Epiphany Rising
Encyclopedia
The Epiphany Rising was a failed rebellion against Henry IV of England
in January 1400.
in 1397, Richard II
rewarded those who had supported him against Gloucester and the Lords Appellant
with a plethora of new titles.
Upon the usurpation and accession of King Henry IV in 1399, many of those titles were placed under attainder
, due to the complicity of their holders in the murder of the Duke of Gloucester.
(formerly Duke of Exeter
), Thomas Holland, 3rd Earl of Kent
(formerly Duke of Surrey
), and Thomas le Despenser, 4th Baron le Despencer
(formerly Earl of Gloucester
). Other members included Edward of Norwich, 1st Earl of Rutland
(formerly Duke of Aumale), Ralph Lumley, 1st Baron Lumley, Sir Thomas Blount
and Sir Bernard Brocas
. They met on 17 December 1399 at the Abbey house in Westminster and plotted to capture the new King Henry IV while he was at Windsor
for the feast of Epiphany.
They hoped to seize the king during a tournament
, kill him, and restore Richard II
to the throne. However, Edward of Norwich betrayed the conspirators to King Henry. Forewarned, Henry failed to appear at Windsor and began to raise an army in London
. The conspirators fled to the western counties and raised the standard of rebellion. However, they obtained little support and were quickly apprehended by local authorities.
, Lumley was beheaded in a short but violent skirmish by the townsfolk and Salisbury and Kent were captured. Held briefly in custody, they were abruptly beheaded without trial on 7 January 1400. Le Despencer was captured at Bristol
by a mob and was also summarily beheaded on 13 January 1400. Huntingdon was captured at Pleshey
and dealt with likewise on 16 January 1400. Blount escaped to Oxford, where he was hung, drawn and quartered on 12 January 1400. Brocas was captured in Cirencester and beheaded at Tyburn. Those executed were subsequently attainted in March; the sons of Kent, Salisbury and Huntingdon were later restored to their fathers' titles. The attainders were formally reversed in 1461 by a Yorkist parliament.
The rebellion also convinced Henry IV that a deposed, imprisoned and alive King Richard was a very dangerous liability for him. The deposed monarch would come to his death 'by means unknown' in Pontefract Castle
by 17 February 1400.
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
in January 1400.
Background
After the murder of Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of GloucesterThomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester
Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Buckingham, 1st Earl of Essex, Duke of Aumale, KG was the thirteenth and youngest child of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault...
in 1397, Richard II
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
rewarded those who had supported him against Gloucester and the Lords Appellant
Lords Appellant
The Lords Appellant were a group of nobles in the reign of King Richard II who sought to impeach some five of the King's favourites in order to restrain what was seen as tyrannical and capricious rule. The word appellant simply means '[one who is] appealing [in a legal sense]'...
with a plethora of new titles.
Upon the usurpation and accession of King Henry IV in 1399, many of those titles were placed under attainder
Attainder
In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura is the metaphorical 'stain' or 'corruption of blood' which arises from being condemned for a serious capital crime . It entails losing not only one's property and hereditary titles, but typically also the right to pass them on to one's heirs...
, due to the complicity of their holders in the murder of the Duke of Gloucester.
Conspiracy
The ringleaders of the conspiracy were John Montagu, 3rd Earl of Salisbury, John Holland, 1st Earl of HuntingdonJohn Holland, 1st Duke of Exeter
John Holland, 1st Duke of Exeter KG , also 1st Earl of Huntingdon, was an English nobleman, primarily remembered for helping cause the downfall of Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester and then for conspiring against Henry IV.He was the third son of Thomas Holland, 1st Earl of Kent and Joan...
(formerly Duke of Exeter
Duke of Exeter
The title Duke of Exeter was created several times in England in the later Middle Ages, when Exeter was the main town of Devon. It was first created for John Holland, the half-brother of King Richard II in 1397. That title was rescinded upon Henry IV's accession to the throne two years later, and...
), Thomas Holland, 3rd Earl of Kent
Thomas Holland, 1st Duke of Surrey
Thomas Holland, 1st Duke of Surrey, 3rd Earl of Kent, 4th Baron Holland, KG, Earl Marshal was an English nobleman.-Early life and family:...
(formerly Duke of Surrey
Duke of Surrey
The title of Duke of Surrey was created by Richard II for Thomas Holland, 3rd Earl of Kent. Following Richard's deposition, his successor, Henry IV deprived his predecessors' supporters of many of their titles, including this one, which has never been recreated.The title Earl of Surrey, also...
), and Thomas le Despenser, 4th Baron le Despencer
Thomas le Despenser, 1st Earl of Gloucester
Thomas le Despenser, 1st Earl of Gloucester KG was the son of Edward le Despenser, 1st Baron le Despencer, whom he succeeded in 1375.-Royal intrigues:...
(formerly Earl of Gloucester
Earl of Gloucester
The title of Earl of Gloucester was created several times in the Peerage of England. A fictional earl is also a character in William Shakespeare's play King Lear. See also Duke of Gloucester.-Earls of Gloucester, 1st Creation :...
). Other members included Edward of Norwich, 1st Earl of Rutland
Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York
Sir Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York, 2nd Earl of Cambridge, Earl of Rutland, Earl of Cork, Duke of Aumale KG was a member of the English royal family who died at the Battle of Agincourt....
(formerly Duke of Aumale), Ralph Lumley, 1st Baron Lumley, Sir Thomas Blount
Thomas Blount (died 1400)
-Background:Blount was probably the son, by his first wife, of Sir John Blount, who was summoned to parliament in 1327 as Lord Blount of Belton. His father has been identified with the Sir John Blount who was custos or mayor of London from 1301 to 1307, engaged in the Scotch war of 1304, and was...
and Sir Bernard Brocas
Bernard Brocas (rebel)
Sir Bernard Brocas was an English landowner and knight who was executed for his part in the Epiphany Rising.He was the eldest son of Sir Bernard Brocas of Clewer, now part of Windsor, in Berkshire. He was married at a young age to Joan, the daughter of Sir Thomas Middleton...
. They met on 17 December 1399 at the Abbey house in Westminster and plotted to capture the new King Henry IV while he was at Windsor
Windsor, Berkshire
Windsor is an affluent suburban town and unparished area in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Berkshire, England. It is widely known as the site of Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the British Royal Family....
for the feast of Epiphany.
They hoped to seize the king during a tournament
Tournament
A tournament is a competition involving a relatively large number of competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:...
, kill him, and restore Richard II
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
to the throne. However, Edward of Norwich betrayed the conspirators to King Henry. Forewarned, Henry failed to appear at Windsor and began to raise an army in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The conspirators fled to the western counties and raised the standard of rebellion. However, they obtained little support and were quickly apprehended by local authorities.
Aftermath
While attempting to seize CirencesterCirencester
Cirencester is a market town in east Gloucestershire, England, 93 miles west northwest of London. Cirencester lies on the River Churn, a tributary of the River Thames, and is the largest town in the Cotswold District. It is the home of the Royal Agricultural College, the oldest agricultural...
, Lumley was beheaded in a short but violent skirmish by the townsfolk and Salisbury and Kent were captured. Held briefly in custody, they were abruptly beheaded without trial on 7 January 1400. Le Despencer was captured at Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
by a mob and was also summarily beheaded on 13 January 1400. Huntingdon was captured at Pleshey
Pleshey
The village of Pleshey lies in Essex, England, just to the northwest of Chelmsford.William the Conqueror gave Pleshey, in the parish of High Easter to Geoffrey de Mandeville in appreciation of his services; Mandeville was one of William's battle commanders at the Battle of Hastings in 1066...
and dealt with likewise on 16 January 1400. Blount escaped to Oxford, where he was hung, drawn and quartered on 12 January 1400. Brocas was captured in Cirencester and beheaded at Tyburn. Those executed were subsequently attainted in March; the sons of Kent, Salisbury and Huntingdon were later restored to their fathers' titles. The attainders were formally reversed in 1461 by a Yorkist parliament.
The rebellion also convinced Henry IV that a deposed, imprisoned and alive King Richard was a very dangerous liability for him. The deposed monarch would come to his death 'by means unknown' in Pontefract Castle
Pontefract Castle
Pontefract Castle is a castle in the town of Pontefract, in the City of Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England. It was the site of the demise of Richard II of England, and later the place of a series of famous sieges during the English Civil War-History:...
by 17 February 1400.