Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk

Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, Hans Eworth, 1563

Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk (born March 10, 1538 in Kenninghall ( Norfolk ), † June 2, 1572 in London ) was the eldest son of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey and the Frances de Vere. He succeeded his grandfather Thomas Howard as Duke of Norfolk in 1554 , since his father had been executed in 1547.

Thanks to his ancestry, he enjoyed a high reputation, but had only limited influence on the politics of Queen Elizabeth I. He considered this situation inappropriate, as he was the highest-ranking nobleman of the empire ( Premier Peer of the Realm ) and the only duke of England.

Life

With the death of Queen Maria Tudor , who left no heir, England returned to Protestantism .

Thomas Howard confessed to the Anglican Church . However, he married several strict Catholic women and had his children raised Catholic. His son Philip Howard, 20th Earl of Arundel , was later recognized as a martyr and is a saint of the Catholic Church.

After surviving three wives, he decided to marry Mary Stuart , who was imprisoned in England, and to return to the Scottish throne with her on terms that were very favorable for England. This plan came from Scottish politicians and was supported by Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester , and other nobles. Elizabeth I did not trust the matter, however, especially since Howard was very clumsy towards her.

Instead of giving up his marriage plans, however, he allowed himself to be persuaded by Mary Queen of Scots to continue his plans behind the back of the English government. As a result, with the consent of Pope Pius V and the Spanish King Philip II , a revolt of nobles from the north of England took place in 1569 to overthrow Elizabeth and replace her with the deposed Catholic Queen of Scotland, Maria Stuart. As cousin Elizabeth I, she was entitled to the English throne and was therefore viewed by some Catholics as the rightful queen.

After this uprising was unsuccessful, the Duke was imprisoned in the Tower of London . With difficulty he was able to convince the queen of his innocence and was placed under house arrest. But about a year later, Thomas Howard became involved in the Ridolfi conspiracy that had been hatched in his London City Palace, of which Howard would not have heard. This time Elisabeth no longer believed him. He was brought back to the Tower, charged with high treason , and executed in 1572.

family

Norfolk was the first son of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey , and his wife Frances de Vere, daughter of the 15th Earl of Oxford.

In his first marriage he married Mary FitzAlan, heiress of the 19th Earl of Arundel of the House of FitzAlan . She gave birth to Howard's first son, Philip , in 1557 .

After Mary FitzAlan died after the birth of their son Philip, the Duke took Margaret Audley in marriage, daughter of the 1st Baron Audley of Walden. From this connection come two other sons, Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk , and William Howard and two daughters. Margaret Audley also died after giving birth to her fifth child.

Howard entered into a third marriage with Elisabeth Leyburne. The widow of Thomas Dacre, 4th Baron Dacre , brought three daughters into the marriage, whom Howard married to his own sons Philipp, Thomas and William. She too died after giving birth to their first child after a year of marriage, which plunged Howard into depression.

literature

• Neville Williams: Thomas Howard, Fourth Duke of Norfolk . Barrie and Rockliff, London 1964.

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Jessie Childs: Henry VIII's Last Victim. The Life and times of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey. Vintage Books, London 2008, p. 133

predecessor	Office	successor
Thomas Howard	Duke of Norfolk 1554-1572	Thomas Howard (reinstated 1660)
Thomas Howard	Earl of Surrey 1554-1572	Thomas Howard (reinstated in 1604)
Thomas Howard	Earl Marshal 1554-1572	George Talbot