William Esturmy
Encyclopedia
Sir William Esturmy or Sturmy (died 1427) was hereditary Warden of Savernake Forest
, a Knight of the Shire
and Speaker of the House of Commons.
He was born around 1356, the son of Geoffrey Sturmy and nephew and heir of Sir Henry Sturmy of Wolfhall in the Savernake Forest
, Wiltshire. He inherited in 1381 and was knighted by October 1388.
He held the post of hereditary warden of Savernake Forest from 1381 to 1417 and from 1420 until his death in 1427. He entered politics, serving initially as knight of the shire for Hampshire
in 1384 and again in 1390, but also eight times for Wiltshire
and twice for Devon between then and 1422. He was elected Speaker of the House in 1404 during the reign of Henry IV
, known as the Illiterate or Unlearned Parliament
because the king forbid lawyers from attending. He was appointed High Sheriff of Wiltshire
for 1418.
He held a number of public posts and served several times as an ambassador abroad.
He died at Wolfhall. He had married Joan Crawthorne, the widow of Sir John Beaumont of Saunton and Sherwell, Devon. They had two daughters. His daughter Maud married John Seymour
and through her William Esturmy would be one of the forefathers of Jane Seymour
.
Savernake Forest
Savernake Forest is on a Cretaceous chalk plateau between Marlborough and Great Bedwyn in Wiltshire, England. Its area is approximately .It is privately owned by the Trustees of Savernake Estate, the Earl of Cardigan, and his family solicitor. Since 1939 the running of the forest has been...
, a Knight of the Shire
Knights of the Shire
From the creation of the Parliament of England in mediaeval times until 1826 each county of England and Wales sent two Knights of the Shire as members of Parliament to represent the interests of the county, when the number of knights from Yorkshire was increased to four...
and Speaker of the House of Commons.
He was born around 1356, the son of Geoffrey Sturmy and nephew and heir of Sir Henry Sturmy of Wolfhall in the Savernake Forest
Savernake Forest
Savernake Forest is on a Cretaceous chalk plateau between Marlborough and Great Bedwyn in Wiltshire, England. Its area is approximately .It is privately owned by the Trustees of Savernake Estate, the Earl of Cardigan, and his family solicitor. Since 1939 the running of the forest has been...
, Wiltshire. He inherited in 1381 and was knighted by October 1388.
He held the post of hereditary warden of Savernake Forest from 1381 to 1417 and from 1420 until his death in 1427. He entered politics, serving initially as knight of the shire for Hampshire
Hampshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Hampshire was a county constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which returned two Knights of the Shire to the House of Commons from 1295 until 1832...
in 1384 and again in 1390, but also eight times for Wiltshire
Wiltshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Wiltshire was a constituency of the House of Commons of England from 1290 to 1707, of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. It was represented by two Members of Parliament , elected by the bloc vote...
and twice for Devon between then and 1422. He was elected Speaker of the House in 1404 during the reign of Henry IV
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
, known as the Illiterate or Unlearned Parliament
Unlearned Parliament
The Unlearned Parliament also known as the Lawless Parliament , Parliament of Dunces or the Parliamentum Indoctorum is the term used for the 1404 parliament called by Henry IV of England at the Great Hall of the Benedictine monastery in Coventry, Warwickshire, so called because the king refused to...
because the king forbid lawyers from attending. He was appointed High Sheriff of Wiltshire
High Sheriff of Wiltshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Wiltshire.Until the 14th century the shrievalty was held ex officio by the castellans of Old Sarum.-To 1400:*1066: Edric*1067-1070: Philippe de Buckland*1085: Aiulphus the Sheriff*1070–1105: Edward of Salisbury...
for 1418.
He held a number of public posts and served several times as an ambassador abroad.
He died at Wolfhall. He had married Joan Crawthorne, the widow of Sir John Beaumont of Saunton and Sherwell, Devon. They had two daughters. His daughter Maud married John Seymour
John Seymour (died 1464)
Sir John Seymour of Wulfhall in Savernake Forest, Wiltshire, and of Hatch Beauchamp, Somerset was an English knight and member of parliament.-Life:He was the son of Roger Seymour Sir John Seymour of Wulfhall in Savernake Forest, Wiltshire, and of Hatch Beauchamp, Somerset (c. 1395, c. 1400 or 1402...
and through her William Esturmy would be one of the forefathers of Jane Seymour
Jane Seymour
Jane Seymour was Queen of England as the third wife of King Henry VIII. She succeeded Anne Boleyn as queen consort following the latter's execution for trumped up charges of high treason, incest and adultery in May 1536. She died of postnatal complications less than two weeks after the birth of...
.