Earl of Richmond
Earl of Richmond was a hereditary British title in the Peerage of England , bestowed eleven times. The title is named after the city of Richmond in Yorkshire .
Awards
The title seems to have existed as early as the 11th century and was closely associated with the Duchy of Brittany from the start : Alain le Roux (around 1040-1089) was a Norman relative of the Breton Duke Gottfried I , participant in the invasion of William the Conqueror who was rewarded with land in various parts of England, including former property of Edwin, Earl of Mercia in Yorkshire . On one of these pieces of land, he had Richmond Castle built.
His brother Alain le Noir (around 1045-1093) inherited this property. He was followed by Stephan I, Count of Penthièvre († 1137), either his nephew or another brother (which, however - see Duchy of Penthièvre - Alain le Roux and Alain le Noir must be grandsons of Duke Gottfried). These Breton lords owned the land around Richmond and were often referred to as 'Earls of Richmond', although this should not correspond to the later common sense.
Stephen's son Alan (around 1116–1146) was the first real Earl of Richmond . He married Bertha, daughter and heiress of the Breton Duke Conan III. ; their son was Conan of Richmond (around 1138–1171), who married Margaret of Huntingdon , the sister of the Scottish King Malcolm IV. Conan of Richmond became Conan IV. Duke of Brittany and gave Richmond to his daughter Konstanze for life (around 1162– 1201). However, since he left no sons, Richmond and the rest of the English possessions fell back to the king after his death in 1171.
Konstanze entered into three marriages, each of her husbands assumed the title of Earl of Richmond and Duke of Brittany : Gottfried Plantagenet (1158–1186), son of King Henry II of England , Ranulph de Blondeville, 4th Earl of Chester (around 1172–1186) 1232) (this marriage was annulled due to close consanguinity) and Guy de Thouars († 1213), who outlived his wife by 12 years. The only son from the first marriage was Duke Arthur I (1187-1203), who was referred to as the Earl of Richmond during his mother's lifetime . After his assassination by King John Ohneland , his uncle, Richmond was drafted from the Crown.
From her third husband, Konstanze had two daughters, Alice, the elder, whom the French King Philip II was married to Peter Mauclerc von Dreux in 1213 , after which Peter was dubbed Duke of Brittany and Earl of Richmond until around 1235 . When he then revoked his English feudal duties, he consequently lost all English possessions.
In 1241 King Heinrich III. Richmond to Peter II of Savoy (1203-1268), the uncle of his wife Eleonore de Provence , whereupon he is referred to by contemporary chroniclers as the Earl of Richmond . He left Richmond to his niece, who gave it to the Crown.
In the same year (1268) Heinrich III. Earl dignity to John I of Bretagne (1217–1286), the son of Peter Mauclercs, whose descendants mostly held Richmond when it had not been confiscated by the crown. In 1342 it was apparently by King Edward III. drafted and given to his son John of Gaunt , who returned it in 1372.
The earliest dignity now went back to the Bretons: Duke Johann V (Johann von Montfort) received it, but died in 1399 without an heir, the title then reverted to the crown (perhaps even earlier). Now the earl dignity has been separated from the Duchy of Brittany.
From 1414 to 1435 John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford , held the title; in 1453 it was given to Edmund Tudor , brother of King Henry VI. When Edmund's son ascended the throne as Henry VII in 1485 , the title reverted to the crown and no new earl was appointed for 40 years.
Most recently the title was bestowed on October 6, 1613 together with the subordinate title Baron Setrington by King James I to Ludovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of Lennox . This was also elevated to Duke of Richmond in 1623 . With his death on February 16, 1624, the earl dignity finally expired.
List of the Earls of Richmond
Earls of Richmond, first bestowal (1136)
- Alain de Bretagne, 1st Earl of Richmond , 1st Earl of Cornwall († 1146)
- Conan IV Duke of Brittany († 1171)
- Constanze (1161–1201)
- Arthur Plantagenet (1187–1203)
- after Arthur's death, his sister, Eleanor , was regarded by some as the Countess of Richmond. She died in 1236.
Earls of Richmond, second bestowal (1219)
- Peter de Braine, 1st Earl of Richmond (1191–1250), deposed in 1235
Earls of Richmond, third bestowal (1241)
- Peter of Savoy, 1st Earl of Richmond (1203–1268)
Earls of Richmond, fourth bestowal (1268)
- John I Duke of Brittany , 1st Earl of Richmond (1217–1286), resigned in 1268
- John II Duke of Brittany , 2nd Earl of Richmond (1239–1305)
Earls of Richmond, fifth award (1306)
- John of Brittany (1266–1334)
- Johann III. Duke of Brittany (1286-1341)
Earls of Richmond, sixth bestowal (1341)
- Johann von Montfort (1295–1345)
Earls of Richmond, seventh bestowal (1342)
- John of Gaunt, 1st Earl of Richmond (1340-1399), returned the earl dignity in 1372.
Earls of Richmond, eighth bestowal (1372)
- Johann V Duke of Brittany (1339-1399)
Earls of Richmond, ninth award (1414)
- John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford (1389-1435)
Earls of Richmond, tenth award (1453)
- Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond (1430-1456)
- Henry Tudor, 2nd Earl of Richmond (1457–1509), deposed in 1461, became King of England in 1485 as Henry VII
Earls of Richmond, eleventh award (1613)
- Ludovic Stewart, 2nd Duke of Lennox (1574-1624), was Earl in 1613 and Duke of Richmond in 1623