lord high treasurer and created Baron Mountjoy
Baron Mountjoy
The titles of Baron Mountjoy and Viscount Mountjoy have been created several times for members of two separate families: the Blounts and their descendants and the Stewarts of Ramelton and their descendants....
. This creation is noteworthy as one of the earliest examples of a baronial title not being of a territorial character; nor the title of a dignity already existing. Blount's great-grandfather had married Isolda, daughter and heiress of Sir Thomas de Mountjoy, and the title was probably chosen to commemorate this alliance.
He was made a Knight of the Garter in 1472.
On his death on 1 August 1474 in Greyfriars, London his grandson Edward Blount, 2nd Baron Mountjoy
Edward Blount, 2nd Baron Mountjoy
Edward Blount, 2nd Baron Mountjoy was an English peer.Edward Blount was born in 1464 in London, the second son of Sir William Blount and Margaret de Echyngham...
inherited his title. His eldest son (and Edward's father) Sir William Blount had been killed at the Battle of Barnet in 1471.
Marriages and children
Walter firstly married Helena Byron. He and Helena Byron had six children:- William
- JohnJohn Blount, 3rd Baron MountjoyJohn Blount, 3rd Baron Mountjoy was an English peer and soldier.-Life:John Blount was born circa 1450 in Rock, Worcestershire, the second son of Walter Blount, 1st Baron Mountjoy and Helena Byron. He inherited his title on the death of his nephew Edward Blount, 2nd Baron Mountjoy in 1475...
- JamesJames BlountSir James Blount was commander of the English fortress of Hammes, near Calais. When in 1484 the Earl of Oxford was imprisoned there, Blount was apparently persuaded to switch to the Lancastrian side. Blount and Oxford fled to join Henry Tudor , leaving his wife in charge...
- Edward
- Anne
- Elizabeth
In 1467, Walter married secondly Ann Neville, widow of Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham
Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham
Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG , an English nobleman, great grandson of King Edward III on his mother's side, was best known as a military commander in the Hundred Years' War and in the Wars of the Roses....
.