Walter Fitzwalter, 5th Baron Fitzwalter

Fitzwalter challenges Edward, Duke of Aumale. Historicizing representation from 1864

Walter Fitzwalter, 5th Baron Fitzwalter (according to other counting 4th Baron Fitzwalter ) (born September 5, 1368 , † May 16, 1406 in Venice ) was an English nobleman .

origin

Walter Fitzwalter came from the noble Fitzwalter family . He was the eldest son of Walter Fitzwalter, 4th Baron Fitzwalter and his first wife Eleanor Dagworth. His father died in 1386, making him the heir to his estates in Essex and other parts of England. However, since his stepmother Philippa Mohun was entitled to a third of her husband's goods as a Wittum , his inheritance was severely diminished. She survived him and did not die until 1431.

Life

In contrast to his ancestors, Fitzwalter served less as a military man, but was mainly active in politics. As Baron Fitzwalter he took part in parliaments , where he politically allied himself with Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester , under whom his father had already served in the Hundred Years War . Whose castle of Pleshey was near his estates Woodham Walter and Henham . In February 1395 he accompanied Gloucester when the latter traveled to Ireland on behalf of King Richard II . Gloucester died in 1397 under unclear circumstances. During the first parliament of the new King Henry IV , Fitzwalter accused Edward of Norwich, Duke of Aumale , the husband of his stepmother, of the murder of Gloucester on October 18, 1399 and challenged him to a duel. This was stopped by the king, but it was not until 1401 that Fitzwalter and Edward of Norwich were formally reconciled. Due to the rebellion of Owain Glyndŵr in Wales, the king commissioned him in 1403 to fortify Dorstone Castle on the border with Wales. In his homeland Essex, however, Fitzwalter did not appear politically and did not hold any offices. During a trip to Italy, Fitzwalter was captured by Saracen corsairs between Rome and Naples . He was deported to Tunis and only released by Genoese merchants after a long imprisonment. Weakened by the privations of captivity, he died in Italy.

Family and offspring

Before April 1390, Fitzwalter had married Joan Devereux (1379–1409), a daughter of John Devereux, 1st Baron Devereux and Margaret de Vere . After the childless death of her brother John in 1396, his wife inherited his property. With her he had at least two children:

• Humphrey Fitzwalter, 6th Baron Fitzwalter (1398–1415)
• Walter Fitzwalter, 7th Baron Fitzwalter (1400–1431)

After Fitzwalter's death, his widow was second married to Hugh Burnell, 2nd Baron Burnell .

Web links

• Christopher Starr: Walter Fitzwalter, fourth Baron Fitzwalter (1368–1406). In: Henry Colin Gray Matthew, Brian Harrison (Eds.): Oxford Dictionary of National Biography , from the earliest times to the year 2000 (ODNB). Oxford University Press, Oxford 2004, ISBN 0-19-861411-X , ( oxforddnb.com license required ), as of 2004
• Walter FitzWalter, 5th Lord FitzWalter on thepeerage.com , accessed August 30, 2016.
• Cracroft's Peerage: FitzWalter, Baron (E, 1295)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Chris Given-Wilson: Chronicles of the Revolution, 1397-1400. The reign of Richard II. Manchester University Press, Manchester 1993. ISBN 0-7190-3526-0 , p. 207
2. ^ Herefordshire Council: Herefordshire Through Time. Retrieved August 31, 2016 . 
3. ^ Carole Rawcliffe: Devereux, John, Baron Devereux (d. 1393). In: Henry Colin Gray Matthew, Brian Harrison (Eds.): Oxford Dictionary of National Biography , from the earliest times to the year 2000 (ODNB). Oxford University Press, Oxford 2004, ISBN 0-19-861411-X , ( oxforddnb.com license required ), as of 2004

predecessor	Office	successor
John Fitzwalter	Baron FitzWalter 1386-1406	Humphrey Fitzwalter