John de Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk
Encyclopedia
Sir John de Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk KG
, Earl Marshal
(12 September 1415 – 6 November 1461) was an important player in the Wars of the Roses
.
He was the son of John Mowbray, 2nd Duke of Norfolk and Lady Katherine Neville
. He held the office of Earl Marshal
from 1432, when he inherited the title of 3rd Duke of Norfolk
.
At the beginning of the War of the Roses in 1450 he supported Richard, Duke of York
, the leader of the Yorkist
faction. However, in 1459, he swore allegiance to the Lancastrian
Henry VI
. He then quickly changed sides back to the Yorkists. This sort of treachery was by no means unusual during the Wars of the Roses
.
In February 1461 he fought for the defeated Yorkists in the Second Battle of St Albans
. In March 1461 (Richard, Duke of York now being dead) he was one of those who asked the Duke’s son the Earl of March to become Edward IV
and later that month his intervention at the Battle of Towton
was decisive. The battle took place in a snow storm between 80,000 men. Neither side could get an advantage until about midday Norfolk entered the battle on the Yorkist’s right flank. The Lancastrians then began to slowly fall back. As Earl Marshal Mowbray then officiated at Edward IV’s coronation.
and Anne of Gloucester
, Countess of Buckingham. She was the sister of his successor as Justice in Eyre
, Henry Bourchier
. They had one child, John de Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk
.
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...
, Earl Marshal
Earl Marshal
Earl Marshal is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England...
(12 September 1415 – 6 November 1461) was an important player in the Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
.
He was the son of John Mowbray, 2nd Duke of Norfolk and Lady Katherine Neville
Lady Katherine Neville
Katherine Neville or Catherine de Neville was the eldest daughter of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland and Joan Beaufort , daughter of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster by his mistress Catherine de Roet.Katherine was married firstly to John Mowbray, 2nd Duke of Norfolk...
. He held the office of Earl Marshal
Earl Marshal
Earl Marshal is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England...
from 1432, when he inherited the title of 3rd Duke of Norfolk
Duke of Norfolk
The Duke of Norfolk is the premier duke in the peerage of England, and also, as Earl of Arundel, the premier earl. The Duke of Norfolk is, moreover, the Earl Marshal and hereditary Marshal of England. The seat of the Duke of Norfolk is Arundel Castle in Sussex, although the title refers to the...
.
At the beginning of the War of the Roses in 1450 he supported Richard, Duke of York
Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York
Richard Plantagenêt, 3rd Duke of York, 6th Earl of March, 4th Earl of Cambridge, and 7th Earl of Ulster, conventionally called Richard of York was a leading English magnate, great-grandson of King Edward III...
, the leader of the Yorkist
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...
faction. However, in 1459, he swore allegiance to the 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...
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...
. He then quickly changed sides back to the Yorkists. This sort of treachery was by no means unusual during the Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
.
In February 1461 he fought for the defeated Yorkists in the Second Battle of St Albans
Second Battle of St Albans
The Second Battle of St Albans was a battle of the English Wars of the Roses fought on 17 February, 1461, at St Albans. The army of the Yorkist faction under the Earl of Warwick attempted to bar the road to London north of the town. The rival Lancastrian army used a wide outflanking manoeuvre to...
. In March 1461 (Richard, Duke of York now being dead) he was one of those who asked the Duke’s son the Earl of March to become Edward IV
Edward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
and later that month his intervention 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...
was decisive. The battle took place in a snow storm between 80,000 men. Neither side could get an advantage until about midday Norfolk entered the battle on the Yorkist’s right flank. The Lancastrians then began to slowly fall back. As Earl Marshal Mowbray then officiated at Edward IV’s coronation.
Marriage and issue
He married Eleanor Bourchier, daughter of William Bourchier, Count of EuWilliam Bourchier, Count of Eu
William Bourchier , founder of the fortunes of the Bourchier family, was 1st Count of Eu, in Normandy.He was the son of Sir William Bourchier, a scion of the Barons Bourchier, and Alianore de Lovayne...
and Anne of Gloucester
Anne of Gloucester
Anne of Gloucester, Countess of Stafford was the eldest daughter of Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester and Eleanor de Bohun.-Family:...
, Countess of Buckingham. She was the sister of his successor as Justice in Eyre
Justice in Eyre
In English law, the Justices in Eyre were the highest magistrates in forest law, and presided over the court of justice-seat, a triennial court held to punish offenders against the forest law and enquire into the state of the forest and its officers...
, Henry Bourchier
Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex
Henry Bourchier, 5th Baron Bourchier, 1st Viscount Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex, KG , was the eldest son of William Bourchier, 1st Count of Eu and Anne of Gloucester...
. They had one child, John de Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk
John de Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk
John de Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk, KG , known as 1st Earl of Surrey between 1451 and 1461, was the only son of John de Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk and Eleanor Bourchier. His maternal grandparents were William Bourchier, Count of Eu and Anne of Gloucester.In 1451 the earldom of Surrey was...
.