Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Coat of arms of Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland

Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland , (born February 3, 1393 or 1394 - † May 22, 1455 ) was an English nobleman .

Life

He was the son of Sir Henry Percy and his wife Elizabeth de Mortimer, daughter of Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March , and Philippa of Clarence, 5th Countess of Ulster . His father was the son and heir of Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland . After his father died in 1403 and his grandfather in 1408 in unsuccessful uprisings against King Henry IV of England , he grew up in exile in Scotland and was educated at the University of St Andrews .

After Henry IV died in 1413, he returned to England and his son, Henry V , restored the dignity of his grandfather to him on November 11, 1414. He got his property back and with letters patent of March 16, 1416 the English Parliament confirmed his titles as Earl of Northumberland and Baron Percy .

He took part in Henry V's campaign in France and fought in the Battle of Azincourt . In 1417 he received the office of Warden of the East March . Between 1422 and 1424 he belonged to the Regency Council for the minor King Henry VI. on. In 1448 he led an English army to Scotland, which was defeated in the Battle of Sark . He was sent to Scotland several times as a diplomat and from May to September 1450 also held the office of Lord High Constable of England.

Percy was later involved in the Wars of the Roses , which put him in a difficult position. He owed his loyalty to the House of Lancaster , but was the first cousin of Anne Mortimer and a relative of her son Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York and head of the House of York . On May 22nd, 1455 he fought on the Lancaster side in the first Battle of St. Albans , which was the first battle of the Wars of the Roses and in which he fell.

Marriage and offspring

Percy married Lady Eleanor Neville, daughter of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland , and his second wife Joan Beaufort and widow of Richard le Despenser, 4th Baron Burghersh , in October 1414 . Among Lady Eleanor's siblings were Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury, and Cecily Neville , mother of Kings Edward IV and Richard III.

With Lady Eleanor he had at least ten children:

literature

Web links

References and comments

  1. ^ The Complete Peerage
  2. ^ Dictionary of National Biography
  3. ↑ Since the ostracism of his grandfather was never lifted, the restoration of the title is formally a new award, but Percy is usually not counted as 1st but as 2nd Earl.
predecessor Office successor
Title restored
(until 1405: Henry Percy ) 		Earl of Northumberland
1416-1455 		Henry Percy
personal data
SURNAME Percy, Henry, 2nd Earl of Northumberland
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English nobleman
DATE OF BIRTH February 3, 1393 or February 3, 1394
DATE OF DEATH May 22, 1455