Henry de Beauchamp, 1st Duke of Warwick
Encyclopedia
Henry de Beauchamp, 1st Duke of Warwick (21 March 1425 – 11 June 1446) was an English nobleman.
He was the son of Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick
and Isabel le Despenser
. In 1434, Henry married Cecille Neville, the eldest daughter of Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury
and Alice Montagu, Countess of Salisbury.
He became 14th Earl of Warwick on his father's death in 1439. His boyhood friendship with King Henry VI
and his father's military services placed him high in the King's favour, and he was loaded with titles. In 1444, he was made premier Earl of the realm, and on 14 April 1445, was created Duke of Warwick, preceded only by the Duke of Norfolk
. This precedence was disputed by the Duke of Buckingham
, whom it displaced. However, the issue was rendered moot by his death in June, at which time the dukedom expired for lack of heirs-male. He is said to have been crowned King of the Isle of Wight in 1444 by Henry VI, to place his playmate on a more equal standing with him.
On his death, the earldom was inherited by his two-year old daughter, Anne
(4 February 1443/4 – 3 January 1448/9), suo jure Countess of Warwick. She, however, died three years later, and there was some question regarding who, if any, of her father's sisters (or their heirs) should succeed. In the end, his full sister Anne (who was married to Richard Neville, eldest son of Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, and brother to Beauchamp's widow) was declared the heir, due to the English common law principle that "possession by the brother makes the sister the heir", which denies relatives of the half-blood from inheriting when full-blood relatives are available to inherit. The three half-sisters from their father's first marriage contested this decision, but to no avail.
He was the son of Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick
Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick
Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick, Count of Aumale, KG was an English medieval nobleman and military commander.-Early Life:...
and Isabel le Despenser
Isabel le Despenser, Countess of Worcester and Warwick
Isabel le Despenser, Countess of Worcester and Warwick was the posthumous daughter and eventually the sole heiress of Thomas le Despenser and his wife, Constance of York...
. In 1434, Henry married Cecille Neville, the eldest daughter of Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury
Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury
Richard Neville, jure uxoris 5th Earl of Salisbury and 7th and 4th Baron Montacute, KG, PC was a Yorkist leader during the early parts of the Wars of the Roses.-Background:...
and Alice Montagu, Countess of Salisbury.
He became 14th Earl of Warwick on his father's death in 1439. His boyhood friendship with King Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
and his father's military services placed him high in the King's favour, and he was loaded with titles. In 1444, he was made premier Earl of the realm, and on 14 April 1445, was created Duke of Warwick, preceded only by the Duke of Norfolk
Duke of Norfolk
The Duke of Norfolk is the premier duke in the peerage of England, and also, as Earl of Arundel, the premier earl. The Duke of Norfolk is, moreover, the Earl Marshal and hereditary Marshal of England. The seat of the Duke of Norfolk is Arundel Castle in Sussex, although the title refers to the...
. This precedence was disputed by the Duke of Buckingham
Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham
Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG , an English nobleman, great grandson of King Edward III on his mother's side, was best known as a military commander in the Hundred Years' War and in the Wars of the Roses....
, whom it displaced. However, the issue was rendered moot by his death in June, at which time the dukedom expired for lack of heirs-male. He is said to have been crowned King of the Isle of Wight in 1444 by Henry VI, to place his playmate on a more equal standing with him.
On his death, the earldom was inherited by his two-year old daughter, Anne
Anne de Beauchamp, 15th Countess of Warwick
Anne Beauchamp, 15th Countess of Warwick was born in Cardiff, the only child of Henry de Beauchamp, 1st Duke of Warwick and Lady Cecily Neville. Her maternal grandparents were Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury and Alice Montagu, Countess of Salisbury...
(4 February 1443/4 – 3 January 1448/9), suo jure Countess of Warwick. She, however, died three years later, and there was some question regarding who, if any, of her father's sisters (or their heirs) should succeed. In the end, his full sister Anne (who was married to Richard Neville, eldest son of Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, and brother to Beauchamp's widow) was declared the heir, due to the English common law principle that "possession by the brother makes the sister the heir", which denies relatives of the half-blood from inheriting when full-blood relatives are available to inherit. The three half-sisters from their father's first marriage contested this decision, but to no avail.