142-468: [REDACTED] Henry VI of England [REDACTED] Jack Cade † Jack Cade's Rebellion was a popular revolt in 1450 against the government of England, which took place in the south-east of the country between the months of April and July. It stemmed from local grievances regarding the corruption, maladministration and abuse of power of the king's closest advisors and local officials, as well as recent military losses in France during
284-485: A courtier and a close ally of Cardinal Henry Beaufort . Despite the diplomatic failure of the Congress of Arras , the cardinal's authority remained strong and Suffolk gained increasing influence. His most notable accomplishment in this period was negotiating the marriage of King Henry VI with Margaret of Anjou in 1444, which he achieved despite initial reluctance, and included a two years' truce. This earned him
426-512: A trilogy of plays about his life , depicting him as weak-willed and easily influenced by his wife, Margaret. Henry was born on 6 December 1421 at Windsor Castle , the only child and heir-apparent of King Henry V . Succeeding to the throne as King of England at the age of eight months on 1 September 1422, the day after his father's death; he remains the youngest person ever to succeed to the English throne. On 21 October 1422, in accordance with
568-636: A French invasion. Suffolk passed Council minutes to Dunois, the French hero of the Siege of Orleans. It was rumoured that Suffolk never paid his ransom of £20,000 owed to Dunois. The Lord Treasurer, Ralph Cromwell , wanted heavy taxes from Suffolk; the duke's powerful enemies included John Paston and Sir John Fastolf . Many blamed Suffolk's retainers for lawlessness in East Anglia . Before he left on exile, exile that would lead to his death and beheading on
710-537: A Venetian glass bowl as a token of gratitude, known as the " Luck of Muncaster ", ensuring the prosperity of the Pennington family as long as it remained intact. Nonetheless, while he was in hiding at Waddington Hall, in Waddington, Lancashire , the home of Sir Richard Tempest, he was betrayed by "a black monk of Addington" and on 13 July 1464, a party of Yorkist men, including Sir Richard's brother John, entered
852-727: A background that has been called "the baying for Suffolk's blood [by] a London mob", to the extent that Suffolk admitted his alarm to Henry. Ultimately, Henry was forced to send him into exile , but Suffolk's ship was intercepted in the English Channel . His murdered body was found on the beach at Dover . Henry's mental health began to deteriorate in the late 1440s. He exhibited possible signs of paranoia (the arrest of Duke Humphrey in 1447) and grandiosity (the scale of his plans of expansion for Eton Chapel in 1449 and King's College in 1446). By 1449, Henry had many critics questioning his ability to rule due to his mental health. In 1449,
994-482: A breakdown in law and order, corruption, the distribution of royal land to the king's court favourites , the troubled state of the crown's finances, and the steady loss of territories in France. In 1447, this unpopularity took the form of a Commons campaign against William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk , who was the most unpopular of all the king's entourage and widely seen as a traitor. He was impeached by Parliament to
1136-522: A chapel at Westminster Abbey to house Henry VI's relics. A number of Henry VI's miracles possessed a political dimension, such as his cure of a young girl afflicted with the King's evil , whose parents refused to bring her to the usurper, Richard III. By the time of Henry VIII 's break with Rome , canonisation proceedings were under way. Hymns to him still exist, and until the Reformation his hat
1278-424: A collection of poems written from the perspective of historical figures. Kingdoms are but cares State is devoid of stay, Riches are ready snares, And hasten to decay Pleasure is a privy prick Which vice doth still provoke; Pomps, imprompt; and fame, a flame; Power, a smoldering smoke. Who meanth to remove the rock Owst of the slimy mud Shall mire himself, and hardly [e]scape The swelling of
1420-410: A decade, leading to a feud that stretched from the moment Mowbray became Duke of Norfolk to the murder of de la Pole in 1450. The feud was often violent, and led to fighting between their followers. In 1435, Robert Wingfield , Mowbray's steward of Framlingham, led a group of Mowbray retainers who murdered James Andrew, one of de la Pole's men. When local aldermen attempted to arrest Wingfield's party,
1562-590: A far more formidable leader in Henry's son, Edward. However, once the last of the most prominent Lancastrian supporters had been either killed or exiled, it became clear that Henry VI would be a burden on Edward IV's reign. The common fear was the possibility of another noble using the mentally unstable king to further their own agenda. According to the Historie of the arrivall of Edward IV , an official chronicle favourable to Edward IV, Henry died of melancholia , but it
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#17327658629231704-670: A father may charge his child, I both charge you, and pray you to set all your spirits and wits to do, and to know his holy laws and commandments, by the which you shall, with his great mercy, pass all the great tempests and troubles of this wretched world. And that also, knowingly, you do nothing for love nor dread of any earthly creature that should displease him. And there as any frailty maketh you to fall, beseech his mercy soon to call you to him again with repentance, satisfaction, and contrition of your heart, never more in will to offend him. Secondly, next him above all earthly things, to be true liegeman in heart, in will, in thought, in deed, unto
1846-610: A few noble favourites who clashed on the matter of the French war when he assumed the reins of government in 1437. After the death of King Henry V, England had lost momentum in the Hundred Years' War , whereas the House of Valois had gained ground beginning with Joan of Arc 's military victories in the year 1429. The young King came to favour a policy of peace in France and thus favoured the faction around Cardinal Beaufort and William de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk , who thought likewise;
1988-579: A growing effort by French lords to resist the growing power of the French monarchy, a conflict which culminated in the Praguerie revolt of 1440. Though the English failed to take advantage of the Praguerie itself, the prospect of gaining the allegiance of one of Charles VII's more rebellious nobles was attractive from a military perspective. In about 1441, the recently ransomed Charles, Duke of Orléans , in an attempt to force Charles VII to make peace with
2130-586: A late Gothic or Perpendicular -style church with a monastic or educational foundation attached. Each year on the anniversary of Henry VI's death, the Provosts of Eton and King's lay white lilies and roses, the respective floral emblems of those colleges, on the spot in the Wakefield Tower at the Tower of London where the imprisoned Henry VI was, according to tradition, murdered as he knelt at prayer. There
2272-510: A major dispute over the succession to the English throne . Civil war broke out in 1455, leading to a long period of dynastic conflict known as the Wars of the Roses (1455–1487). Henry was deposed on 4 March 1461 by York's eldest son, who took the throne as King Edward IV . Despite Margaret continuing to lead a resistance to Edward, Henry was captured by Edward's forces in 1465 and imprisoned in
2414-417: A pardon on 7 July 1450, Cade was issued a pardon under the name "Mortimer", but once it was discovered that he had lied about his identity, the pardon was rendered void. Among his followers, Cade's dedication to having the people's complaints heard and restoring order within both local and central governments earned him the nickname "John Mend-all" or "John Amend-all". It is not known whether Cade himself chose
2556-568: A pilgrimage destination during the early decades of the 16th century, over time, with the lessened need to legitimise Tudor rule, his cult faded. William Shakespeare and possibly others completed the Henry VI trilogy around 1593, roughly 121 years after the real monarch's death. The period of history covered in the plays was between the funeral of Henry V (1422) to the Battle of Tewkesbury (1471). Though modern scholars are more interested in
2698-416: A promotion from Earl to Marquess of Suffolk. However, a secret clause was put in the agreement which gave Maine and Anjou back to France, which was to contribute to his downfall. With the deaths in 1447 of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester (shortly after his arrest for treason), and Cardinal Beaufort, Suffolk became the principal power behind the throne of the weak and compliant Henry VI. In short order, he
2840-658: A rebellion in Kent in 1450, calling himself "John Mortimer", apparently in sympathy with York, and setting up residence at the White Hart Inn in Southwark (the white hart had been the symbol of the deposed Richard II ). Henry came to London with an army to crush the rebellion, but on finding that Cade had fled kept most of his troops behind while a small force followed the rebels and met them at Sevenoaks . The flight proved to have been tactical: Cade successfully ambushed
2982-594: A reflection of the social, political, and economic issues of the time period and as a precursor to the Wars of the Roses , which saw the decline of the Lancaster dynasty and the rise of the House of York . Very little is known about the identity and origins of Jack (possibly John) Cade. Given that the rebel leader did not leave behind any personal documents, and the use of aliases was common among rebels, historians are forced to base their claims on rumour and speculation. According to Mark Antony Lower , Jack (or John) Cade
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#17327658629233124-505: A result; the lynching of Henry's key adviser, William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk , provoked a major rebellion in 1450. Factions and favourites encouraged the rise of further disorder in the country: regional magnates maintained increasing numbers of private armed retainers , including soldiers returned from France, with whom they fought regional conflicts (e.g. the Percy-Neville feud ), terrorised their neighbours, paralysed
3266-461: A secret alliance with Margaret. After marrying his daughter Anne Neville to Henry and Margaret's son, Warwick returned to England, forced Edward IV into exile, and restored Henry VI to the throne on 3 October 1470; the term " readeption " is still sometimes used for this event. However, by this time, years in hiding followed by years in captivity had taken their toll on Henry. Warwick and Clarence effectively ruled in his name. Henry's return to
3408-497: A series of tribunals dedicated to seeking out and convicting those accused of corruption. At Guildhall on 4 July, James Fiennes, 1st Baron Saye and Sele , the Lord High Treasurer, was brought in for a sham trial. Upon being found guilty of treason he was taken to Cheapside and beheaded. Fiennes' son-in-law William Crowmer (son of William Cromer , a former Sheriff of London , MP and twice Lord Mayor of London )
3550-469: A small hamlet near (old) Heathfield in East Sussex. This place had since become known as Cade Street. A monument dedicated to Cade has been placed along the roadside. The monument states that on this location the rebel leader Jack Cade was captured and killed by Alexander Iden. Given that the exact location of Cade's capture is under dispute it is possible that Cade Street was named in error. The monument
3692-430: A title at that time still normally reserved for immediate relatives of the monarch. The new duke of Somerset was sent to France to assume the command of the English forces; this prestigious position was previously held by the duke of York himself, who was dismayed at his term not being renewed and at seeing his enemy take control of it. In the later years of Henry's reign, the monarchy became increasingly unpopular, due to
3834-448: A violent death, however due to the difficult nature in identifying cause of death from bones alone, as well as the previous redisposition of his body, such evidence is inconclusive. Overall, Henry VI is largely seen as a weak, inept king, who did nothing to ease the Wars of the Roses . He is widely believed to have favoured diplomacy, rather than all-out war in the Hundred Years' War , in stark contrast to his father, Henry V , who led
3976-449: Is a similar ceremony at his resting place, St George's Chapel. Miracles were attributed to Henry, and he was informally regarded as a saint and martyr , addressed particularly in cases of adversity. The anti-Yorkist cult was encouraged by Henry VII of England as dynastic propaganda. A volume was compiled of the miracles attributed to him at St George's Chapel, Windsor, where Richard III had reinterred him, and Henry VII began building
4118-466: Is said to have been a nun , Malyne de Cay. The nighte before that he was yolden [yielded himself up in surrender to the Franco-Scottish forces of Joan of Arc on 12 June 1429] he laye in bed with a nonne whom he toke oute of holy profession and defouled, whose name was Malyne de Cay, by whom he gate a daughter, now married to Stonard of Oxonfordshire. Jane de la Pole (died 28 February 1494)
4260-451: Is widely suspected, however, that Edward IV, who was re-crowned the morning following Henry's death, had ordered his murder. Sir Thomas More 's History of Richard III explicitly states that Richard , who was then the Duke of Gloucester , killed Henry. More might have derived his opinion from Philippe de Commines ' Mémoires . Another contemporary source, Wakefield's Chronicle , gives
4402-582: The Battle of Tewkesbury on 4 May, where Henry's son Edward of Westminster was killed. Henry was imprisoned in the Tower of London again and, when the royal party arrived in London, he was reported dead. Official chronicles and documents state that the deposed king died on the night of 21 May 1471. In all likelihood, his opponents had kept him alive up to that point, rather than leave the Lancastrians with
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4544-561: The Battle of Towton , 29 March 1461, by the Duke of York's son, Edward. Henry and Margaret together evaded capture by Edward and this time they both escaped into exile in Scotland. With Scottish aid, Margaret now travelled to the continent to elicit further support for her husband's cause. Mainly under her leadership, Lancastrian resistance continued in the north of England during the first period of Edward IV's reign but met with little luck on
4686-571: The Bible and expressing his wish to be anyone other than a king. Shakespeare's Henry is weak-willed and easily influenced allowing his policies to be led by Margaret and her allies, and being unable to defend himself against York's claim to the throne. He takes an act of his own volition only just before his death when he curses Richard of Gloucester just before he is murdered. (Shakespeare, William: Henry VI, Part III Act 5, scene 6) There have been many adaptations of Richard III in film , which include
4828-491: The City of London . They were mostly peasants but their numbers were swelled by shopkeepers, craftsmen, and some landowners (the list of pardoned shows the presence of one knight, two MPs, and eighteen squires). Several soldiers and sailors returning via Kent from the French wars also joined in the fray. Hoping to disperse the rebellion before any real damage could be done, the king sent a small host of his royal contingents to quell
4970-529: The Duke of Gloucester and Richard, Duke of York , who argued for a continuation of the war, were ignored. As the English military situation in France deteriorated, talks emerged in England about arranging a marriage for the king to strengthen England's foreign connections and facilitate a peace between the warring parties. In 1434, the English council suggested that peace with the Scots could best be effected by
5112-460: The Earl of Suffolk persuaded Henry that the best way to pursue peace with France was through a marriage with Margaret of Anjou , the niece of King Charles VII. Henry agreed, especially when he heard reports of Margaret's stunning beauty, and sent Suffolk to negotiate with Charles, who consented to the marriage on condition that he would not have to provide the customary dowry and instead would receive
5254-514: The Hundred Years' War . Leading an army of men from south-eastern England, the rebellion's leader Jack Cade marched on London in order to force the government to reform the administration and remove from power the "traitors" deemed responsible for bad governance. Apart from the Cornish rebellion of 1497 , it was the largest popular uprising to take place in England during the 15th century. Despite Cade's attempt to keep his men under control, once
5396-685: The Privy Council met) to Cirencester (where the King resided). He finally assumed full royal powers when he came of age at the end of the year 1437, when he turned 16 years old. Henry's assumption of full royal powers occurred during the Great Bullion Famine and the beginning of the Great Slump in England. Henry, who was by nature shy, pious, and averse to deceit and bloodshed, immediately allowed his court to be dominated by
5538-479: The Second Battle of St Albans , 17 February 1461, her forces engaged with the Earl of Warwick , under whose custody her husband was being held. She defeated Warwick and liberated the king. Henry's mental state at the time was such that he had reputedly laughed and sung as the battle raged around him. The victory however was short-lived. Within six weeks, the king and queen's forces were once more defeated at
5680-403: The Tower of London . Henry was restored to the throne by the Earl of Warwick in 1470. Edward retook power in 1471 and killed Henry's only son, Edward of Westminster , at the Battle of Tewkesbury ; Henry was imprisoned once again. Having "lost his wits, his two kingdoms and his only son", Henry died in the Tower during the night of 21 May 1471, possibly killed on the orders of King Edward. He
5822-486: The Treaty of Troyes of 1420, he became titular King of France upon his grandfather Charles VI 's death. His mother, the 20-year-old Catherine of Valois , was viewed with considerable suspicion by English nobles as Charles VI's daughter. She was prevented from playing a full role in her son's upbringing. On 28 September 1423, the nobles swore loyalty to Henry VI, who was not yet two years old. They summoned Parliament in
Jack Cade's Rebellion - Misplaced Pages Continue
5964-621: The opposition to Richard II's reign . For the period 1430–1432, Henry was also tutored by the physician John Somerset . Somerset's duties were to "tutor the young king as well as preserv[e] his health". Somerset remained within the royal household until early 1451 after the English House of Commons petitioned for his removal because of his "dangerous and subversive influence over Henry VI". Henry's mother Catherine remarried to Owen Tudor and had two sons by him, Edmund and Jasper . Henry later gave his half-brothers earldoms. Edmund Tudor
6106-536: The 1964 West German TV version König Richard III ; David Warner in The Wars of the Roses , a 1965–66 filmed version of the Royal Shakespeare Company performing the three parts of Henry VI (condensed and edited into two plays, Henry VI and Edward IV ) and Richard III ; Peter Benson in the 1983 BBC versions of Henry VI part 1, 2, and 3 as well as Richard III ; Paul Brennen in
6248-493: The 1989 film version of the full cycle of consecutive history plays performed, for several years, by the English Shakespeare Company ; Edward Jewesbury in the 1995 film version of Richard III with Ian McKellen as Richard; James Dalesandro as Henry in the 2007 modern-day film version of Richard III ; and Tom Sturridge as Henry to Benedict Cumberbatch 's Richard III in the 2016 second season of
6390-524: The BBC series The Hollow Crown , an adaptation of Henry VI (condensed into two parts) and Richard III . Henry VI's marriage to Margaret of Anjou is the subject of the historical novel A Stormy Life (1867) by Lady Georgiana Fullerton . The novel The Triple Crown (1912) by Rose Schuster focuses on Henry's insanity. The novel London Bridge Is Falling (1934) by Philip Lindsay depicts Henry's response to Jack Cade's Rebellion . Henry VI also features in
6532-468: The Duke of Somerset, leading the campaign in France, reopened hostilities in Normandy (although he had previously been one of the main advocates for peace), but by the autumn he had been pushed back to Caen . By 1450, the French had retaken the whole province, so hard won by Henry V. Returning troops, who had often not been paid, added to the lawlessness in the southern counties of England. Jack Cade led
6674-403: The Duke of Suffolk, the rebels explicitly called out Lord Saye and officials Crowmer, Isley, St Leger and Est for extortion. Affiliates of Suffolk, Lord Saye and his son-in-law Crowmer held prominent positions within the king's household and in the local administration of Kent. Both had served several terms as High Sheriffs of Kent and as members of the king's council. Furthermore, in 1449, Saye
6816-487: The Duke of York presenting a list of grievances and demands to the court circle, including the arrest of Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset. The king initially agreed, but Margaret intervened to prevent the arrest of Beaufort. By 1453, Somerset's influence had been restored, and York was again isolated. The court party was also strengthened by the announcement that the queen was pregnant. However, in August 1453, Henry received
6958-626: The Earls of Warwick and Salisbury , took matters into their own hands. They backed the claims of the rival House of York , first to the control of government, and then to the throne itself (from 1460), pointing to York's better descent from Edward III. It was agreed that York would become Henry's successor, despite York being older. In 1457, Henry created the Council of Wales and the Marches for his son Prince Edward , and in 1458, he attempted to unite
7100-472: The English government where he became associated with many of the royal government's failures of the time, particularly on the war in France . Suffolk also appears prominently in Shakespeare 's Henry VI , parts 1 and 2 . He fought in the Hundred Years' War and participated in campaigns of Henry V , and then continued to serve in France for King Henry VI . He was one of the English commanders at
7242-509: The English party. The proposal was seriously entertained between 1441 and 1443, but a massive French campaign in 1442 against Gascony disrupted the work of the ambassadors and frightened the Count of Armagnac into reluctance. The deal fell through due to problems in commissioning portraits of the Count's daughters and the Count's imprisonment by Charles VII's men in 1443. Cardinal Beaufort and
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#17327658629237384-506: The English, suggested a marriage between Henry VI and Isabella of Armagnac, daughter of John IV, Count of Armagnac , a powerful noble in southwestern France who was at odds with the Valois crown. An alliance with Armagnac would have helped to protect English Gascony from increasing French threats in the region, especially in the face of defections to the enemy by local English vassals, and might have helped to wean some other French nobles to
7526-435: The King's name and established a regency council to govern until the King should come of age. One of Henry V's surviving brothers, John, Duke of Bedford , was appointed senior regent of the realm and was in charge of the ongoing war in France . During Bedford's absence, the government of England was headed by Henry V's other surviving brother, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester , who was appointed Lord Protector and Defender of
7668-627: The Realm. His duties were limited to keeping the peace and summoning Parliament. Henry V's uncle Henry Beaufort , Bishop of Winchester (after 1426 also Cardinal ), had an important place on the Council. After the Duke of Bedford died in 1435, the Duke of Gloucester claimed the Regency himself but was contested by the other members of the Council. From 1428, Henry's tutor was Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick , whose father had been instrumental in
7810-431: The animosity of the lower classes toward Henry VI was on the rise. Years of war against France had caused the country to go into debt and the recent loss of Normandy caused morale to decline and led to a widespread fear of invasion. Already the coastal regions of England such as Kent and Sussex were seeing attacks by Norman soldiers and French armies. Ill-equipped by the government, English soldiers took to raiding towns along
7952-421: The bad news that his army had been routed in the decisive Battle of Castillon . Shortly thereafter, Henry experienced a mental breakdown. He became completely unresponsive to everything that was going on around him for more than a year. At the age of 31, he "fell by a sudden and accidental fright into such a weak state of health that for a whole year and a half he had neither sense nor reason capable of carrying on
8094-501: The border to try his fortune with those nobles in the north of England and Wales who were still loyal. Following defeat in the Battle of Hexham , 15 May 1464, Henry, as a fugitive in his own land, continued to be afforded safety in various Lancastrian houses across the north of England. Sir John Pennington provided refuge to Henry VI of England in Muncaster Castle following the battle. Legend has it that Henry VI left behind
8236-515: The bulk of Henry VI's cultural appearances in modern times. In screen adaptations of these plays Henry has been portrayed by: James Berry in the 1911 silent short Richard III ; Miles Mander portrayed Henry VI in Tower of London , a 1939 historical film loosely dramatising the rise to power of Richard III; Terry Scully in the 1960 BBC series An Age of Kings which contained all the history plays from Richard II to Richard III ; Carl Wery in
8378-537: The city Cade cut the ropes on the bridge so that they could not be raised against him. Upon entering London, Cade stopped at the London Stone . He struck the stone with his sword and declared himself Lord Mayor in the traditional manner. By striking the stone, Cade had symbolically reclaimed the country for the Mortimers to whom he claimed to be related. Once inside the city's gates, Cade and his men initiated
8520-523: The commons of Kent led by Jack Cade marched on London. It is estimated that about 5,000 people took part in the uprising. In the spring of 1450, Cade organised the creation and distribution of a manifesto entitled The Complaint of the Poor Commons of Kent . The manifesto represented not only the grievances of the people but of several MPs , lords and magnates as well. The document included a list of fifteen complaints and five demands to be brought before
8662-530: The company and counsel of proud men, of covetous men, and of flattering men, the more especially and mightily to withstand them, and not to draw nor to meddle with them, with all your might and power; and to draw to you and to your company good and virtuous men, and such as be of good conversation, and of truth, and by them shall you never be deceived nor repent you of. Moreover, never follow your own wit in nowise, but in all your works, of such folks as I write of above, ask your advice and counsel, and doing thus, with
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#17327658629238804-559: The context that the Henry VI trilogy paved for the more popular play Richard III , it was very popular during Elizabethan times. Rather than being representative of the historical events or the actual life and temperament of Henry VI himself, the Shakespearean plays are more representative of the pivotal political situation in England at that time: international war in the form of the Hundred Years' War, and civil strife in
8946-475: The courts, and dominated the government. Starting in 1453, Henry had a series of mental breakdowns , making him unable to rule. Power was duly exercised by quarrelsome nobles , headed by the leaders of cadet branches of the royal family ; Richard, 3rd Duke of York and Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset developed a fierce political rivalry and jostled for power in Henry's government. Queen Margaret did not remain politically neutral and took advantage of
9088-436: The date of Henry's death as 23 May 1471, on which date Richard, then only eighteen, is known to have been away from London. Modern tradition places his death in Wakefield Tower, part of the Tower of London , but that is not supported by evidence, and is unlikely, since the tower was used for record storage at the time. Henry's actual place of death is unknown, though he was imprisoned within the Tower of London. King Henry VI
9230-588: The death of his maternal grandfather, Charles VI , shortly afterwards. Henry was born during the Hundred Years' War (1337–1453), at the beginning of its third phase , in which his uncle, Charles VII , contested the Lancastrian claim to the French throne , which had been ratified by the Treaty of Troyes (1420) . He is the only English monarch to have been crowned King of France, in a coronation in Notre-Dame de Paris in 1431. His early reign, when England
9372-417: The departing from this wretched world here, you and they may glorify him eternally amongst his angels in heaven. Written of mine hand, The day of my departing from this land. Your true and loving father The following three years saw the near-complete loss of the English possessions in northern France ( Rouen , Normandy etc.). Suffolk could not avoid taking the blame for these failures, partly because of
9514-453: The different opinions on how England should proceed in the war with France led to party divisions. Henry favoured peace while his uncle the Duke of Gloucester and other nobles felt England should continue to fight for England's claim to the French throne. Internecine fighting in court eventually led to the banishment of the king's closest friend and advisor William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk . To add to England's troubles many believed that
9656-469: The earl decided to knight him before surrendering. This dubbing has remained famous in French history and literature and has been recounted by the writer Alexandre Dumas . He remained a prisoner of Charles VII for two years, and was ransomed in 1431, after fourteen years' continuous field service. After his return to the Kingdom of England in 1434, he was made Constable of Wallingford Castle . He became
9798-473: The evening, a battle erupted on London Bridge between Cade's army and various citizens and officials of London. The battle lasted until eight the next morning, when the rebels retreated with heavy casualties. One writer estimated that at least 40 Londoners and 200 rebels were killed at the battle. After the battle on London Bridge, Archbishop John Kemp ( Lord Chancellor ) persuaded Cade to call off his followers by issuing official pardons, and promising to fulfil
9940-402: The failed Siege of Orléans . He favoured a diplomatic rather than military solution to the deteriorating situation in France, a stance which would later resonate well with King Henry VI. Suffolk became a dominant figure in the government, and was at the forefront of the main policies conducted during the period. He played a central role in organizing the Treaty of Tours (1444), and arranged
10082-533: The field. At the same time as Henry's cause was beginning to look increasingly desperate in military terms, an English embassy to Scotland, through the Earl of Warwick on behalf of Edward, served to further weaken his interests at the Scottish Court in political terms. After the queen mother's death in November 1463, Scotland now actively sued for peace with England and the exiled king passed back across
10224-485: The flood. Queen Margaret, exiled in Scotland and later in France , was determined to win back the throne on behalf of her husband and her son, Edward of Westminster. By herself, there was little she could do. However, eventually, Edward IV fell out with two of his main supporters: Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, and his own younger brother George, Duke of Clarence . At the urging of King Louis XI of France they formed
10366-464: The focus of his landed authority was forced upon him since this was where the majority of his estates were located. He was then a newcomer to political society in the region, and had to share influence with others. By the time of his majority, de la Pole—with his links to central government and the King—was an established power in the region. He hindered Mowbray's attempts at regional domination for over
10508-546: The force in the Battle of Solefields (near Sevenoaks) and returned to occupy London. In the end, the rebellion achieved nothing, and London was retaken after a few days of disorder; but this was principally because of the efforts of its own residents rather than those of the army. At any rate, the rebellion showed that feelings of discontent were running high. In 1451, the Duchy of Aquitaine , held by England since Henry II 's time,
10650-464: The form of the War of the Roses. Shakespeare's portrayal of Henry is notable in that it does not mention the King's madness. This is considered to have been a politically advisable move to not risk offending Elizabeth I whose family was descended from Henry's Lancastrian family. Instead, Henry is portrayed as a pious and peaceful man ill-suited to the crown. He spends most of his time in contemplation of
10792-430: The government and neither physician nor medicine could cure that infirmity..." and he was, "...smitten with a frenzy and his wit and reason withdrawn." Henry even failed to respond to the birth of his son Edward six months into the illness. The Duke of York, meanwhile, had gained a very important ally, Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick , one of the most influential magnates and possibly richer than York himself. York
10934-546: The house for his arrest. Henry fled into nearby woods but was soon captured at Brungerley Hippings (stepping stones) over the River Ribble . He was subsequently held captive in the Tower of London. The following poem has long been attributed to Henry, allegedly having been written during his imprisonment. However, a largely identical verse appears in William Baldwin 's 1559 work The Mirror for Magistrates ,
11076-453: The king as a man without "any crook or uncouth." Henry's one lasting achievement was his fostering of education: he founded Eton College ; King's College, Cambridge ; and All Souls College, Oxford . He continued a career of architectural patronage started by his father: King's College Chapel and Eton College Chapel and most of his other architectural commissions (such as his completion of his father's foundation of Syon Abbey ) consisted of
11218-498: The king for scrutiny and dictated the causes of the revolt. The first issue to be addressed was that Cade's followers from Kent were being unjustly blamed for the death of the Duke of Suffolk. Despite the well-known anger of the peasants towards the Duke, the Bill of Complaints dismissed the idea that the rebels were responsible. In addition the rebels called for inquiries into cases of corruption within local and national governments and for
11360-430: The king had surrounded himself with advisors who were ineffective and corrupt. At the heart of the corruption scandal was the Duke of Suffolk. When the duke's body washed up on the shores of Dover the people of Kent feared retaliation. Rumours emerged claiming that the king intended to turn Kent into a Royal forest in retaliation for the duke's death. Tired of the exploitation that the Duke of Suffolk had come to represent,
11502-430: The king our aldermost high and dread sovereign lord, to whom both you and I be so much bound to; charging you as father can and may, rather to die than to be the contrary, or to know anything that were against the welfare or prosperity of his most royal person, but that as far as your body and life may stretch you live and die to defend it, and to let his highness have knowledge thereof in all the haste you can. Thirdly, in
11644-468: The king's marriage to Margaret of Anjou . At the end of Suffolk's political career, he was accused of maladministration by many and forced into exile . At sea on his way out, he was caught by an angry mob, subjected to a mock trial , and beheaded. His estates were forfeited to the Crown but later restored to his only son, John . His political successor was the Duke of Somerset . William de la Pole
11786-641: The latter rained arrow fire upon the aldermen, but Mowbray secured royal pardons for those responsible. By 1440, de la Pole was a royal favourite. He instigated Mowbray's imprisonment on at least two occasions: in 1440 and in 1448. The first saw him bound over for the significant amount of £10,000, and confined to living within the royal Household, preventing him from returning to seek revenge in East Anglia. Likewise, apart from an appointment to commissions of oyer and terminer in Norwich in 1443 (after
11928-492: The long and honourable record of his public services. However, on 28 January he was arrested, imprisoned in the Tower of London and impeached in parliament by the Commons. The King intervened to protect his favourite, who was banished for five years, but on his journey to Calais his ship was intercepted by the ship Nicholas of the Tower . Suffolk was captured, subjected to a mock trial, and executed by beheading. His body
12070-402: The loss of Maine and Anjou through his marriage negotiations regarding Henry VI . When parliament met in November 1449, the opposition showed its strength by forcing the treasurer, Adam Moleyns , to resign. Moleyns was murdered by sailors at Portsmouth on 9 January 1450. Suffolk, realising that an attack on himself was inevitable, boldly challenged his enemies in parliament, appealing to
12212-485: The men of Sussex were more radical and aggressive in their demands for reform. It is possible the animosity felt by the men of Sussex had arisen in part because the king had revoked the pardons issued to Cade and his followers. An indictment following the Sussex rebellion accused the rebels of wanting to kill the king and all his Lords, replacing them with twelve of the rioters' own men. The rebellions in Sussex did not achieve
12354-508: The mercy of God, you shall do right well, and live in right much worship, and great heart's rest and ease. And I will be to you as good lord and father as my heart can think. And last of all, as heartily and as lovingly as ever father blessed his child in earth, I give you the blessing of Our Lord and of me, which of his infinite mercy increase you in all virtue and good living; and that your blood may by his grace from kindred to kindred multiply in this earth to his service, in such wise as after
12496-424: The most powerful duke in the realm and also being both an agnate and the heir general of Edward III (thus having, according to some, a better claim to the throne than Henry VI himself), probably had the best chances to succeed to the throne after Gloucester. However, he was excluded from the court circle and sent to govern Ireland , while his opponents, the earls of Suffolk and Somerset, were promoted to dukes ,
12638-466: The murdered William Cromer's widow Elizabeth Fiennes, and a future High Sheriff of Kent ). In the skirmish, Cade was fatally wounded and died before reaching London for trial. As a warning to others, Cade's body underwent a mock trial and was beheaded at Newgate. Cade's body was dragged through the streets of London before being quartered . His limbs were sent throughout Kent to various cities and locations that were believed to have been strong supporters of
12780-549: The name or not. One tale of the time claimed that Cade was the doctor John Alymere who was married to the daughter of a squire in Surrey. Another rumour suggested that he enjoyed dabbling in the dark arts and had once worked for Sir Tomas Dacres before fleeing the country after murdering a pregnant woman. In the years preceding the Jack Cade Rebellion, England suffered from both internal and external difficulties and
12922-535: The poet Geoffrey Chaucer and his wife, Philippa Roet . In 1437, Henry VI licensed the couple to establish a chantry and almshouse for thirteen poor men at Ewelme, which they endowed with land at Ewelme and in Buckinghamshire, Hampshire and Wiltshire; the charitable trust continues to this day. Suffolk's only known legitimate son, John , became the second Duke of Suffolk in 1463. Suffolk also fathered an illegitimate daughter, Jane de la Pole. Her mother
13064-417: The prince, fleeing through Wales to Scotland where she found refuge in the court of the queen regent, Mary of Guelders , recent widow of James II . Here she set about eliciting support for her husband from that kingdom. Re-entering England at the end of the year, the English queen in force engaged with the Duke of York at the Battle of Wakefield , 30 December 1460, where York fell. A few weeks later, at
13206-505: The proclamation Cade was charged with deceiving the people of England to assemble with him in his rebellion and stated that none of the King's subjects should join Cade or help him in any way. A reward of 1,000 marks was promised to whoever could capture and deliver Jack Cade to the king, dead or alive. Cade fled towards Lewes but on 12 July, in a garden in which he had taken shelter, was overtaken by Alexander Iden (eventual second husband of
13348-495: The province of Maine from the English. These conditions were agreed upon in the Treaty of Tours in 1444, but the cession of Maine was kept secret from Parliament, as it was known that this would be hugely unpopular with the English populace. The marriage took place at Titchfield Abbey on 23 April 1445, one month after Margaret's 15th birthday. She had arrived with an established household, composed primarily not of Angevins, but of members of Henry's royal servants; this increase in
13490-508: The rebel forces had entered London they began to loot. The citizens of London turned on the rebels and forced them out of the city in a bloody battle on London Bridge . To end the bloodshed the rebels were issued pardons by the king and told to return home. Cade fled but was later caught on 12 July 1450 by Alexander Iden, a future High Sheriff of Kent . As a result of the skirmish with Iden, the mortally wounded Cade died before reaching London for trial. The Jack Cade Rebellion has been perceived as
13632-601: The rebel uprising. To prevent further uprisings, Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham was given permission from the king to seek out the remainder of Cade's followers and bring them to trial. The search took place in and around areas where support for the uprising was felt to be the strongest—Blackheath, Canterbury and the coastal areas of Faversham and the Isle of Sheppey . The inquiries by bishops and justices were so thorough that in Canterbury (the first area searched by
13774-466: The rebellion. The royal forces were led by Sir Humphrey Stafford (d. 1450), of Grafton in the parish of Bromsgrove , Worcestershire, and his second cousin William Stafford (d. 1450), of Southwick, Wiltshire (father of Humphrey Stafford, 1st Earl of Devon ). The royal forces underestimated the rebels' strength and were led into an ambush at Sevenoaks . In the skirmish on 18 June 1450,
13916-526: The rebels' demands. Although King Henry VI had issued pardons to Cade and his followers, a proclamation written by the King shortly after the rebellion voided all previously issued pardons. The document was entitled "Writ and Proclamation by the King for the Taking of Cade". In the document the King claimed that he revoked the previous pardons because they had not been created or approved by the Parliament. In
14058-444: The rebels, including Cade himself, began to engage in looting and drunken behaviour. Gradually Cade's inability to control his followers alienated the initially sympathetic citizens of London, who eventually turned against the rebels. When, on 7 July, Cade's army returned over the bridge to Southwark for the night, the London officials closed the bridge to prevent Cade from re-entering the city. The next day, on 8 July, at about ten in
14200-427: The removal of corrupt high officials. Cade's list of complaints goes on to charge King Henry with injustice for not choosing to impeach his underlings and lords even though they were guilty of treasonous and unlawful acts. The king's counselors and officials were accused of rigging elections, extortion, manipulating the king for their own gains and using their close position to the king to oppress those below them. Besides
14342-512: The request made by the rebels in Cade's manifesto that the king welcome the Duke of York as his advisor outright informed the king that the masses wished to see the duke return from exile. When Richard the Duke of York finally did return to England in September 1450 several of his demands and reform policies were based on those made in the manifesto issued by Cade. There is long-standing tradition that this clash between Iden and Cade took place at
14484-415: The rope and the man's windpipe, thus keeping him alive, after which he was revived in the cart as it was taking him away for burial. He was also capable of inflicting harm, such as when he struck John Robyns blind after Robyns cursed "Saint Henry". Robyns was healed only after he went on a pilgrimage to the shrine of King Henry. A particular devotional act that was closely associated with the cult of Henry VI
14626-413: The route to France with their victims receiving no compensation. Henry's call to set warning beacons along the coastline confirmed peoples' suspicions that an attack by the French was possible. These fears and continuous unrest in the coastal counties inspired many Englishmen to rally in an attempt to force the King to address their problems or abdicate his throne in favour of someone more competent. At court
14768-426: The royal commission) eight followers were quickly found and hanged. Although the Jack Cade Rebellion was quickly dispersed after Cade's death, the royal commission failed to rid England of the feeling of rebellion. Inspired by Cade and his rebellion many other counties in England revolted. In Sussex the yeomen brothers John and William Merfold organised their own rebellion against King Henry VI. Unlike Cade's revolt
14910-536: The same fate and shocked by the rebels' military ability, the king sought refuge in Warwickshire . Gaining confidence through their victory the rebels advanced to Southwark , at the southern end of London Bridge . Cade set up headquarters in The White Hart inn before crossing the bridge and entering the city with his followers on 3 July 1450. To prevent any infringement on his comings and goings within
15052-551: The same following as that of Cade's. While the minor rebellions inspired by Cade's rebellion did not produce a large number of deaths or immediate changes they can be seen as important precursors to the Wars of the Roses. These large battles over the crown of England would result in the end of the Lancaster dynasty and the creation of the Yorks. The weakness of the Lancaster dynasty and the English government had been exposed. In addition,
15194-510: The same way, I charge you, my dear son, always as you be bounden by the commandment of God to do, to love, to worship, your lady and mother; and also that you obey always her commandments, and to believe her counsels and advices in all your works, the which dread not but shall be best and truest to you. And if any other body would steer you to the contrary, to flee the counsel in any wise, for you shall find it naught and evil. Furthermore, as far as father may and can, I charge you in any wise to flee
15336-573: The ship before he cleared England he sat down and wrote a letter to his boy, John, just eight years old and presumably still with his mother Alice Chaucer. The letter survives, and it helps bring a medieval character to life. My dear and only well-beloved son, I beseech our Lord in Heaven, the Maker of all the World, to bless you, and to send you ever grace to love him, and to dread him, to the which, as far as
15478-458: The short story "The Duchess and the Doll" (1950) by Edith Pargeter . William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk KG (16 October 1396 – 2 May 1450), nicknamed Jackanapes , was an English magnate , statesman and military commander during the Hundred Years' War . He became a favourite of Henry VI of England , and consequently a leading figure in
15620-505: The situation to make herself an effective power behind the throne . Amid military disasters in France, and a collapse of law and order in England, the Queen and her clique came under accusations – particularly from Henry VI's increasingly popular cousin, the Duke of York – of misconduct of the war in France and misrule of England. Tensions mounted between Margaret and York over control of the incapacitated King's government, which developed into
15762-491: The size of the royal household, and a concomitant increase on the birth of their son, Edward of Westminster , in 1453, led to proportionately greater expense but also to greater patronage opportunities at Court. Henry had wavered in yielding Maine to Charles, knowing that the move was unpopular and would be opposed by the Dukes of Gloucester and York, and also because Maine was vital to the defence of Normandy . However, Margaret
15904-560: The suppression of Gladman's Insurrection ), he received no other significant offices or patronage from the crown. A recent biographer of Mowbray's, the historian Colin Richmond, has described this as Mowbray's "eclipse". De la Pole fought Mowbray with what one contemporary labelled "greet hevyng an shoving." Suffolk was married on 11 November 1430 (date of licence), to (as her third husband) Alice Chaucer (1404–1475), daughter of Thomas Chaucer of Ewelme , Oxfordshire, and granddaughter of
16046-497: The territory held by the English, including the English monarch's ancestral lands in Aquitaine and the conquered Normandy . By 1453, Calais was the only English-governed territory on the continent. Henry's domestic popularity declined in the 1440s, partly due to the revelation that a large, strategically important territory (the county of Maine ) had been secretly returned to the French. Political unrest in England grew rapidly as
16188-511: The throne lasted less than six months. Warwick soon overreached himself by declaring war on Burgundy , whose ruler Charles the Bold responded by giving Edward IV the assistance he needed to win back his throne by force. Edward returned to England in early 1471 and was reconciled with Clarence. Warwick was killed at the Battle of Barnet on 14 April and the Yorkists won a final decisive victory at
16330-688: The two Civil War sieges of Hull in 1642 and 1643. From the 1430s until his death, de la Pole, who became increasingly powerful, both at court and in the region, was rivalled in East Anglia by John Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk . Mowbray had enough political clout in the 1430s to control parliamentary representation in Suffolk , but the local importance of the duke weakened his grasp. Mowbray clashed with de la Pole, and committed many illegalities doing so. These included damaging property of rivals, assaults, false allegations of outlawry (with confiscation of goods), and even murder. For Mowbray, East Anglia as
16472-460: The two Stafford cousins were killed. Cade took the expensive clothing and armour of Sir Humphrey as his own. On 28 June, William Ayscough , the unpopular Bishop of Salisbury , was murdered by a mob in Wiltshire. William Ayscough had been the king's personal confessor and his position next to the king had allowed him to become one of the most powerful men in the country. Afraid that he might meet
16614-454: The victory at Agincourt . This allowed Henry to be heavily influenced by many nobles, such as William de la Pole , who oversaw significant English losses in France, such as the Siege of Orléans . On the other hand, many historians see Henry as a pious, generous king, who was victim of an unstable crown, caused by the deposition of Richard II . John Blacman, personal chaplain of Henry, described
16756-460: The warring factions by staging the Loveday in London. Despite such attempts at reconciliation, tensions between the houses of Lancaster and York eventually broke out in open war. Their forces engaged at the Battle of Northampton , 10 July 1460, where the king was captured and taken into captivity under the Yorkists. Queen Margaret, who also had been on the field, managed to escape with her son,
16898-553: The wedding of Henry to one of the daughters of King James I of Scotland ; the proposal came to nothing. During the Congress of Arras in 1435, the English put forth the idea of a union between Henry and a daughter of King Charles VII of France , but the Armagnacs refused even to contemplate the suggestion unless Henry renounced his claim to the French throne. Another proposal in 1438 to a daughter of King Albert II of Germany likewise failed. Better prospects for England arose amid
17040-427: Was Salisbury's chief lieutenant in the direction of the war. He became co-commander of the English forces at the Siege of Orléans (1429), after the death of Salisbury. When the city was relieved by Joan of Arc in 1429, he managed a retreat to Jargeau where he was forced to surrender on 12 June. He was captured by a French squire named Guillaume Renault [ fr ] . Admiring the young soldier's bravery,
17182-412: Was also executed by the rebels. The heads of the two men were put on pikes and unceremoniously paraded through the streets of London while their bearers pushed them together so that they appeared to kiss. Their heads were then affixed to London Bridge. Despite Cade's frequent assurances that his followers would maintain a proper and orderly demeanour, as the rebel host made its way through the city many of
17324-614: Was also lost. In October 1452, an English advance in Aquitaine retook Bordeaux and was having some success, but by 1453 Bordeaux was lost again, leaving Calais as England's only remaining territory on the continent. In 1452, the Duke of York was persuaded to return from Ireland , claim his rightful place on the council, and put an end to bad government. His cause was a popular one and he soon raised an army at Shrewsbury . The court party, meanwhile, raised their own similar-sized force in London. A stand-off took place south of London, with
17466-610: Was appointed Chamberlain, Admiral of England , and to several other important offices. He was created Earl of Pembroke in 1447, and Duke of Suffolk in 1448. However, Suffolk was suspected of responsibility in Humphrey's death, and later of being a traitor. On 16 July he met in secret with Jean, Count de Dunois , at his mansion of the Rose in Candlewick Street, the first of several meetings in London at which they planned
17608-513: Was appointed to the prestigious office of Lord High Treasurer . Isley and St Leger also served as Sheriffs and MPs in the county of Kent. When the king failed to remedy their grievances the rebels marched on London. In May 1450, the rebels began to join together in an organised fashion and began to move towards London. Cade sent out delegates to the surrounding counties to elicit aid and additional men. By early June more than 5,000 men had assembled at Blackheath , 6 miles (9.7 km) south-east of
17750-492: Was born in Cotton, Suffolk , the second son of Michael de la Pole, 2nd Earl of Suffolk , by his wife Katherine de Stafford , daughter of Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford , KG , and Philippa de Beauchamp . Almost continually engaged in the wars in France, he was seriously wounded during the Siege of Harfleur (1415), where his father died from dysentery . Later that year his elder brother Michael, 3rd Earl of Suffolk ,
17892-400: Was buried at Chertsey Abbey before being moved to Windsor Castle in 1484. Miracles were attributed to Henry after his death and he was informally regarded as a saint and martyr until the 16th century. He left a legacy of educational institutions, having founded Eton College , King's College, Cambridge and (together with Henry Chichele ) All Souls College, Oxford . Shakespeare wrote
18034-422: Was described as timid, shy, passive, benevolent and averse to warfare and violence; after 1453, he became mentally unstable. His ineffective reign saw the near total loss of English lands in France . In 1445 – partially in the hope of achieving peace – Henry married Charles VII's niece, the ambitious and strong-willed Margaret of Anjou . The peace policy failed and war recommenced; France rapidly recovered much of
18176-477: Was determined that he should see it through. As the treaty became public knowledge in 1446, public anger focused on the Earl of Suffolk, but Henry and Margaret were determined to protect him. In 1447, the king and queen summoned the Duke of Gloucester to appear before parliament on the charge of treason. Queen Margaret had no tolerance for any sign of disloyalty toward her husband and kingdom, thus any suspicion of this
18318-416: Was enough to prompt the king into moving against the rebels without delay. At the time of the rebellion the Duke of York was out of the country serving as Lieutenant of Ireland . To date, no evidence has been found indicating that he was involved in funding or inciting the uprising. It is more likely that Cade used the name "Mortimer" as propaganda to give his cause more legitimacy. When the rebels were issued
18460-510: Was erected by Francis Newbury between 1791 and 1819. Henry VI of England Henry VI (6 December 1421 – 21 May 1471) was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. The only child of Henry V , he succeeded to the English throne upon his father's death at the age of eight months; he succeeded to the French throne on
18602-496: Was immediately brought to her attention. This move was instigated by Gloucester's enemies, the earl of Suffolk, whom Margaret held in great esteem, and the ageing Cardinal Beaufort and his nephew, Edmund Beaufort, Earl of Somerset . Gloucester was put in custody in Bury St Edmunds , where he died, probably of a heart attack (although contemporary rumours spoke of poisoning) before he could be tried. The Duke of York, being
18744-447: Was kept by his tomb at Windsor , where pilgrims would put it on to enlist Henry's aid against migraines. Numerous miracles were credited to the dead king, including his raising the plague victim Alice Newnett from the dead and appearing to her as she was being stitched in her shroud. He also intervened in the attempted hanging of a man who had been unjustly condemned to death, accused of stealing some sheep. Henry placed his hand between
18886-472: Was killed at the Battle of Agincourt , and William succeeded as 4th earl. He served in all the later French campaigns of the reign of Henry V, and in spite of his youth held high command on the marches of Normandy in 1421–22. In 1423 he joined Thomas, Earl of Salisbury , in Champagne . He fought under John, Duke of Bedford , at the Battle of Verneuil on 17 August 1424, and throughout the next four years
19028-579: Was later found on the sands near Dover , and was probably brought to a church in Suffolk, possibly Wingfield . He was interred in the Carthusian Priory in Hull by his widow Alice, as was his wish, and not in the church at Wingfield, as is often stated. The Priory, founded in 1377 by his grandfather the first Earl of Suffolk, was dissolved in 1539, and most of the original buildings did not survive
19170-487: Was married before 1450 to Thomas Stonor (1423–1474), of Stonor in Pyrton , Oxfordshire. Suffolk's nickname "Jackanapes" came from "Jack of Naples ", a slang name for a monkey at the time. This was probably due to his heraldic badge , which consisted of an "ape's clog", i.e. a wooden block chained to a pet monkey to prevent it from escaping. The term "jackanape" later came to mean an impertinent or conceited person, due to
19312-488: Was named regent as Protector of The Realm in 1454. The queen was excluded completely, and Edmund Beaufort was detained in the Tower of London, while many of York's supporters spread rumours that Edward was not the king's son, but Beaufort's. Other than that, York's months as regent were spent tackling the problem of government overspending. Around Christmas Day 1454, King Henry regained his senses. Disaffected nobles who had grown in power during Henry's reign, most importantly
19454-517: Was originally buried in Chertsey Abbey in Surrey , but in 1484 Richard III had his body moved to St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle . When the body was exhumed in 1910, it was found to be 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) tall with a damaged, abnormally thin skull and the fore-leg bone of a pig substituting his missing right arm. It was initially thought the damage to the skull indicated
19596-580: Was probably born in Sussex between 1420 and 1430 and historians agree for certain that he was a member of the lower ranks of society. During the rebellion of 1450, Cade took on the title of "Captain of Kent" and adopted the alias "John Mortimer". The name "Mortimer" had negative connotations for King Henry VI and his associates because Henry's main rival for the throne of England was Richard, Duke of York , who had Mortimer ancestry on his mother 's side. The possibility that Cade may have been working with York
19738-440: Was ruled by a regency government , saw the pinnacle of English power in France . However, subsequent military, diplomatic and economic problems damaged the English cause by the time Henry was declared mature enough to rule in 1437. The young king faced military setbacks in France, and political and financial crises in England, where divisions among the nobility in his government began to widen. In contrast to his father, Henry VI
19880-407: Was shortly after his crowning ceremony at Merton Priory on All Saints' Day , 1 November 1437, shortly before his 16th birthday, that he obtained some measure of independent authority. This was confirmed on 13 November 1437, but his growing willingness to involve himself in administration had already become apparent in 1434, when the place named on writs temporarily changed from Westminster (where
20022-406: Was the bending of a silver coin as an offering to the "saint" so that he might perform a miracle. One story had a woman, Katherine Bailey, who was blind in one eye. As she was kneeling at mass, a stranger told her to bend a coin to King Henry. She promised to do so, and as the priest was raising the communion host, her partial blindness was cured. Although Henry VI's shrine was enormously popular as
20164-483: Was the father of King Henry VII of England . In reaction to the coronation of Charles VII of France in Reims Cathedral on 17 July 1429, Henry was soon crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey on 6 November 1429, aged 7, followed by his own coronation as King of France at Notre-Dame de Paris on 16 December 1431, aged 10. He was the only English king to be crowned king in both England and France. It
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