John Darcy, 2nd Baron Darcy de Knayth

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John Darcy, 2nd Baron Darcy de Knayth (called John le fitz ) (* 1317 - March 5, 1356 in Notton ) was an English nobleman and military man.

origin

John Darcy came from a branch of the old English aristocratic family Darcy . He was the eldest son of Sir John Darcy and his first wife Emmeline Heron . To distinguish it from his father of the same name, he was called John le fitz.

Service as military, judge and envoy

As a child, he accompanied his father to Ireland in 1324 , where he served as justiciar . As an adult, like his father, he entered the service of the Crown. At the beginning of the Hundred Years War he was together with Walter Mauny in command of a company in the English army. For his services, King Edward III. an annual pension of £ 40 for him and his descendants in 1341. In England Darcy served on various judicial commissions, notably in Yorkshire . In 1344 the king gave him the office of administrator for fallen crown fiefs in Holderness for life . In 1346 Darcy belonged to the royal army at La Hague . There the king granted him another annual pension of £ 200 on July 15, 1346, so that Darcy could finance his equipment as a Knight Banneret . Darcy took part in the following battle of Crécy and the siege of Calais . After his father's death in 1347, he inherited his possessions and the office of Keeper of the Tower of London . In September 1347 he was a member of the English legation, which led unsuccessful peace negotiations with France.

Participation in parliaments and subsequent recognition as Baron Darcy of Knayth

Unlike his father, Darcy never held a high court position. Nevertheless, from November 20, 1348 until his death, he was regularly personally invited to the parliaments . However, he was not considered Baron Darcy until the House of Lords in 1903 recognized him, like his father and his descendants, as Baron Darcy de Knayth .

The ruins of Gisborough Priory where Darcy was buried

Marriage and offspring

Before 1332 Darcy had married Alianore , a daughter of Robert Holland and his wife Maud la Zouche . After her death in 1344 he married Elizabeth Meynell (1331-1368), the daughter and heiress of Nicholas Meinill, 1st Baron Meinill and his wife Alice de Ros . For the marriage he needed a papal dispensation because of too close relatives . In obtaining it, he was assisted by the king, who granted permission to marry the wealthy heiress as a reward for Darcy's services. With his second wife, Darcy had at least two sons:

During his lifetime, Darcy had granted benefices to the Church of Knaith of the impoverished Heynings Priory in Lincolnshire, where his relative Margery lived as a nun. He died in Notton, Yorkshire. After his death he was buried in Gisborough Priory , where he had the right of benefice. His heir was first his eldest son John, after whose early death his younger son Philip. His widow married Peter Mauley, 4th Baron Mauley , before November 19, 1356 .

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personal data
SURNAME Darcy, John, 2nd Baron Darcy de Knayth
ALTERNATIVE NAMES John le fitz
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English nobleman and military
DATE OF BIRTH 1317
DATE OF DEATH March 5, 1356
Place of death Notton