107-455: Richard Whittington ( c. 1354 – March 1423) of the parish of St Michael Paternoster Royal , City of London , was an English merchant and politician of the late medieval period . He is also the real-life inspiration for the English folk tale Dick Whittington and His Cat . He was four times (appointed once, elected three times) Lord Mayor of London , a member of parliament and
214-581: A Councilman of the City of London . In 1392, he was one of the City's delegation to the king at Nottingham at which the king seized the City of London's lands because of alleged misgovernment. By 1393, he had become an alderman and was appointed Sheriff of the City of London by the incumbent mayor, William Staundone, as well as becoming a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers . Two days after
321-618: A Member of Parliament variously for the county seats of Dorset, Devon, and Somerset; a son of Sir William FitzWaryn, Knight of the Garter , of Whittington Castle in Shropshire, who was probably a son of Fulk FitzWarin, 3rd Baron FitzWarin (c.1315–1349), also of Whittington Castle in Shropshire and of Wantage , who were of an ancient and powerful family of Marcher Lords . A portrait of Richard Whittington circa 1590 by Reginald Elstrack shows his paternal heraldic arms and also for his wife
428-505: A Noel Mander organ , as well as, in front of the organ gallery, a rare contemporary representation of King William III 's arms . The pulpit, communion rails and lectern date from the seventeenth century, but the rest of the woodwork was installed in the 1960s. 51°30′40.22″N 0°5′31.76″W / 51.5111722°N 0.0921556°W / 51.5111722; -0.0921556 Henry V of England Henry V (16 September 1386 – 31 August 1422), also called Henry of Monmouth ,
535-461: A Sheriff of London . In his lifetime he financed a number of public projects, such as drainage systems in poor areas of London, and a hospital ward for unmarried mothers. He bequeathed his fortune to form the Charity of Sir Richard Whittington which, nearly 600 years later, continues to assist people in need. He was born, in around 1354, into an ancient and wealthy Gloucestershire gentry family,
642-528: A campaign to France to become heir to the French throne. This largely acquainted audiences and the wider population with the king's reign and his character as a whole. In the other depictions of Henry V in literature, he is a character in William Kenrick 's sequel to Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 2 , known as Falstaff's Wedding . In the play, Henry plays a minor role. In Georgette Heyer 's Simon
749-412: A cat, but the picture only reflects a story already in wide circulation. Elstracke's oddly-shaped cat was in fact a later replacement by printseller Peter Stent for what had been a skull in the original, with the change being made to conform to the story already in existence, to increase sales. There was also known to be a painted portrait of Whittington shown with a cat, hanging at Mercer Hall, but it
856-562: A differenced version of the usual arms of Baron FitzWarin with ermine in the 1st and 4th quarters in place of argent , which variant was also used by Wiliam FitzWarin, a member of the Shropshire family, as depicted in the Gelre Armorial , c.1370–1414. The last in the male line was Fulk FitzWarin, 7th Baron FitzWarin (1406–1420), whose eventual successor (via a female line) was William Bourchier, 9th Baron FitzWarin , second son of William Bourchier, 1st Count of Eu (1386–1420,) one of
963-464: A dominant global power . Henry was born in the tower above the gatehouse of Monmouth Castle in Monmouthshire , and for that reason was sometimes called Henry of Monmouth. He was the son of Henry of Bolingbroke (later Henry IV of England) and Mary de Bohun . His father's cousin was the reigning English monarch, Richard II . Henry's paternal grandfather was the influential John of Gaunt ,
1070-487: A friend of Henry V before his rebellion. Henry also faced a coup orchestrated by a relative and prominent noble, Edmund Mortimer, in the Southampton Plot, and in 1415 dealt with a Yorkist conspiracy to overthrow him. After this, during the remainder of his reign, Henry was able to rule without any opposition against him. Henry V was often a figure of literary imagination and romantic interpretations, often used as
1177-440: A horse at Charenton and failing. He was taken back to Vincennes, around 10 August, where he died some weeks later. He was 35 years old and had reigned for nine years. Shortly before his death, Henry V named his brother, John, Duke of Bedford , regent of France in the name of his son, Henry VI of England, then only a few months old. Henry V did not live to be crowned King of France himself, as he might confidently have expected after
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#17327911531091284-602: A large sum, equivalent to £7,500,000 in 2023. Some of this was used to: The almshouses were relocated in 1966 to Felbridge , near East Grinstead . Sixty elderly women and a few married couples currently live in them. The Whittington Charity also disburses money each year to the needy through the Mercers' Company . To mark his bequests, the Whittington hospital at Archway in the London Borough of Islington
1391-499: A message. There is now a large hospital on Highgate Hill, named the Whittington Hospital , after this supposed episode. A traditional rhyme associated with this tale is: Turn again, Whittington, Once Lord Mayor of London! Turn again, Whittington, Twice Lord Mayor of London! Turn again, Whittington, Thrice Lord Mayor of London! On returning to London, Dick embarks on a series of adventures. In one version of
1498-517: A national sensation and caused a patriotic fervour among the English people that would go on to influence both the medieval English army and the British army for centuries to come. His continuous victories against the French during 1417–1422 led to many romanticized depictions of Henry V as a figure of nationalism and patriotism, both in literature and in the renowned works of Shakespeare and in
1605-802: A period of several days, John Bradmore , the royal physician, treated the wound with honey to act as an antiseptic , crafted a tool to screw into the embedded arrowhead ( bodkin point ) and thus extract it without doing further damage, and flushed the wound with alcohol. The operation was successful, but it left Henry with permanent scars - evidence of his experience in battle. Bradmore recorded this account in Latin, in his manuscript titled Philomena . Henry's treatment also appeared in an anonymous Middle English surgical treatise dated to 1446, that has since been attributed to Thomas Morstede . The Welsh revolt of Owain Glyndŵr absorbed Henry's energies until 1408. Then, as
1712-522: A red-winged Satan. The windows on either side show the Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus and Adam and Eve with St Gabriel and the serpent. On the south wall, another stained glass window depicts Dick Whittington with his cat. The reredos is original, with four Corinthian columns and two flaming urns. Before it are seventeenth-century Baroque statues of Moses and Aaron , moved here from All-Hallows-the-Great on that church's demolition in 1894:
1819-608: A replica of this painting. St Michael Paternoster Royal St Michael Paternoster Royal is a church in the City of London . The original building, which was first recorded in the 13th century, was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666 . The church was rebuilt under the aegis of Sir Christopher Wren . However St Michael's was severely damaged during the London Blitz in the Second World War . It
1926-472: A result of the king's ill health, Henry began to take a wider share in politics. From January 1410, helped by his uncles Henry and Thomas Beaufort , legitimised sons of John of Gaunt, he had practical control of the government. Both in foreign and domestic policy he differed from the king, who discharged his son from the council in November 1411. The quarrel between father and son was political only, though it
2033-433: A son of Edward III . As he was not close to the line of succession to the throne, Henry's date of birth was not officially documented, and for many years it was disputed whether he was born in 1386 or 1387. However, records indicate that his younger brother Thomas was born in the autumn of 1387 and that his parents were at Monmouth in 1386 but not in 1387. It is now accepted that he was born on 16 September 1386. Upon
2140-604: A symbol of English military might and power, which inspired later kings and queens of England . His effect on English history , culture , and the military is profound. His victory at Agincourt significantly impacted the war against the French and led to the English capturing most of northern France. This led to the Treaty of Troyes in 1420, in which Charles VI of France appointed Henry his successor, although Henry died two months before Charles in October 1422. Henry's victories created
2247-439: A thirteenth-century Persian folktale about an orphan who gained a fortune through his cat; the tale was common throughout Europe at that time. Folklorists have suggested that the most popular legends about Whittington—that his fortunes were founded on the sale of his cat, who was sent on a merchant vessel to a rat-beset Eastern emperor—originated in a popular 17th-century engraving by Renold Elstracke in which his hand rested on
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#17327911531092354-597: A traditional character of a morally great king in the works of many writers, playwrights and dramatists. This is notably so in his depiction in Henry V , a play largely based on the life of Henry V by William Shakespeare. This and other plays about Richard II, Henry V's father Henry IV and son Henry VI are known as the Henriad in Shakespearean scholarship. It depicts the king as a pious but cunning ruler who ventured on
2461-543: Is also played by Timothée Chalamet in 2019 Netflix film The King directed by David Michôd . He is portrayed by Tom Hiddleston in the BBC television series The Hollow Crown . Henry V is a character in the comic series The Hammer Man in the BBC comic strip The Victor featuring him as the commander of the hero, Chell Paddock. King Henry V is a character in the video game Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War and also in
2568-408: Is balustraded. The entrance is through the tower in the southwest corner. This has a round-headed window at the lowest level, then a circular window, then a square-headed belfry window. At the top is a pierced parapet with square urns on the corners. The stone spire was designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor and is similar to those of St Stephen Walbrook , St James Garlickhythe and, to a lesser extent,
2675-516: Is dated 1219. The suffix comes from its location on Paternoster Lane, (now College Hill), which, in turn was named after the sellers of paternosters – or rosaries – based there. The suffix Royal is first recorded in the next century and refers to another nearby street, now vanished, called Le Ryole , which was a corruption of La Reole, a town in Bordeaux . This street was so named due to the presence of numerous wine merchants. A local resident in
2782-436: Is indirect evidence that he was also a major exporter to Europe of much-sought-after English woollen cloth such as broadcloth . From 1392 to 1394, he sold goods to King Richard II worth £3,500 (equivalent to £3,900,000 in 2023). He also began money-lending in 1388, preferring this to outward shows of wealth such as buying property. By 1397, he was lending large sums of money to the king. In 1384, Whittington had become
2889-481: Is partitioned, reflecting the church's dual purpose. The west of the building, roughly corresponding with the plan to the original 13th-century church, accommodates a hall, vestibule and the offices of the Mission to Seafarers . The chapel is housed in the larger, eastern, part of the church. The east wall includes three stained glass windows designed by John Hayward in 1968. The main window depicts St Michael trampling
2996-507: Is probable that the Beauforts had discussed the abdication of Henry IV. Their opponents certainly endeavoured to defame Prince Henry. It may be that the tradition of Henry's riotous youth, immortalised by Shakespeare , is partly due to political enmity. Henry's record of involvement in war and politics, even in his youth, disproves this tradition. The most famous incident, his quarrel with the chief justice, has no contemporary authority and
3103-578: Is rectangular in plan, with only the west front on College Hill being slightly out of true. Before the Second World War the south front was hemmed in by buildings. Following bomb damage, these buildings were cleared and Whittington Garden laid out on their site, so that St Michael's main façade is now on the south, along Upper Thames Street. The south front is faced with Portland stone and has six round-headed windows with cherub keystones. The less prominent north and east fronts are of brick. The roof
3210-414: Is thought that he merely acquiesced in the coup led by Bolingbroke , later King Henry IV , whom Whittington had long supplied with merchandise. He also lent the new king substantial amounts of money. He was elected mayor again in 1406 and 1419, and during 1407 served as mayor of The Staple at Calais , representing that town's merchants. In 1416 he became a Member of Parliament for the City of London. He
3317-650: The Age of Empires II: The Conquerors in which he was featured as a paladin . Henry's arms as Prince of Wales were those of the kingdom , differenced by a label argent of three points. Upon his accession, he inherited the use of the arms of the kingdom undifferenced. After his father became king, Henry was created Prince of Wales. It was suggested that Henry should marry the widow of Richard II, Isabella of Valois , but this had been refused. After this, negotiations took place for his marriage to Catherine of Pomerania between 1401 and 1404, but ultimately failed. During
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3424-578: The Battle of Agincourt , King Sigismund of Hungary (later Holy Roman Emperor ) made a visit to Henry in hopes of making peace between England and France. His goal was to persuade Henry to modify his demands against the French. Henry lavishly entertained him and even had him enrolled in the Order of the Garter . Sigismund, in turn, inducted Henry into the Order of the Dragon . Henry had intended to crusade for
3531-630: The Battle of Poitiers (1356) as the greatest English victories of the Hundred Years' War. This victory both solidified and strengthened Henry V's own rule in England and also legitimized his claim to the French throne more than ever. During the battle, Henry ordered that the French prisoners taken during the battle be put to death, including some of the most illustrious who could have been held for ransom . Cambridge historian Brett Tingley suggests that Henry ordered them killed out of concern that
3638-512: The Château de Vincennes to the east of Paris. The commonly held view is that Henry V contracted dysentery in the period just after the Siege of Meaux, which ended on 9 May 1422. However, the symptoms and severity of dysentery present themselves fairly quickly and he seems to have been healthy in the weeks following the siege. At the time, speculative causes of his illness also included smallpox ,
3745-668: The Syon Abbey , completed by Henry VI during his lifetime. In the 16th century the monastery was demolished as a result of the growing movement of the English Reformation during the reign of King Henry VIII . Henry V further contributed to the church, as he was forced to put down an anti-church uprising in the form of the Lollard uprising led by the English Lollard leader John Oldcastle in 1414, who had been
3852-612: The Worshipful Company of Brewers over standard prices and measures of ale was won by Whittington. In 1402, at the age of 48, he married Alice FitzWaryn (d.1411), but she died without producing any children. She was one of the two daughters and joint heiresses of Sir Ivo FitzWaryn (1347–1414), of Caundle Haddon in Dorset, and of Wantage then in Berkshire (now Oxfordshire) (whose monumental brass survives in Wantage Church). As
3959-590: The 1935 film Royal Cavalcade , in which he was played by actor Matheson Lang . Henry is played by Kenneth Branagh in the 1989 film Henry V , for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor, Best Director , and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role . Henry V appears as a major character played by Keith Baxter in Orson Welles 's 1966 film Chimes at Midnight . He
4066-482: The 3rd son of Sir William Whittington (d.1358) of Pauntley, in the Forest of Dean , Gloucestershire, a Member of Parliament , by his wife Joan Maunsell, a daughter of William Maunsell (or Mansel), MP for Gloucestershire , Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 1313. His elder brothers were Robert Whittington (d.1423/4), six times a Member of Parliament for Gloucestershire, and William Whittington , also MP for Gloucestershire,
4173-455: The Battle of Agincourt, Henry renewed the war on a larger scale in 1417. After taking Caen , he quickly conquered Lower Normandy and Rouen was cut off from Paris and besieged. This siege has cast an even darker shadow on the reputation of the king adding to the loss of honor following his order to slay the French prisoners at Agincourt. The leaders of Rouen, who were unable to support and feed
4280-497: The City's records 'Liber Albus' compiled at his request by the City Clerk John Carpenter wherein his name appears only three times as the remainder term of his deceased predecessor Adam Bamme and his own consequent term immediately afterwards appear as one entry for 1397. As the son of gentry, Whittington was never very poor and there is no evidence that he kept a cat. Whittington may have become associated with
4387-701: The Coldheart Henry also appears as a minor character. In other works, Henry V is the main character such as in Good King Harry by Denise Giardina . He is also a minor character in Azincourt by Bernard Cornwell . Henry V has been depicted in many historical films and operas such as Laurence Olivier 's 1944 film Henry V played by Olivier himself, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor . Henry also appears in
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4494-572: The English forces in France. On 22 March 1421, Thomas led the English to a disastrous defeat at the Battle of Baugé against a Franco-Scottish army. The duke was killed in the battle. On 10 June, Henry sailed back to France to retrieve the situation. It was to be his last military campaign. From July to August, Henry's forces besieged and captured Dreux , thus relieving allied forces at Chartres . On 6 October, his forces laid siege to Meaux , capturing it on 11 May 1422. Henry V died on 31 August 1422 at
4601-401: The French throne might be realized. After the victory, Henry marched to Calais and the king returned in triumph to England in November and received a hero's welcome. The brewing nationalistic sentiment among the English people was so great that contemporary writers describe firsthand how Henry was welcomed with triumphal pageantry into London upon his return. These accounts also describe how Henry
4708-418: The French, who suffered severe losses. The French men-at-arms were bogged down in the muddy battlefield, soaked from the previous night of heavy rain, thus hindering the French advance and making them sitting targets for the flanking English archers. Most were simply hacked to death while completely stuck in the deep mud. It was Henry's greatest military victory, ranking alongside the Battle of Crécy (1346) and
4815-774: The House of Commons, the Lord Mayors John Yonge (d. 1466) and William Bayley (d. 1524), Peter Blundell (d. 1601) founder of Blundell's School , (mentioned in Blackmore's novel Lorna Doone ) and the Cavalier poet John Cleveland (d. 1658). After the church's destruction in the Fire, the parish was united with that of St Martin Vintry , also destroyed but not rebuilt. Construction of a new church began in 1685 (one of
4922-455: The Hundred Years' War beginning in 1337. Wanting to claim the French throne for himself, Henry resumed the war against France in 1415. This would lead to one of England's most successful military campaigns during the whole conflict and would result in one of the most decisive victories for an English army during this period. On 12 August 1415, Henry sailed for France, where his forces besieged
5029-691: The Hundred Years' War with France , beginning the Lancastrian phase of the conflict (1415–1453) . His first military campaign included capturing the port of Harfleur and a famous victory at the Battle of Agincourt , which inspired a proto-nationalistic fervour in England. During his second campaign (1417–20), his armies captured Paris and conquered most of northern France, including the formerly English-held Duchy of Normandy . Taking advantage of political divisions within France , Henry put unparalleled pressure on Charles VI of France ("the Mad"), resulting in
5136-491: The Treaty of Troyes, because Charles VI, to whom he had been named heir, survived him by two months. Henry's comrade-in-arms and Lord Steward , John Sutton, 1st Baron Dudley , brought Henry's body back to England and bore the royal standard at his funeral. Henry V was buried in Westminster Abbey on 7 November 1422. Henry V's death at thirty-five years of age was a political and dynastic turning point for both
5243-463: The assertion of his own claims as part of his royal duty, but a permanent settlement of the national debate was essential to the success of his foreign policy. Following the instability back in England during the reign of King Richard II , the war in France came to a halt, as during most of his reign relations between England and France were largely peaceful and so they were during his father's reign as well. But in 1415, hostilities were renewed between
5350-470: The bacterial infection erysipelas and even leprosy . But there is no doubt he had contracted a serious illness sometime between May and June. Recovering at the castle of Vincennes, by the end of June it seems he was well enough to lead his forces with the intent of engaging the Dauphinist forces at Cosne-sur-Loire . At the outset, he would have been riding in full armour, probably in blistering heat, as
5457-417: The brilliance of a lion's". Henry tackled all of the domestic policies together and gradually built on them a wider policy. From the first, he made it clear that he would rule England as the head of a united nation. He let past differences be forgotten—the late Richard II was honourably re-interred; the young Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March , was taken into favour; the heirs of those who had suffered under
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#17327911531095564-444: The care of his uncle Henry Beaufort , the chancellor of the university. During this time, due to taking a liking to both literature and music, he learned to read and write in the vernacular ; this made him the first English King that was educated in this regard. He even went on to grant pensions to composers due to such love for music. From 1400 to 1404, he carried out the duties of High Sheriff of Cornwall . During that time, Henry
5671-405: The court dock. St Michael's underwent a number of renovations in the 19th century, by James Elmes in 1820, William Butterfield in 1866 and Ewan Christian in 1894. Their work was lost on 23 July 1944 when the church was hit by a V1 flying bomb, leaving only its walls and tower. Services continued in the remaining shell until 1955. A proposal by the diocese to demolish the walls and preserve
5778-499: The death of Adam Bamme in June 1397, Whittington was imposed on the City by the king as his replacement as Lord Mayor of London . Within days, Whittington had negotiated with the king a deal in which the City bought back its liberties for £10,000 (equivalent to £9,400,000 in 2023). He was formally elected as mayor by a grateful populace on 13 October 1397. The deposition of King Richard II in 1399 did not affect Whittington and it
5885-459: The declining health of his father, but disagreements between Henry and his father led to political conflict between the two. After his father's death in March 1413, Henry ascended to the throne of England and assumed complete control of the country, also reviving the historic English claim to the French throne . In 1415, Henry followed in the wake of his great-grandfather, Edward III , by renewing
5992-503: The disaster, began quarrelling and fighting among themselves. This quarrelling also led to a division in the French aristocracy and caused a rift in the French royal family , leading to infighting. By 1420, a treaty was signed between Henry V and Charles VI of France, known as the Treaty of Troyes , which acknowledged Henry as regent and heir to the French throne and also married Henry to Charles's daughter Catherine of Valois . Following
6099-511: The early 15th century was Richard Whittington , four times Lord Mayor of London . One of his earlier philanthropic acts, made in 1409, was to pay for the rebuilding and extension of St Michael Paternoster Royal after a vacant plot of land was acquired in Le Ryole. He later founded the College of St Spirit and St Mary within the church, so that St Michael's became a collegiate church , i.e. it
6206-544: The eldest brother. As a younger son, under the system of primogeniture he would not expect to inherit his father's estate, and thus was sent to the City of London to learn the trade of mercer through an apprenticeship. He was a contemporary of John Abbot who was the first mercer to leave property to the Mercers' Company to support a school. Whittington became a successful merchant, dealing in valuable imports such as silks and velvets , both luxury fabrics, much of which he sold to royalty and nobility from about 1388. There
6313-622: The eldest son of Henry IV , became heir apparent and Prince of Wales after his father seized the throne in 1399. During the reign of his father, the young Prince Henry gained military experience fighting the Welsh during the revolt of Owain Glyndŵr , and against the powerful Percy family of Northumberland . He played a central part at the Battle of Shrewsbury despite being just sixteen years of age. As he entered adulthood, Henry played an increasingly central role in England's government due to
6420-538: The exile of Henry's father in 1398, Richard II took the boy into his own charge and treated him kindly. The young Henry accompanied Richard to Ireland. While in the royal service, he visited Trim Castle in County Meath , the ancient meeting place of the Parliament of Ireland . In 1399, John of Gaunt died. In the same year Richard II was overthrown by the Lancastrian usurpation that brought Henry's father to
6527-404: The film industry in modern times. Henry V is not only remembered for his military prowess but also for his architectural patronage. He commissioned the building of King's College Chapel and Eton College Chapel , and although some of his building works were discontinued after his death, others were continued by his son and successor Henry VI. He also contributed to the founding of the monastery of
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#17327911531096634-452: The following years, marriage had apparently assumed a lower priority until the conclusion of the Treaty of Troyes in 1420 when Henry V was named heir to Charles VI of France and provided in marriage to Charles's daughter Catherine of Valois, younger sister of Isabella of Valois. Her dowry, upon the agreement between the two kingdoms, was 600,000 crowns . Together the couple had one child, Henry, born in late 1421. Upon Henry V's death in 1422,
6741-411: The fortress at Harfleur , capturing it on 22 September. Afterwards, he decided to march with his army across the French countryside toward Calais against the warnings of his council. On 25 October, on the plains near the village of Agincourt , a French army intercepted his route. Despite his men-at-arms' being exhausted, outnumbered and malnourished, Henry led his men into battle, decisively defeating
6848-587: The harbour at the English-garrisoned Harfleur. A French land force also besieged the town. In March 1416 a raiding force of soldiers under the Earl of Dorset, Thomas Beaufort, was attacked and narrowly escaped defeat at the Battle of Valmont after a counterattack by the garrison of Harfleur. To relieve the town, Henry sent his brother, John, Duke of Bedford , who raised a fleet and set sail from Beachy Head on 14 August. The Franco-Genoese fleet
6955-456: The kingdoms of England and France , in the person of Henry, upon the death of the ailing Charles. However, Henry died in August 1422, less than two months before his father-in-law, and was succeeded by his only son and heir, the infant Henry VI . Analyses of Henry's reign are varied. According to Charles Ross , he was widely praised for his personal piety , bravery, and military genius; Henry
7062-503: The kingdoms of England and France. The Lancastrian ruler had been set to rule both realms after Charles VI 's death, which occurred in October 1422, less than two months after Henry's own premature death. This caused his infant son, also called Henry, to ascend the throne as King Henry VI of England , at the age of nine months. Due to the new king's age , a regency government was formed by Henry's surviving brothers, John, Duke of Bedford , and Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester . This acted as
7169-540: The language of record within government. He was the first king to use English in his personal correspondence since the Norman Conquest 350 years earlier. Henry could now turn his attention to foreign affairs. A writer of the next generation was the first to allege that Henry was encouraged by ecclesiastical statesmen to enter into the French war as a means of diverting attention from home troubles. This story seems to have no foundation. Old commercial disputes and
7276-533: The largest holding of French territory by an English king since the Angevin Empire . The Treaty of Troyes (1420) recognised Henry V as regent of France and heir apparent to the French throne, disinheriting Charles's own son, the Dauphin Charles . Henry was subsequently married to Charles VI's daughter, Catherine of Valois . The treaty ratified the unprecedented formation of a union between
7383-653: The last of the 51 churches to be rebuilt) and stopped in 1688 owing to the financial uncertainty associated with the Glorious Revolution . Building began again the next year, supervised and built by Wren's master mason Edward Strong the Elder . It was finished in 1694. Its steeple was built between 1713 and 1717. The cost of the rebuilding totalled £8,937. A monument to another Lord Mayor, Sir Samuel Pennant , sculpted by Michael Rysbrack , survives from 1750. Pennant died from jail fever caught from prisoners in
7490-556: The last reign were restored gradually to their titles and estates. Yet, where Henry saw a grave domestic danger, he acted firmly and ruthlessly, such as during the Lollard discontent in January 1414 and including the execution by burning of Henry's old friend, Sir John Oldcastle, in 1417 to "nip the movement in the bud" and make his own position as ruler secure. Henry's reign was generally free from serious trouble at home. The exception
7597-435: The military fortress castle at Montereau-Fault-Yonne close to Paris. He besieged and captured Melun in November 1420, returning to England shortly thereafter. In 1428, Charles VII retook Montereau, only to see the English once again take it over within a short time. Finally, on 10 October 1437, Charles VII was victorious in regaining Montereau-Fault-Yonne . While Henry was in England, his brother Thomas, Duke of Clarence, led
7704-549: The order after uniting the English and French thrones, but he died before fulfilling his plans. Sigismund left England several months later, having signed the Treaty of Canterbury acknowledging English claims to France. Command of the sea was secured by driving the Genoese allies of the French out of the English Channel . While Henry was occupied with peace negotiations in 1416, a French and Genoese fleet surrounded
7811-474: The other without relaxing his warlike approach. In January 1419, Rouen fell. Those Norman French who had resisted were severely punished: Alain Blanchard , who had hanged English prisoners from the walls of Rouen, was summarily executed; Robert de Livet, Canon of Rouen , who had excommunicated the English king, was packed off to England and imprisoned for five years. By August, the English were outside
7918-426: The prince's political opposition to Thomas Arundel , Archbishop of Canterbury , perhaps encouraged Lollard hopes. If so, their disappointment may account for the statements of ecclesiastical writers like Thomas Walsingham that Henry, on becoming king, was suddenly changed into a new man. After Henry IV died on 20 March 1413, Henry V succeeded him and was crowned on 9 April 1413 at Westminster Abbey . The ceremony
8025-405: The prisoners might turn on their captors when the English were busy repelling a third wave of enemy troops, thus jeopardising a hard-fought victory. The victorious conclusion of Agincourt, from the English viewpoint, was only the first step in the campaign to recover the French possessions that Henry felt belonged to the English crown. Agincourt also held out the promise that Henry's pretensions to
8132-586: The region eventually ceased to exist. This marked the end of England's sustained military success in the Hundred Years' War , with all their historic possessions and land in France being lost, with the exception of the Pale of Calais , which remained England's only foothold in the continent until it was lost in 1558 . The loss of land in France was a major contributing factor in causing Henry V's heirs and relatives to descend into civil strife and quarrel over
8239-445: The sole governing force of England and its possessions in France until Henry VI came of age in 1437. Although for a time this largely proved to be a success, with England achieving their greatest territorial extent in France under the command of Bedford, the later reign of Henry VI saw the majority of the territories held by the English lost or returned to the French, through reconquest or diplomatic secession; English military power in
8346-510: The statues’ hands were blown off in the war and have been replaced; Moses previously held a pointer, indicating the Decalogue , while Aaron held a censer – he now raises his hands in a blessing. Also from All-Hallows-the-Great is the elaborate chandelier, marked "Birmingham 1644". The organ case is a replica of the 1749 organ case taken from All-Hallows-the-Great but destroyed in the War. It houses
8453-504: The strong river currents. Whittington died in March 1423, aged around 68 or 69, and was buried in the church of St Michael Paternoster Royal , to which he had donated large sums during his lifetime. The tomb is now lost, and the mummified cat found in the church tower in 1949 during a search for its location probably dates to the time of the Wren restoration. Having died childless, Whittington left £7,000 in his will to charity, in those days
8560-570: The succession of the English crown in ensuing decades, culminating in the Wars of the Roses (1455–1487) between Henry V's descendants, the House of Lancaster , and its rival, the House of York . Henry V is remembered by both his countrymen and his foes as a capable military commander during the war against France and is one of the most renowned monarchs in English and British history. He is largely seen as
8667-406: The summer of 1422 was extremely hot. He was struck down again, with a debilitating fever, possibly heatstroke or a relapse of his previous illness. Whatever the cause or causes, he would not recover from this final bout of illness. For a few short weeks he was carried around in a litter, and his enemies having retreated, he decided to return to Paris. One story has him trying, one last time, to mount
8774-523: The support the French had lent to Owain Glyndŵr were used as an excuse for war, while the disordered state of France afforded no security for peace. King Charles VI of France was prone to mental illness ; at times he thought he was made of glass, and his eldest surviving son, Louis, Duke of Guyenne , was an unpromising prospect. However, it was the old dynastic claim to the throne of France , first pursued by Edward III of England , that justified war with France in English opinion. Henry may have regarded
8881-442: The tale, he travels abroad on a ship, and wins many friends as a result of the rat-catching activities of his cat; in another he sends his cat and it is sold to make his fortune. Eventually he does become prosperous, marries his master's daughter Alice Fitzwarren (the name of the real Whittington's wife), and is made Lord Mayor of London three times. The common belief that he served three rather than four times as Lord Mayor stems from
8988-500: The throne, and Henry was recalled from Ireland into prominence as heir apparent to the Kingdom of England . He was created Prince of Wales at his father's coronation and Duke of Lancaster on 10 November 1399, the third person to hold the title that year. His other titles were Duke of Cornwall , Earl of Chester and Duke of Aquitaine . A contemporary record notes that in 1399, Henry spent time at The Queen's College, Oxford , under
9095-569: The tower only was successfully opposed by the City of London Corporation, and the church restored by Elidir Davies between 1966 and 1968. It is the latest City church to be restored. St Michael's was reopened by the Duke of Edinburgh on 19 December 1968 as the Headquarters of the Mission to Seamen (now Mission to Seafarers ), an Anglican organisation which supports chaplains in ports around
9202-472: The traditional story, which tells how Dick, a boy from a poor Gloucestershire family, sets out for London to make his fortune, accompanied by, or later acquiring, his cat. At first he meets with little success, and is tempted to return home. However, on his way out of the city, whilst climbing Highgate Hill from modern-day Archway , he hears the Bow Bells of London ringing, and believes they are sending him
9309-528: The two nations, and though Henry had a claim to the French throne, through his great–grandfather King Edward III by his mother's side, the French ultimately rejected this claim as its nobles pointed out that under the Salic law of the Franks , women were forbidden from inheriting the throne. Thus the throne went to a distant male relative of a cadet branch of the House of Capet , Philip VI of France , resulting in
9416-740: The walls of Paris. The intrigues of the French parties culminated in the assassination of John the Fearless , Duke of Burgundy , by the Dauphin Charles 's partisans at Montereau-Fault-Yonne on 10 September. Philip the Good , the new duke, and the French court threw themselves into Henry's arms. After six months of negotiation, the Treaty of Troyes recognised Henry as the heir and regent of France. On 2 June 1420 at Troyes Cathedral , Henry married Catherine, daughter of Charles VI. They had only one son, Henry , born on 6 December 1421 at Windsor Castle . From June to July 1420, Henry V's army besieged and took
9523-502: The wealthy noblemen to whom Richard Whittington lent money. In his lifetime Whittington donated much of his profit to the city, and he left further endowments by his will. He financed: He also provided accommodation for his apprentices in his own house. He passed a law prohibiting the washing of animal skins by apprentices in the River Thames in cold, wet weather because many young boys had died through hypothermia or drowning in
9630-468: The west towers of St Paul's Cathedral . It is an open octagon formed by eight Ionic columns , each with its own entablature and topped by an urn. Above this is another, smaller, octagon with another eight columns with urns. Above the second octagon is a tiny dome surmounted by a pennant vane. The height of the tower and steeple is 128 ft. St Michael Paternoster Royal was designated a Grade I listed building on 4 January 1950. St Michael's interior
9737-516: The women and children of the town, forced them out through the gates believing that Henry would allow them to pass through his army unmolested. However, Henry refused to allow this, and the expelled women and children died of starvation in the ditches surrounding the town. The French were paralysed by the disputes between the Burgundians and the Armagnacs . Henry skillfully played one against
9844-506: The world. It is also supported by City Livery Companies. St Michael Paternoster Royal is a chapel within the jurisdiction of the Bishop of London and since 2018 the office of the Bishop of London has been based there. In 2024, it was put up for sale and was described in the marketing material as a “former Wren church” and "Benefits from three floors of open plan offices". St Michael's
9951-514: Was King of England from 1413 until his death in 1422. Despite his relatively short reign, Henry's outstanding military successes in the Hundred Years' War against France made England one of the strongest military powers in Europe . Immortalised in Shakespeare 's " Henriad " plays, Henry is known and celebrated as one of the greatest warrior-kings of medieval England . Henry of Monmouth,
10058-418: Was administered by a college of priests , in this case five, instead of a rector . It was commonly known as Whittington's College , or Whittington College . (The college was relocated from College Hill to Highgate Hill c. 1820s, and removed again in 1966 to Felbridge , West Sussex . ) Adjacent to the church, Whittington also founded an almshouse . The college was dissolved by Edward VI in 1548; but
10165-403: Was admired even by contemporary French chroniclers. However, his occasionally cruel temperament and lack of focus regarding domestic affairs have made him the subject of criticism. Nonetheless, Adrian Hastings believes his militaristic pursuits during the Hundred Years' War fostered a strong sense of English nationalism and set the stage for the rise of England (later Britain ) to prominence as
10272-419: Was also in command of part of the English forces. He led his own army into Wales against Owain Glyndŵr and joined forces with his father to fight Henry "Hotspur" Percy at the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403. It was there that the 16-year-old prince was almost killed by an arrow in his left cheekbone. An ordinary soldier might have died from such a wound, but Henry had the benefit of the best possible care. Over
10379-485: Was also influential with King Henry V , Henry IV's son and successor, to whom he lent large amounts of money and for whom he served on several Royal Commissions of oyer and terminer ; for example, Henry V employed him to supervise the expenditure to complete Westminster Abbey . Despite being a moneylender himself, he was sufficiently trusted and respected to sit as a judge in usury trials in 1421. Whittington also collected revenues and import duties . A long dispute with
10486-533: Was defeated the following day after the gruelling seven-hour Battle of the Seine and Harfleur was relieved. Diplomacy successfully detached Emperor Sigismund from supporting France, and the Treaty of Canterbury — also signed in August 1416 — confirmed a short-lived alliance between England and the Holy Roman Empire. With those two potential enemies gone, and after two years of patient preparation following
10593-452: Was dug up by the then Rector Thomas Mountain, during the reign of Edward VI , in the belief that he had been buried with treasure. He was not, so Mountain took his leaden shroud. The grave was dug up again during the reign of Mary I and his body re-covered in lead. An attempt to find his grave in 1949 did uncover a mummified cat, but no Lord Mayor's body. Other worthies buried in the pre-Fire church were William Oldhall (d. 1459) Speaker of
10700-571: Was first related by Sir Thomas Elyot in 1531. The story of Falstaff originated in Henry's early friendship with Sir John Oldcastle , a supporter of the Lollards . Shakespeare's Falstaff was originally named "Oldcastle", following his main source, The Famous Victories of Henry V . Oldcastle's descendants objected, and the name was changed (the character became a composite of several real persons, including Sir John Fastolf ). That friendship, and
10807-414: Was greeted by elaborate displays and with choirs following his passage to St.Paul's Cathedral . Most importantly, the victory at Agincourt inspired and boosted the English morale, while it caused a heavy blow to the French as it further aided the English in their conquest of Normandy and much of northern France by 1419. The French, especially the nobility, who by this stage were weakened and exhausted by
10914-402: Was marked by a terrible snowstorm, but the common people were undecided as to whether it was a good or bad omen. Henry was described as having been "very tall (6 feet 3 inches), slim, with dark hair cropped in a ring above the ears, and clean-shaven". His complexion was ruddy, his face lean with a prominent and pointed nose. Depending on his mood, his eyes "flashed from the mildness of a dove's to
11021-577: Was named after him on its establishment in 1948. The gifts left in Whittington's will made him well known and he became a character in an English story that was adapted for the stage as a play, The History of Richard Whittington, of his lowe byrth, his great fortune , in February 1604. In the 19th century this became popular as a pantomime called Dick Whittington and His Cat , very loosely based on Richard Whittington. There are several versions of
11128-564: Was re-established in a new entity a few years later under Queen Mary . The title seems in any case to have persisted for the church, giving the names of College Street, and College Hill. The almshouse moved to Highgate in 1808 and later to its present location in East Grinstead in 1966. Sir Richard was buried in St Michael's in 1423 on the south side of the altar near his wife, Alice. John Stow records that Whittington's body
11235-484: Was reported that the painting had been trimmed down to smaller size, and the date "1572" that appears there was something painted after the cropping, which raises doubt as to the authenticity of the date, though Malcolm who witnessed it c. early 1800s felt the date should be taken in good faith. The print published in The New Wonderful Museum (vol. III, 1805, pictured above) is presumably
11342-542: Was restored between 1966 and 1968. In 1423 Richard "Dick" Whittington , the fabled Lord Mayor of London , was buried within its precincts; although the tomb is now lost. Pre-Great Fire London had seven churches dedicated to the Archangel Michael , all but one (St Michael le Querne) of which were rebuilt after the Great Fire. The earliest record of St Michael's is as St Michael of Paternosterchierch and
11449-582: Was the Southampton Plot in favour of Mortimer, involving Henry, Baron Scrope , and Richard, Earl of Cambridge (grandfather of the future King Edward IV ), in July 1415. Mortimer himself remained loyal to the King. Starting in August 1417, Henry promoted the use of the English language in government and his reign marks the appearance of Chancery Standard English as well as the adoption of English as
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