Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter (c. January 1377 – 31 December 1426) was an English military commander during the Hundred Years' War, and briefly Chancellor of England. He was the third of the four children born to John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and his mistress Katherine Swynford. To overcome their problematic parentage, his parents were married in 1396, and he and his siblings were legitimated in 1390 and again in 1397. He married the daughter of Sir Thomas Neville (died 1387)[4] of Hornby, Margaret Neville (born c. 1384),[5] who bore him one son, Henry Beaufort. However, the child died young.
After the accession of his half-brother Henry IV, Beaufort was made a Knight of the Garter. In the following years he held various military posts: constable of Ludlow (1402), appointed Admiral of the North (1403), appointed captain of Calais (1407), and Admiral of the North and West (1408–1413) he retained the title for life. His most notable action during this decade was commanding the forces against the northern rebellion of 1405.
He became Chancellor of England on 31 January 1410, an office he held until 5 January 1412[6] during a time when King Henry was having trouble with the clergy, and then returned to military matters. Later in 1412 he was created Earl of Dorset.[7]
Beaufort was back in England in 1417, while the king was in Normandy, but had to deal with problems in Scotland. In 1418 he went back to Normandy with a large force, taking part in the sieges of Évreux, Ivry, and Rouen. After the fall of Rouen in 1419, he was captain of the city and conquered more of the smaller Norman cities. Finally, in 1419, he took the great fortress of Château Gaillard, midway between Rouen and Paris, after a six-month siege.
During this time, Henry V had a policy of creating Norman titles for his aristocrats, thus Beaufort was created Count of Harcourt in 1418.
Beaufort was one of the executors of Henry V's will, and so returned to England in 1422. He served on the governing council for the infant king Henry VI, though it is likely he spent some time in France as well.
The character of Exeter in Shakespeare's play Henry V is based on Beaufort, although Beaufort was not actually created Duke of Exeter until after the Battle of Agincourt. In 1415 he was Earl of Dorset.
He died on 31 December 1426.[8][5] 27 December 1426 or 1 January 1427[2][9] have been suggested as alternative dates. All of his titles (Duchy of Exeter, Earldom of Dorset, Countship of Harcourt) became extinct. The Duchy of Exeter was restored to the Holland family; the Earldom of Dorset was recreated for Edmund, Count of Mortain, his nephew.
Armsedit
As a legitimated grandson of the sovereign, Beaufort bore the arms of the kingdom, differenced by a bordure gobony azure and ermine.[10][11]
^Richardson, D. (2011). Kimball G. Everingham (ed.). Magna Carta Ancestry. Vol. 2 (2nd ed.). Salt Lake City. p. 542. ISBN978-1-4499-6638-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ abWeir, A.Britain's Royal Families: The Complete Genealogy. ch. 3
^Harriss, G.L. (3 January 2008). "Beaufort, Thomas, duke of Exeter (1377?–1426)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online) (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/1864. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
^Douglas Richardson, Royal Ancestry: A Study In Colonial And Medieval Families, 2013, Vol. III, p. 318
thomas, beaufort, duke, exeter, january, 1377, december, 1426, english, military, commander, during, hundred, years, briefly, chancellor, england, third, four, children, born, john, gaunt, duke, lancaster, mistress, katherine, swynford, overcome, their, proble. Thomas Beaufort Duke of Exeter c January 1377 31 December 1426 was an English military commander during the Hundred Years War and briefly Chancellor of England He was the third of the four children born to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster and his mistress Katherine Swynford To overcome their problematic parentage his parents were married in 1396 and he and his siblings were legitimated in 1390 and again in 1397 He married the daughter of Sir Thomas Neville died 1387 4 of Hornby Margaret Neville born c 1384 5 who bore him one son Henry Beaufort However the child died young Thomas BeaufortDuke of ExeterCoat of arms of Thomas Beaufort Duke of ExeterBornc January 1377 1 2 Chateau de Beaufort Anjou FranceDied31 December 1426 3 aged c 49 Greenwich manor Kent EnglandBuriedBury St Edmunds Abbey Suffolk EnglandFamilyBeaufortSpouse s Margaret Neville of HornbyFatherJohn of GauntMotherKatherine SwynfordOccupationLord ChancellorLord High AdmiralAdmiral of the North and WestAdmiral of the NorthCaptain of Calais Contents 1 Under Henry IV 2 Under Henry V 3 Arms 4 See also 5 FootnotesUnder Henry IV editAfter the accession of his half brother Henry IV Beaufort was made a Knight of the Garter In the following years he held various military posts constable of Ludlow 1402 appointed Admiral of the North 1403 appointed captain of Calais 1407 and Admiral of the North and West 1408 1413 he retained the title for life His most notable action during this decade was commanding the forces against the northern rebellion of 1405 He became Chancellor of England on 31 January 1410 an office he held until 5 January 1412 6 during a time when King Henry was having trouble with the clergy and then returned to military matters Later in 1412 he was created Earl of Dorset 7 Under Henry V editOn the accession of Henry V Beaufort was appointed Lieutenant of Aquitaine 1413 and then captain of Harfleur 1415 He spent the next years in Normandy as Lieutenant of Normandy 1416 He was created Duke of Exeter for life in 1416 Beaufort was back in England in 1417 while the king was in Normandy but had to deal with problems in Scotland In 1418 he went back to Normandy with a large force taking part in the sieges of Evreux Ivry and Rouen After the fall of Rouen in 1419 he was captain of the city and conquered more of the smaller Norman cities Finally in 1419 he took the great fortress of Chateau Gaillard midway between Rouen and Paris after a six month siege During this time Henry V had a policy of creating Norman titles for his aristocrats thus Beaufort was created Count of Harcourt in 1418 In 1420 Beaufort helped negotiate the treaty of Troyes The next year he was captured at the Battle of Bauge where his nephew Thomas of Lancaster 1st Duke of Clarence was killed Beaufort was one of the executors of Henry V s will and so returned to England in 1422 He served on the governing council for the infant king Henry VI though it is likely he spent some time in France as well The character of Exeter in Shakespeare s play Henry V is based on Beaufort although Beaufort was not actually created Duke of Exeter until after the Battle of Agincourt In 1415 he was Earl of Dorset He died on 31 December 1426 8 5 27 December 1426 or 1 January 1427 2 9 have been suggested as alternative dates All of his titles Duchy of Exeter Earldom of Dorset Countship of Harcourt became extinct The Duchy of Exeter was restored to the Holland family the Earldom of Dorset was recreated for Edmund Count of Mortain his nephew Arms editAs a legitimated grandson of the sovereign Beaufort bore the arms of the kingdom differenced by a bordure gobony azure and ermine 10 11 See also editList of lord chancellors and lord keepersFootnotes edit Richardson D 2011 Kimball G Everingham ed Magna Carta Ancestry Vol 2 2nd ed Salt Lake City p 542 ISBN 978 1 4499 6638 6 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link a b Weir A Britain s Royal Families The Complete Genealogy ch 3 Harriss G L 3 January 2008 Beaufort Thomas duke of Exeter 1377 1426 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 1864 Subscription or UK public library membership required Douglas Richardson Royal Ancestry A Study In Colonial And Medieval Families 2013 Vol III p 318 a b Richardson 2011 p 542 Powicke F Fryde E B 1961 Handbook of British Chronology 2nd ed London Royal Historical Society p 85 http aalt law uh edu AALT4 H5 CP40no609 aCP40no609fronts IMG 0152 htm 8th entry plaintiff 1413 Cokayne G 1926 V Gibbs H A Doubleday eds The Complete Peerage Vol 5 2nd ed London St Catherine Press p 204 Round J 1885 Beaufort Sir Thomas d 1427 Duke of Exeter In Stephen Leslie ed Dictionary of National Biography Vol 4 London Smith Elder amp Co Marks of Cadency in the British Royal Family Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Beaufort Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 3 11th ed Cambridge University Press pp 585 586 Political officesPreceded byThomas Arundel Lord Chancellor31 January 1410 5 January 1412 Succeeded byThomas ArundelPreceded byEdward of Norwich Lord High Admiral1413 26 July 1426 Succeeded byThe Duke of BedfordPeerage of EnglandNew creation Duke of Exeter18 November 1416 1426 ExtinctEarl of Dorset5 July 1411 1426French nobilityNew creation Count of HarcourtLord of Lillebonne1 July 1418 1426 Extinct Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thomas Beaufort Duke of Exeter amp oldid 1180446554, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
