William Neville, Lord Fauconberg, Earl of Kent c1410 - 1463

Early life

Born circa 1410, he was the 2nd son of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland and his second wife, Joan Beaufort. She was the legitimised daughter of John of Gaunt, (son of Edward III) and Katherine Swynford. William was therefore the great-grandson of Edward III. However, the terms of the legitimisation of the Beaufort family specifically excluded them or their descendants from succession to the throne. Events July 15 – Lithuanian forces under the cousins Władysław Jagiełło of Poland and Witowt of Lithuania decisively defeat the forces of the Teutonic Knights, whose power is broken Jan Hus is excommunicated by the Archbishop of Prague. ... Sir Ralph de Neville (c. ... Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland, (c. ... John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster (June 24, 1340 - February 3, 1399), the third surviving son of King Edward III of England, gained his name because he was born at Ghent in 1340. ... Edward III King of England Edward III (13 November 1312–21 June 1377) was one of the most successful English Kings of medieval times. ... Coat of arms designed for Katherine Swynford: three gold Catherine wheels (roet means wheel) on a red background. ... Edward III King of England Edward III (13 November 1312–21 June 1377) was one of the most successful English Kings of medieval times. ... Beaufort is: The name of some places in the United States of America: Beaufort, North Carolina Beaufort, South Carolina Beaufort County, North Carolina Beaufort County, South Carolina The name of a place in Australia: Beaufort, Victoria The name of several communes in France: Beaufort, in the Haute-Garonne département Beaufort...

William was one of a number of the Neville sons to make a good match, marrying the Fauconberg heiress and taking the title Lord Fauconberg - just as his nephew Richard Neville (Warwick the Kingmaker) married the Warwick heiress and became Earl of Warwick. William's marrage took place at some point before 1422. His wife Joan was 4 years older than him, and was described as an idiot from birth. The Fauconberg estates were in N Yorkshire, a centre of power for other members of the Neville family. Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick (1428 – April 14, 1471), was also known as Warwick the Kingmaker. ... Events August 31 - Henry VI becomes King of England. ...

The Lancastrian allegiance

He seemingly had a conventional military career during the earlier part of Henry VI's reign. Knighted in May 1426, he was serving on the Scottish Borders in 1435. In 1436 he was serving with Richard, Duke of York, in France - his first contact with a man who was later to receive his allegiance. By 1439 he was a field commander in France, with Lords Talbot and Scales. In 1440 he was made a Knight of the Garter. By 1443 he was back in England, and on the 7 March he took custody of Roxburgh castle. He was granted £1,000 per annum (around £1,000,000 at 2005 prices) during peace, twice this if at war with Scotland, and until 1448, satisfactory payment was made. However, in 1449 he returned to France as part of a diplomatic mission, and in May 1449 he was captured at Pont L'Arche in Normandy. While in captivity in France, he spent 2 years of his own income supporting the upkeep of the castle. In spite of a grant from Parliament in 1449, by 1451 he was owed £4,109.He was forced to settle for less. Henry VI (December 6, 1421 – May 21/22, 1471) was King of England from 1422 to 1461 (though with a Regent until 1437) and then from 1470 to 1471. ... Events March 6 - Battle of St. ... For other uses, see number 1435. ... Events April - Paris is recaptured by the French End of the Hussite Wars in Bohemia. ... This article is about Richard, Duke of York, father of King Edward IV. For the article about Edward IVs son who was imprisoned in the Tower of London see: Richard, Duke of York (Prince in the Tower). ... Events Battle of Grotnik, which ended the hussite movement in Poland Eric of Pomerania, King of Sweden, Denmark and Norway is declared deposed in Sweden. ... For alternative meanings, see number 1440. ... A garter is one of the Orders most recognisable insignia. ... Events Albanians, under Skanderbeg, defeat the Turks John Hunyadi defeats Turks at the Battle of Nis Vlad II Dracul begins his second term as ruler of Wallachia, succeeding Basarab II. Births January 27 - Albert, Duke of Saxony (died 1500) February 23 - Matthias Corvinus of Hungary (died 1490) May 17 - Edmund... Historically, Roxburgh was an important Scottish town. ... Events January 5/ 6 - Christopher of Bavaria, Norway and Sweden dies with no designated heir leaving all three kingdoms with vacant thrones. ... Events January 6 - Constantine XI is crowned Byzantine Emperor. ... Events January 6 - Constantine XI is crowned Byzantine Emperor. ... Mont Saint Michel is a historic pilgrimage site and a symbol of Normandy Normandy is a geographical region in northern France. ... Events January 6 - Constantine XI is crowned Byzantine Emperor. ... // Events February 3 - Murad II, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire dies and is succeeded by his son Mehmed II. April 11 - Celje acquires market-town status and town rights by orders from the Celje count Frederic II. June 30 - French troops under the Comte de Dunois invade Guyenne and capture...

In 1453 he was ransomed (for 8,000 ecus) and freed from captivity. He still had the custody of Roxburgh castle, but was impoverished by maintaining this and by his captivity in France. By now he was owed £1,000 by the government. He settled this by accepting a grant of 1,000 marks from the customs at Newcastle. Not only was this only worth about two-thirds of the original amount, there was no guarantee that he would ever get the money. As Griffths says Events May 29 - Fall of Constantinople to Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire). ... Historically, Roxburgh was an important Scottish town. ... This article is about a city in the United Kingdom. ...

"What is so remarkable about his tale is that the Lancastrian crown could command [his] loyalty"

Changing sides

Until this point, he can be seen as a loyal member of the supporters of the House of Lancaster. However, at some time during the next two years, his allegiance began to change. He was a member of Richard, Duke of York's council during Henry VI's second period of madness. Although he was with the Lancastrian nobility at the first battle of St Albans (1455), after the battle and he was appointed by York to be joint Constable of Windsor Castle. The House of Lancaster is a dynasty of English kings. ... This article is about Richard, Duke of York, father of King Edward IV. For the article about Edward IVs son who was imprisoned in the Tower of London see: Richard, Duke of York (Prince in the Tower). ... Henry VI (December 6, 1421 – May 21/22, 1471) was King of England from 1422 to 1461 (though with a Regent until 1437) and then from 1470 to 1471. ... The House of Lancaster is a dynasty of English kings. ... The First Battle of St Albans was the first battle of the Wars of the Roses and was fought on May 22, 1455 in the town of St Albans. ... // Events February 9 - Wars of the Roses: Richard, Duke of York dismissed as Protector February 23 - Johannes Gutenberg prints the first Bible on a printing press May 22 - Wars of the Roses: First Battle of St Albans - Richard, Duke of York and his ally, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick defeat... This article is about Richard, Duke of York, father of King Edward IV. For the article about Edward IVs son who was imprisoned in the Tower of London see: Richard, Duke of York (Prince in the Tower). ... An early 18th century view of Windsor Castle by Kip and Knyff. ...

We cannot know why he changed sides. Did York (short of support among the nobility) try to gain Fauconberg's allegiance? As a member of the Neville clan, Fauconberg had good family reasons for siding with York, who was after all, his brother-in-law. Warwick (Fauconberg's nephew) begins his rise to fame after 1455, and Fauconberg would be associated with Warwick for the next five years. His treatment over the custody of Roxburgh Castle must have rankled. This article is about Richard, Duke of York, father of King Edward IV. For the article about Edward IVs son who was imprisoned in the Tower of London see: Richard, Duke of York (Prince in the Tower). ... This article is about Richard, Duke of York, father of King Edward IV. For the article about Edward IVs son who was imprisoned in the Tower of London see: Richard, Duke of York (Prince in the Tower). ... Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick (1428 – April 14, 1471), was also known as Warwick the Kingmaker. ... Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick (1428 – April 14, 1471), was also known as Warwick the Kingmaker. ... Historically, Roxburgh was an important Scottish town. ...

In the years 1455 – 1460, Fauconberg consolidated his position as a member of the Yorkist camp, and strengthened his position as an ally of Warwick. In 1457 he joined Warwick (appointed Captain of Calais) as his deputy. Warwick used Calais as a base for what was essentially piracy, and Fauconberg seems to have been happy to assist. He was in England in 1458, and in May he was briefly imprisoned in London – but he was bailed by Warwick and returned to Calais. The House of York was a dynasty of English kings. ... Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick (1428 – April 14, 1471), was also known as Warwick the Kingmaker. ... Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick (1428 – April 14, 1471), was also known as Warwick the Kingmaker. ... Location within France The Burghers of Calais, by Rodin, with Calais Hotel de Ville behind J.M.W. Turner: Calais Pier Calais (Dutch: Kales) is a town in northern France, located at 50°57N 1°52E. It is in the département of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is... Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick (1428 – April 14, 1471), was also known as Warwick the Kingmaker. ... Location within France The Burghers of Calais, by Rodin, with Calais Hotel de Ville behind J.M.W. Turner: Calais Pier Calais (Dutch: Kales) is a town in northern France, located at 50°57N 1°52E. It is in the département of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is... Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick (1428 – April 14, 1471), was also known as Warwick the Kingmaker. ... Location within France The Burghers of Calais, by Rodin, with Calais Hotel de Ville behind J.M.W. Turner: Calais Pier Calais (Dutch: Kales) is a town in northern France, located at 50°57N 1°52E. It is in the département of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is...

Yorkist captain

After the Yorkist disaster at Ludford, he helped Warwick regain control of Calais. In June 1460 he provided the springboard for the Yorkist invasion of England by capturing and holding Sandwich. This port was to be used as a bridgehead, and on June 26th he was joined there by Edward of March (eldest son of Richard of York, and the future Edward IV), Salisbury (his elder brother) and Warwick. By early July they were in London, and on July 3rd the Yorkist forces, led by Fauconberg and numbering as many as 10,000 men, headed north, meeting Henry VI's army at Northampton on the 10th. As was traditional, the Yorkist army split into 3 “battles” - commanded by Fauconberg, Edward of March and Warwick. Fauconberg led the van (the leading army) and formed the right wing during the attack. Both his bravery and small stature were recorded in a Yorkist ballad - “little Lord Fauconberg, a knight of great reverence”. Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick (1428 – April 14, 1471), was also known as Warwick the Kingmaker. ... Location within France The Burghers of Calais, by Rodin, with Calais Hotel de Ville behind J.M.W. Turner: Calais Pier Calais (Dutch: Kales) is a town in northern France, located at 50°57N 1°52E. It is in the département of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is... Events The first Portuguese navigators reach the coast of modern Sierra Leone. ... The House of York was a dynasty of English kings. ... Location within the British Isles Arms of Sandwich Town Council Sandwich is an historic town in Kent, south-east England. ... Edward IV (April 28, 1442 – April 9, 1483) was King of England from March 4, 1461 to April 9, 1483, with a break of a few months in the period 1470-1471. ... This article is about Richard, Duke of York, father of King Edward IV. For the article about Edward IVs son who was imprisoned in the Tower of London see: Richard, Duke of York (Prince in the Tower). ... Edward IV (April 28, 1442 – April 9, 1483) was King of England from March 4, 1461 to April 9, 1483, with a break of a few months in the period 1470-1471. ... Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury (1400 – December 31, 1460) was a Yorkist leader during the early parts of the Wars of the Roses. ... Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick (1428 – April 14, 1471), was also known as Warwick the Kingmaker. ... The House of York was a dynasty of English kings. ... Henry VI (December 6, 1421 – May 21/22, 1471) was King of England from 1422 to 1461 (though with a Regent until 1437) and then from 1470 to 1471. ... The Battle of Northampton was a battle in the Wars of the Roses, which took place on 10 July 1460. ... The House of York was a dynasty of English kings. ... Edward IV (April 28, 1442 – April 9, 1483) was King of England from March 4, 1461 to April 9, 1483, with a break of a few months in the period 1470-1471. ... Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick (1428 – April 14, 1471), was also known as Warwick the Kingmaker. ...

After the victory at Northampton, and with Warwick remaining in England, Fauconberg returned to Calais as Leiutenant, thus missing the Yorkist disasters at Wakefield and the second battle of St Albans. Early in 1461 he returned to England, joining the newly crowned Edward IV in London. On the 11th March, he led the vanguard of the Yorkist army north, and as at Northampton was in the van at the battle of Towton on the 29th. Victory there established the Yorkist supremacy. The Battle of Northampton was a battle in the Wars of the Roses, which took place on 10 July 1460. ... Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick (1428 – April 14, 1471), was also known as Warwick the Kingmaker. ... Location within France The Burghers of Calais, by Rodin, with Calais Hotel de Ville behind J.M.W. Turner: Calais Pier Calais (Dutch: Kales) is a town in northern France, located at 50°57N 1°52E. It is in the département of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is... The House of York was a dynasty of English kings. ... The Battle of Wakefield took place at Wakefield, in West Yorkshire, on December 30, 1460, and was one of the major actions of the Wars of the Roses. ... The Second Battle of St Albans was a battle of the English Wars of the Roses fought February 22, 1461 near the town of St Albans. ... Events February 2 - Battle of Mortimers Cross - Yorkist troops led by Edward, Duke of York defeat Lancastrians under Owen Tudor and his son Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke in Wales. ... Edward IV (April 28, 1442 – April 9, 1483) was King of England from March 4, 1461 to April 9, 1483, with a break of a few months in the period 1470-1471. ... The House of York was a dynasty of English kings. ... The Battle of Northampton was a battle in the Wars of the Roses, which took place on 10 July 1460. ... The Battle of Towton in the Wars of the Roses was the bloodiest ever fought on British soil, with casualties believed to have been in excess of 20,000 (perhaps as many as 30,000) men. ... The House of York was a dynasty of English kings. ...

The spoils of victory

The rewards of victory followed. He was made a member of the King's Council, and appointed Lieutenant of the North. On the 1st November he was created Earl of Kent, and appointed Steward of the Royal Household. In July 1462 he was appointed Lord Admiral, and in August that year he was granted 46 manors in the west country. The peerage title Earl of Kent has been created many times in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. ... Old Admiralty House, Whitehall, London, Thomas Ripley, architect, 1723-26, was not admired by his contemporaries and earned him some scathing couplets from Alexander Pope The Admiralty was historically the authority in the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy. ...

Edward IV relied on him for both land and naval warfare. Following the victory at Towton, he took part in the gradual establishment of royal control in Northumberland, heading a garrison of 120 men at Newcastle in the summer of 1461, and taking part in the seige of Alnwick in November 1462. Between these dates he was back in Calais, raiding the Breton coast in August 1462, then burning le Conquet near Brest, and raiding the Ile de Re. Edward IV (April 28, 1442 – April 9, 1483) was King of England from March 4, 1461 to April 9, 1483, with a break of a few months in the period 1470-1471. ... The Battle of Towton in the Wars of the Roses was the bloodiest ever fought on British soil, with casualties believed to have been in excess of 20,000 (perhaps as many as 30,000) men. ... For other places with this name, see Northumberland (disambiguation) Northumberland is a traditional, ceremonial and administrative county in northern England. ... This article is about a city in the United Kingdom. ... Events February 2 - Battle of Mortimers Cross - Yorkist troops led by Edward, Duke of York defeat Lancastrians under Owen Tudor and his son Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke in Wales. ... The town of Alnwick, nestling behind Alnwick Castle For the parish in New Brunswick, see Alnwick, New Brunswick Alnwick (pronounced ) is a small market town in north Northumberland, in the north-east of England. ... Events Settlers from Portugal begin to settle the Cape Verde islands. ... Location within France The Burghers of Calais, by Rodin, with Calais Hotel de Ville behind J.M.W. Turner: Calais Pier Calais (Dutch: Kales) is a town in northern France, located at 50°57N 1°52E. It is in the département of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is... Events Settlers from Portugal begin to settle the Cape Verde islands. ... Île de Ré (formerly also Île de Rhé; in English Isle of Rhé) is an island off the west coast of France near La Rochelle, on the northern side of the Pertuis dAntioche strait. ...

He died on the 9th January 1463, and was buried at Guisborough Priory, in the heart of his Fauconberg lands. He was survived by his wife, who died in 1490 at the age of 84 (thus living through the reigns of all the kings of the 15th century). He had 3 daughters from his marriage, and one acknowledged illegitimate son, Thomas Neville. Known as the Bastard of Fauconberg, he was to lead a revolt later in Edward IV's reign. Events January 5 - Poet Francois Villon is banned from Paris Births January 17 - Frederick III, Elector of Saxony (died 1525) February 24 - Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, Italian philosopher (died 1494) October 20 - Alessandro Achillini, Italian philosopher (died 1512) Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco de Medici, Italian patron of the arts (died 1503... The east end seen from the southwest Gisborough Priory was founded in the town of Guisborough in 1129 by Robert de Brus, an ancestor of Robert the Bruce. ... Events Tirant Lo Blanc by Joanot Martorell, Martí Joan De Galba is published. ... The illegitimate son of William Neville of Fauconberg, Earl of Kent, Thomas Neville was more often referred to as (Thomas) The Bastard of Fauconberg (also Falconberg or Falconbridge), Lord Fauconberg or just Thomas the Bastard. ... Edward IV (April 28, 1442 – April 9, 1483) was King of England from March 4, 1461 to April 9, 1483, with a break of a few months in the period 1470-1471. ...

William Nevill is an under-rated figure in the rise to power of the Yorkist regime. More succesful as a military leader than the more famous Warwick, his reputation is summed up in Goodman's words:- Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick (1428 – April 14, 1471), was also known as Warwick the Kingmaker. ...

"No other veteran of the Anglo-French Wars won such distinction in the Wars of the Roses" The Wars of the Roses (1455–1485) is the name generally given to the intermittent civil war fought over the throne of England between adherents of the House of Lancaster and the House of York. ...

External links

• Lord Fauconberg's coat of arms
• Neville Family Tree There are several Neville genealogy sites - this is one of the easiest to navigate

References

(1) Hicks - Warwick the Kingmaker ISBN 0-631-23593-0

(2) Ross - Edward IV ISBN 0-413-54100-2

(3) Goodman - Wars of the Roses ISBN 0-7100-0728-0

(4) Kendall - Warwick the Kingmaker ISBN 1-84212-575-3

(5) Griffiths - Henry VI ISBN 0-7509-3777-7

(6) Gillingham – Wars of the Roses ISBN 1-84212-274-6

(7) Wolffe – Henry VI ISBN 0-300-08926-0

(8) Storey – End of the House of Lancaster ISBN 0-86299-290-7

(9) Johnson – Richard Duke of York ISBN 0-19-820268-7