House of Neville
Encyclopedia
The House of Neville is a noble house
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...

 of early medieval origin, which was a leading force in English
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...

 politics in the later middle ages. The family became one of the two major powers in northern England
Northern England
Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North or the North Country, is a cultural region of England. It is not an official government region, but rather an informal amalgamation of counties. The southern extent of the region is roughly the River Trent, while the North is bordered...

 along with the House of Percy
House of Percy
The House of Percy were the most powerful noble family in Northern England for much of the Middle Ages, having descended from William de Percy who crossed from Normandy to England with William I in early December 1067 and was rebuilding York Castle in 1070...

 and played a central role in the Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...

.

Origins

The Neville family is first attested after the Norman conquest of England
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...

, during which most of the existing aristocracy of England were dispossessed and replaced by a new Norman ruling elite. However, despite the French surname they later assumed, the family's male line was of native origin, and they had probably been part of the pre-conquest aristocracy of Northumbria
Northumbria
Northumbria was a medieval kingdom of the Angles, in what is now Northern England and South-East Scotland, becoming subsequently an earldom in a united Anglo-Saxon kingdom of England. The name reflects the approximate southern limit to the kingdom's territory, the Humber Estuary.Northumbria was...

. The survival of such native landowning families was considerably more common in the more northerly parts of England than further south.

The family can be traced back to one Uhtred, whose son Dolfin is first attested in 1129, holding the estate of Staindrop
Staindrop
Staindrop is a village in County Durham, in England. It is situated to the east of Barnard Castle. Lord Barnard of Raby Castle also resides on the border.The village has one of the long greens typical of County Durham...

 in County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...

. This locality remained the principal seat of the family until 1569, their chief residence being at Raby, just north of the village of Staindrop, where in the 14th century they built the present Raby Castle
Raby Castle
Raby Castle is situated near Staindrop in County Durham and is one of the largest inhabited castles in England. The Grade I listed building has opulent eighteenth and nineteenth century interiors inside a largely unchanged, late medieval shell. It is the home and seat of John Vane, 11th Baron...

. Dolfin was succeeded by his son Meldred and he in turn by his son Robert, who married the Norman heiress Isabel de Néville. Their son Geoffrey inherited the estates of his mother's family as well as his father's, and adopted their surname, which was borne by his descendants thereafter. In Norman-ruled England a French surname was more prestigious and socially advantageous than an English one. Already before the Néville marriage the family was a major power in the area: "In the extent of their landed possessions this family, holding on obdurately to native names for a full hundred years after 1066, was pre-eminent among the lay proprietors within the bishopric of Durham during the twelfth century".

In the 16th century the Nevilles claimed that their ancestor Uhtred was descended from Crinan of Dunkeld
Crínán of Dunkeld
Crínán of Dunkeld was the lay abbot of the diocese of Dunkeld, and perhaps the Mormaer of Atholl. Crínán was progenitor of the House of Dunkeld, the dynasty which would rule Scotland until the later 13th century....

, ancestor of the Scottish royal House of Dunkeld
House of Dunkeld
The so-called House of Dunkeld, in Scottish Gaelic Dùn Chailleann , is a historiographical and genealogical construct to illustrate the clear succession of Scottish kings from 1034 to 1040 and from 1058 to 1290.It is dynastically sort of a continuation to Cenél nGabráin of Dál Riata, "race of...

. As well as prestigious ancient connections with the royal families of both England and Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

, this claim entailed a line of descent from the Bamburgh dynasty
Earls, ealdormen and high-reeves of Bamburgh
From the mid-tenth century to the early eleventh, Bamburgh and the surrounding region , the northern part of the old Kingdom of Northumbria, was ruled by a series of high-reeves and ealdormen...

 of Earls of Northumbria
Earl of Northumbria
Earl of Northumbria was a title in the Anglo-Danish, late Anglo-Saxon, and early Anglo-Norman period in England. The earldom of Northumbria was the successor of the ealdormanry of Bamburgh, itself the successor of an independent Bernicia. Under the Norse kingdom of York, there were earls of...

, attaching the Nevilles' later power in the north to a pedigree of pre-eminence in the region stretching back at least as far as the early 10th century. Modern genealogists have put forward a variety of different speculative theories to connect Uhtred with his purported forebears, but none of these is supported by any direct evidence.

Rise to power

The family's wealth and power grew steadily over the following centuries. Their regional power benefited greatly from frequent appointment to royal offices such as sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....

, castellan
Castellan
A castellan was the governor or captain of a castle. The word stems from the Latin Castellanus, derived from castellum "castle". Also known as a constable.-Duties:...

, justice of the forest and justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...

 in various parts of northern England. This prominent office-holding began with Geoffrey de Neville's son Robert, in the reign of Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...

, whom Robert supported against the barons under Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester
Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester, 1st Earl of Chester , sometimes referred to as Simon V de Montfort to distinguish him from other Simon de Montforts, was an Anglo-Norman nobleman. He led the barons' rebellion against King Henry III of England during the Second Barons' War of 1263-4, and...

. The Nevilles also held administrative office under the prince-bishops of Durham. Robert's grandson Ralph Neville
Ralph Neville, 1st Baron Neville de Raby
Ralph Neville, 1st Baron Neville de Raby was an English aristocrat and member of the powerful Neville family, son of Roger de Neville and Mary Tailboys. He married first Euphemia de Clavering daughter of Robert de Clavering and Margaret La Zouche, with whom he had fourteen children...

 was one of the founding members of the Peerage of England
Peerage of England
The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain....

, being summoned to sit in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....

 at its establishment in 1295 and thus initiating the line of Barons Neville de Raby
Baron Neville de Raby
Baron Neville de Raby, also referred to as Baron Raby, was an ancient title in the Peerage of England. It was first created around 1295 for Ralph Neville. The fourth baron was created Earl of Westmorland in 1397, and the two titles remained merged until the sixth earl was attainted in 1571...

. Service in the wars of the late 13th and 14th centuries against Scotland and later in the Hundred Years War in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 was of key importance in further magnifying the family's standing. In 1334 Ralph Neville, Lord of Raby
Ralph Neville, 2nd Baron Neville de Raby
Ralph Neville, 2nd Baron Neville de Raby was an English aristocrat, son of Ralph Neville, 1st Baron Neville de Raby and Euphemia de Clavering....

 was appointed one of the wardens of the marches
Lord Warden of the Marches
The Lord Warden of the Marches was an office in the governments of Scotland and England. The holders were responsible for the security of the border between the two nations, and often took part in military action....

, the chief officers for frontier defence, and the Nevilles habitually occupied these posts thereafter. Ralph commanded the force that crushed an invading Scottish army at the Battle of Neville's Cross
Battle of Neville's Cross
The Battle of Neville's Cross took place to the west of Durham, England on 17 October 1346.-Background:In 1346, England was embroiled in the Hundred Years' War with France. In order to divert his enemy Philip VI of France appealed to David II of Scotland to attack the English from the north in...

 outside Durham and captured King David II
David II of Scotland
David II was King of Scots from 7 June 1329 until his death.-Early life:...

 in 1346. In the mid-14th century the Nevilles became involved in naval defence as well, holding the post of Admiral of the North. This period also saw them begin to hold high office at court and in the Church: the victor of Neville's Cross served as Steward of the Royal Household and on his death was succeeded in the office by his eldest son John
John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby
John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby, KG was born at Castle Raby, County Durham, England to Ralph Neville, 2nd Baron Neville de Raby and Alice de Audley. He fought in the Battle of Neville's Cross on 17 October 1346 as a Captain in his father's division...

, while John's brother Alexander
Alexander Neville
Alexander Neville was a late medieval prelate who served as Archbishop of York from 1374 to 1388.-Life:Born in about 1340, he was a younger son of Ralph Neville, 2nd Baron Neville de Raby and Alice de Audley...

 became Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...

 and a close advisor of 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...

.

Earls of Westmorland

By the late 14th century the family had acquired an extensive array of estates across northern England. Besides their original powerbase in County Durham, they possessed another very large, coherent block of land in the North Riding
North Riding of Yorkshire
The North Riding of Yorkshire was one of the three historic subdivisions of the English county of Yorkshire, alongside the East and West Ridings. From the Restoration it was used as a Lieutenancy area. The three ridings were treated as three counties for many purposes, such as having separate...

 of Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...

 and major holdings in Cumberland
Cumberland
Cumberland is a historic county of North West England, on the border with Scotland, from the 12th century until 1974. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 and now forms part of Cumbria....

 and Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...

. They also held scattered estates in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...

 and further south in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...

, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...

, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...

, Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....

 and Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...

. In addition to Raby, they owned important castles at Brancepeth
Brancepeth Castle
Brancepeth Castle is a castle in the village of Brancepeth in County Durham, England, some 5 miles south-west of the city of Durham . It is a Grade I listed building.-History:...

 near Durham and Sheriff Hutton
Sheriff Hutton Castle
Sheriff Hutton Castle is a quadrangular castle in the village of Sheriff Hutton, North Yorkshire, England.-History:The original motte and bailey castle, the remains of which can be seen to the south of the churchyard. was built by Bertram de Bulmer, Sheriff of York during the reign of King Stephen...

, Middleham
Middleham Castle
Middleham Castle in Wensleydale, in the county of North Yorkshire, was built by Robert Fitzrandolph, 3rd Lord of Middleham and Spennithorne, commencing in 1190. It was built near the site of an earlier motte and bailey castle...

 and Snape
Snape, North Yorkshire
Snape is a large village in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England, located about 3 miles south of Bedale and 3 miles west of the A1, it has a population of 350...

 in northern Yorkshire. The potential of these lands as a source of political power was increased by the unusually dense concentration of the family's northern estates, creating a large expanse of country in which the Nevilles enjoyed overwhelming, uncontested dominance.

The Nevilles' emergence into the highest echelon of the aristocracy received formal recognition in 1397 when the then Lord of Raby Ralph Neville was created Earl of Westmorland
Earl of Westmorland
Earl of Westmorland is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of England. The title was first created in 1397 for Ralph Neville. It was forfeited in 1571 by Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland for leading the Rising of the North. It was revived in 1624 in favour of Sir Francis...

 by Richard II. By this time the Nevilles' power in the north was matched only by the Percy
House of Percy
The House of Percy were the most powerful noble family in Northern England for much of the Middle Ages, having descended from William de Percy who crossed from Normandy to England with William I in early December 1067 and was rebuilding York Castle in 1070...

 Earls of Northumberland
Earl of Northumberland
The title of Earl of Northumberland was created several times in the Peerages of England and Great Britain, succeeding the title Earl of Northumbria. Its most famous holders were the House of Percy , who were the most powerful noble family in Northern England for much of the Middle Ages...

, with whom they developed an acrimonious rivalry. These competing northern magnates enjoyed an exceptional degree of autonomy from royal authority, owing to the remoteness and insecurity of the region where they were established. The king, whose court was based in the south, had to rely on powerful lords from both houses to protect the border from Scottish invasion, counterbalance each other's influence, and help with general governance.

While the family had previously been close to Richard II, and suffered at the hands of 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]'...

 as a result, Earl Ralph was quick to join Henry Bolingbroke
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...

 when he landed in England to overthrow Richard in 1399. Shortly after Bolingbroke's successful seizure of power and accession to the throne as Henry IV, Westmorland was rewarded with a royal bride, the new king's sister Joan Beaufort
Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland
Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland was the third or fourth child of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster and his mistress, later wife, Katherine Swynford; and, in her widowhood, a powerful landowner in the North of England.-Early life and marriages:She was likely born at the Swynford manor of...

. Henry extended Richard II's policy of bolstering the strength of the Nevilles as a check to the troublesome Percies, and the family gained from the weakening of Percy power after the failure of the revolt of Henry "Hotspur" Percy in 1403.

The Wars of the Roses

While increasing the political standing of the Nevilles, the royal marriage also led to a serious split in the family. Earl Ralph had previously been married to Margaret de Stafford
Margaret de Stafford
Margaret de Stafford was the second daughter of Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford and Philippa de Beauchamp...

, and the earldom of Westmorland descended through his son by this marriage. However, he favoured his sons by his second marriage, who received the bulk of the family lands on his death, leading to bitter disputes over the inheritance and lasting estrangement between the Nevilles of Raby, descended from Margaret Stafford, and the Nevilles of Middleham, descended from Joan Beaufort. In addition to this rich inheritance, Ralph's eldest son by Joan, Richard Neville
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:...

, acquired the earldom of Salisbury
Earl of Salisbury
Earl of Salisbury is a title that has been created several times in British history. It has a complex history, being first created for Patrick de Salisbury in the middle twelfth century. It was eventually inherited by Alice, wife of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster...

 by marriage to its heiress, while Salisbury's own eldest son Richard
Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick
Richard Neville KG, jure uxoris 16th Earl of Warwick and suo jure 6th Earl of Salisbury and 8th and 5th Baron Montacute , known as Warwick the Kingmaker, was an English nobleman, administrator, and military commander...

 became Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick is a title that has been created four times in British history and is one of the most prestigious titles in the peerages of the British Isles.-1088 creation:...

 by the same means.

Salisbury and Warwick became the most important supporters of the Yorkist pretender to the throne Richard, Duke of York
Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York
Richard Plantagenêt, 3rd Duke of York, 6th Earl of March, 4th Earl of Cambridge, and 7th Earl of Ulster, conventionally called Richard of York was a leading English magnate, great-grandson of King Edward III...

 during the early stages of the Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...

. Salisbury's sister Cecily had married York and was the mother of the future kings Edward IV
Edward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...

 and Richard III
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...

. York and Salisbury were both killed at the Battle of Wakefield
Battle of Wakefield
The Battle of Wakefield took place at Sandal Magna near Wakefield, in West Yorkshire in Northern England, on 30 December 1460. It was a major battle of the Wars of the Roses...

 in 1460, but Warwick helped York's son Edward, Earl of March, to oust 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 gain the throne as Edward IV a few months later. The Percies were among the principal supporters of the Lancastrian
House of Lancaster
The House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...

 cause, and after the death of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland was the son of Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland and Lady Eleanor Neville, daughter of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland and his second wife Joan Beaufort.-Family:...

 in the decisive Lancastrian defeat at the Battle of Towton
Battle of Towton
In 1461, England was in the sixth year of the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars between the Houses of York and Lancaster over the English throne. The Lancastrians backed the reigning King of England, Henry VI, an indecisive man who suffered bouts of madness...

 in 1461 the Nevilles secured their greatest triumph over their rivals, acquiring the earldom of Northumberland for Warwick's brother John
John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu
John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu KG was a Yorkist leader in the Wars of the Roses, best-known for eliminating Lancastrian resistance in the north of England during the early part of the reign of Edward IV of England....

 in 1465. However, in 1469 the Percy heir
Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland, KG son of Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland and his wife Eleanor Poynings, daughter of Richard Poynings, Lord Poynings....

 was reconciled with Edward and regained the family inheritance the following year; John Neville was compensated with titular elevation as Marquess of Montagu
Marquess of Montagu
The title of Marquess of Montagu was created in 1470 for John Neville, 1st Earl of Northumberland, younger brother of Warwick the Kingmaker. Montagu was killed at the Battle of Barnet in 1471, and was attainted and the peerage forfeit....

.

Warwick, now by far the richest man in England after the king, was the power behind the throne
Power behind the throne
The phrase power behind the throne refers to a person or group that informally exercises the real power of an office. In politics, it most commonly refers to a spouse, aide, or advisor of a political leader who serves as de facto leader, setting policy through influence or manipulation.The...

 in Edward's regime during its early years, but the two men later fell out. This was due in large part to the king's secret marriage in 1464 to Elizabeth Woodville
Elizabeth Woodville
Elizabeth Woodville was Queen consort of England as the spouse of King Edward IV from 1464 until his death in 1483. Elizabeth was a key figure in the series of dynastic civil wars known as the Wars of the Roses. Her first husband, Sir John Grey of Groby was killed at the Second Battle of St Albans...

, humiliating Warwick who had negotiated an agreement with Louis XI of France
Louis XI of France
Louis XI , called the Prudent , was the King of France from 1461 to 1483. He was the son of Charles VII of France and Mary of Anjou, a member of the House of Valois....

 for Edward to marry the French king's sister-in-law, and to the subsequent influence of the Woodvilles, who successfully opposed Warwick over foreign policy. In 1469 Warwick seized control of government in conjunction with his brother George Neville, Archbishop of York and Edward's own brother George, Duke of Clarence
George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence
George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence, 1st Earl of Salisbury, 1st Earl of Warwick, KG was the third son of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, and Cecily Neville, and the brother of kings Edward IV and Richard III. He played an important role in the dynastic struggle known as the Wars of the...

. They imprisoned the king and sought to rule in his name, but the new regime was unable to impose its authority and Edward was released. After the failure of a second rebellion, which aimed to put Clarence on the throne, Warwick and his allies were forced to flee abroad, where they made common cause with the exiled Lancastrians. This alliance between old Lancastrians and disaffected Yorkists briefly restored Henry VI to the throne in 1470, but Edward IV soon counter-attacked successfully and Warwick and Montagu were killed at the Battle of Barnet
Battle of Barnet
The Battle of Barnet was a decisive engagement in the Wars of the Roses, a dynastic conflict of 15th-century England. The military action, along with the subsequent Battle of Tewkesbury, secured the throne for Edward IV...

 in 1471. Their estates were confiscated and formed the core of the colossal agglomeration of northern lands acquired by Edward's brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester, the future Richard III.

Reflecting the estrangement between the two branches of the family, the Raby Nevilles led by Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmorland
Ralph Neville, 2nd Earl of Westmorland
Ralph Neville, 2nd Earl of Westmorland was an English peer.The eldest son of John Neville, Lord Neville, he became heir apparent to his grandfather Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland upon his father's death in 1420...

 had sided with the Lancastrians from the outset; Westmorland's brother John Neville, Lord of Raby
John Neville, 1st Baron Neville de Raby
John Neville, 1st Baron Neville de Raby was an English nobleman and soldier.The younger son of Sir John Neville, Lord Neville and Elizabeth Holland....

 was killed in the defeat at Towton. The earl himself emerged from the wars unscathed, but the loss of most of the ancestral estates through their inheritance by the Middleham Nevilles and the subsequent downfall of that branch of the family left the Nevilles a much diminished force.

Later history

The regional power of the northern magnates, already severely weakened by the losses suffered in the Wars of the Roses, was sharply curtailed by the increasing strength of central government in the late 15th and 16th centuries. In 1569 the Nevilles and Percies buried their traditional rivalry to undertake the Revolt of the Northern Earls
Rising of the North
The Rising of the North of 1569, also called the Revolt of the Northern Earls or Northern Rebellion, was an unsuccessful attempt by Catholic nobles from Northern England to depose Queen Elizabeth I of England and replace her with Mary, Queen of Scots.-Background:When Elizabeth I succeeded her...

, an attempt to overthrow Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...

 and replace her with the Catholic Mary, Queen of Scots. The rebellion was a fiasco, and the Earl of Westmorland, Charles Neville
Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland
Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland was an English nobleman and one of the leaders of the Rising of the North in 1569....

, fled into exile abroad. He was attainted
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...

 in his absence, losing his title and lands, and left no male heir, thus extinguishing the senior Neville line.

However, a junior branch of the family survived, descended from one of the first Earl's sons by Joan Beaufort
Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland
Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland was the third or fourth child of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster and his mistress, later wife, Katherine Swynford; and, in her widowhood, a powerful landowner in the North of England.-Early life and marriages:She was likely born at the Swynford manor of...

 and holding the title Baron Bergavenny. Mary Neville the daughter of Henry Nevill, 6th Baron Bergavenny
Henry Nevill, 6th Baron Bergavenny
Henry Nevill, 6th and de jure 4th Baron Abergavenny K.B. was an English peer. Son of Sir George Nevill, 5th Baron Bergavenny and Mary Stafford daughter of Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham...

 fought a long legal battle to be recognised as heiress to all the Neville inheritance but in the end the lands of the family were split between herself and her cousin Sir Edward Neville
Sir Edward Neville
Sir Edward Neville was a nobleman born at Abergavenny, Monmouthshire. He was the son of Sir George Neville, 2nd Lord Abergavenny and Margaret Fenne. He married Eleanor Windsor, daughter of Sir Andrew Windsor, 1st Baron Windsor and Elizabeth Blount, before 6 April 1529...

. Her son Francis Fane, 1st Earl of Westmorland
Francis Fane, 1st Earl of Westmorland
Francis Fane, 1st Earl of Westmorland, KB head of the Fane family, of Mereworth in Kent, and then of Apethorpe in Northamptonshire, was first a Member of Parliament and then an English peer...

 inherited through her the titles of Baron Bergavenny and Baron le Despencer
Baron le Despencer
The title Baron le Despencer has been created several times by writ in the Peerage of England.-Creation:The first creation was in 1295, when Hugh the elder Despenser was summoned to the Model Parliament. He was the eldest son of the sometime Justiciar Hugh le Despenser , who was summoned in 1264 to...

; through him, the Neville family's senior title Earl of Westmorland
Earl of Westmorland
Earl of Westmorland is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of England. The title was first created in 1397 for Ralph Neville. It was forfeited in 1571 by Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland for leading the Rising of the North. It was revived in 1624 in favour of Sir Francis...

 passed to the Fane family, where it remains today.

Sir Edward Neville
Sir Edward Neville
Sir Edward Neville was a nobleman born at Abergavenny, Monmouthshire. He was the son of Sir George Neville, 2nd Lord Abergavenny and Margaret Fenne. He married Eleanor Windsor, daughter of Sir Andrew Windsor, 1st Baron Windsor and Elizabeth Blount, before 6 April 1529...

's descendants went on to be raised to the status of Earls and then Marquesses of Abergavenny
Marquess of Abergavenny
Marquess of Abergavenny , in the County of Monmouth, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom that was created on 14 January 1876, along with the title Earl of Lewes , in the County of Sussex, for the 5th Earl of Abergavenny, a member of the Nevill family.The 1st Marquess's ancestor, the de...

. This line still continues; the present head of the family is Christopher Nevill, 6th Marquess of Abergavenny.

Titles

Title Held Designation and details
Baron Neville de Raby
Baron Neville de Raby
Baron Neville de Raby, also referred to as Baron Raby, was an ancient title in the Peerage of England. It was first created around 1295 for Ralph Neville. The fourth baron was created Earl of Westmorland in 1397, and the two titles remained merged until the sixth earl was attainted in 1571...

1295–1571 Created by writ in the Peerage of England
Peerage of England
The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain....

 in 1295 when Ralph Neville
Ralph Neville, 1st Baron Neville de Raby
Ralph Neville, 1st Baron Neville de Raby was an English aristocrat and member of the powerful Neville family, son of Roger de Neville and Mary Tailboys. He married first Euphemia de Clavering daughter of Robert de Clavering and Margaret La Zouche, with whom he had fourteen children...

 was summoned to Parliament. Attainted in 1571.
Earl of Westmorland
Earl of Westmorland
Earl of Westmorland is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of England. The title was first created in 1397 for Ralph Neville. It was forfeited in 1571 by Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland for leading the Rising of the North. It was revived in 1624 in favour of Sir Francis...

1397–1571 Created in the Peerage of England in 1397 for Ralph Neville, 4th Baron Neville de Raby. Attainted in 1571.
Earl of Salisbury
Earl of Salisbury
Earl of Salisbury is a title that has been created several times in British history. It has a complex history, being first created for Patrick de Salisbury in the middle twelfth century. It was eventually inherited by Alice, wife of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster...

1428–1471 Richard Neville
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:...

 the son of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland, married Alice Montacute
Alice Neville, 5th Countess of Salisbury
Alice Montacute was an English noblewoman and the suo jure 5th Countess of Salisbury, 6th Baroness Monthermer, and 7th and 4th Baroness Montacute having succeeded to the titles in 1428...

 the heiress of Thomas Montacute, 4th Earl of Salisbury
Thomas Montacute, 4th Earl of Salisbury
Thomas Montacute, 4th Earl of Salisbury, 6th and 3rd Baron Montacute, 5th Baron Monthermer, and Count of Perche, KG was an English nobleman...

 and inherited the title. Attainted in 1471
Baron Fauconberg
Baron Fauconberg
The title Baron Fauconberg has been created twice in the Peerage of England. It was first created in 1295 when Walter de Fauconberg was summoned to parliament. Between 1463 and 1903 the title was abeyant, until the abeyance was terminated in favour of Marcia Amelia Mary Lane-Fox, who also gained...

1429–1463 William Neville
William Neville, 1st Earl of Kent
William Neville, 1st Earl of Kent KG and jure uxoris 6th Baron Fauconberg, was an English nobleman and soldier.-Early life:...

, the son of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland, married Joan Fauconberg, daughter of Thomas de Fauconberg, 5th Baron Fauconberg
Thomas de Fauconberg, 5th Baron Fauconberg
Thomas de Fauconberg, 5th Baron Fauconberg was an English peer.Fauconberg was the eldest son of the 4th Baron Fauconberg and his wife, Maud. In c. 1376, Fauconberg joined the French in the Hundred Years' War and was imprisoned in Gloucester Castle, for treason, from 1378 to 1391...

, and became Baron Fauconberg jure uxoris
Jure uxoris
Jure uxoris is a Latin term that means "by right of his wife" or "in right of a wife". It is commonly used to refer to a title held by a man whose wife holds it in her own right. In other words, he acquired the title simply by being her husband....

. Abeyant on his death in 1463.
Baron Latymer 1432–1577 Created in the Peerage of England by writ in 1432 when George Nevill
George Nevill, 1st Baron Latymer
George Neville, 1st Baron Latimer or was an English peer.George Neville was the fifth son of Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland, by his second wife Lady Joan Beaufort, daughter of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster...

, the son of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland was summoned to Parliament. Abeyant in 1577.
Baron Bergavenny 1447–1938 Created in the Peerage of England by writ in 1447 when Edward Nevill
Edward Nevill, 3rd Baron Bergavenny
Edward Nevill, de facto 3rd Baron Bergavenny was an English peer.He was the son of Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland and Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland, daughter of John of Gaunt and Katherine de Roet...

, the son of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland was summoned to Parliament. Abeyant in 1938.
Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick is a title that has been created four times in British history and is one of the most prestigious titles in the peerages of the British Isles.-1088 creation:...

1449–1471 Richard Neville
Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick
Richard Neville KG, jure uxoris 16th Earl of Warwick and suo jure 6th Earl of Salisbury and 8th and 5th Baron Montacute , known as Warwick the Kingmaker, was an English nobleman, administrator, and military commander...

, the son 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:...

, married Anne Beauchamp
Anne Neville, 16th Countess of Warwick
Anne de Beauchamp, 16th Countess of Warwick was the daughter of Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick, and his second wife Isabel le Despenser. Isabel was a daughter of Thomas le Despenser Anne de Beauchamp, 16th Countess of Warwick (13 July 1426 – 20 September 1492) was the daughter of...

, the heiress 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 became Earl of Warwick jure uxoris. Attainted in 1471.
Baron Montagu
Baron Montagu
The titles Baron Montacute or Baron Montagu were created three and two times respectively in the Peerage of England.-Montacute:The first creation was for John de Montacute who was summoned to parliament on 29 December 1299. The third baron was created Earl of Salisbury in 1337. On the death of the...

1461–1471 Created in the Peerage of England by writ in 1461 when John Neville
John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu
John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu KG was a Yorkist leader in the Wars of the Roses, best-known for eliminating Lancastrian resistance in the north of England during the early part of the reign of Edward IV of England....

, the son of Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury was summoned to Parliament. Attainted in 1471.
Earl of Kent
Earl of Kent
The peerage title Earl of Kent has been created eight times in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.See also Kingdom of Kent, Duke of Kent.-Earls of Kent, first creation :*Godwin, Earl of Wessex...

1461–1463 William Neville, 6th Baron Fauconberg
William Neville, 1st Earl of Kent
William Neville, 1st Earl of Kent KG and jure uxoris 6th Baron Fauconberg, was an English nobleman and soldier.-Early life:...

 created Earl of Kent in the Peerage of England in 1461. Extinct on his death in 1463.
Earl of Northumberland
Earl of Northumberland
The title of Earl of Northumberland was created several times in the Peerages of England and Great Britain, succeeding the title Earl of Northumbria. Its most famous holders were the House of Percy , who were the most powerful noble family in Northern England for much of the Middle Ages...

1465–1470 John Neville, 1st Baron Montagu
John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu
John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu KG was a Yorkist leader in the Wars of the Roses, best-known for eliminating Lancastrian resistance in the north of England during the early part of the reign of Edward IV of England....

 created Earl of Northumberland in the Peerage of England in 1465, following the death and attainder of Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland was the son of Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland and Lady Eleanor Neville, daughter of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland and his second wife Joan Beaufort.-Family:...

. Deprived in 1470, for the title to be restored to Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland, KG son of Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland and his wife Eleanor Poynings, daughter of Richard Poynings, Lord Poynings....

.
Marquess of Montagu
Marquess of Montagu
The title of Marquess of Montagu was created in 1470 for John Neville, 1st Earl of Northumberland, younger brother of Warwick the Kingmaker. Montagu was killed at the Battle of Barnet in 1471, and was attainted and the peerage forfeit....

1470–1471 Created in the Peerage of England in 1470 for John Neville, 1st Earl of Northumberland
John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu
John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu KG was a Yorkist leader in the Wars of the Roses, best-known for eliminating Lancastrian resistance in the north of England during the early part of the reign of Edward IV of England....

. Attainted in 1471.
Duke of Bedford
Duke of Bedford
thumb|right|240px|William Russell, 1st Duke of BedfordDuke of Bedford is a title that has been created five times in the Peerage of England. The first creation came in 1414 in favour of Henry IV's third son, John, who later served as regent of France. He was made Earl of Kendal at the same time...

1470–1478 George Neville, son of John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu created Duke of Bedford in the Peerage of England in 1470. Deprived by Act of Parliament in 1478.
Earl of Abergavenny 1784–1938 Created in the Peerage of Great Britain
Peerage of Great Britain
The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Act of Union 1707 but before the Act of Union 1800...

 in 1784 for George Neville, 17th Baron Bergavenny. Abeyant in 1938.
Marquess of Abergavenny
Marquess of Abergavenny
Marquess of Abergavenny , in the County of Monmouth, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom that was created on 14 January 1876, along with the title Earl of Lewes , in the County of Sussex, for the 5th Earl of Abergavenny, a member of the Nevill family.The 1st Marquess's ancestor, the de...

1876–1938 Created in the Peerage of Great Britain
Peerage of Great Britain
The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Act of Union 1707 but before the Act of Union 1800...

 in 1876 for William Neville, 5th Earl of Abergavenny
William Nevill, 1st Marquess of Abergavenny
William Nevill, 1st Marquess of Abergavenny KG, MVO , styled Viscount Neville between 1845 and 1868 and known as The Earl of Abergavenny between 1868 and 1876, was a British peer....

. Abeyant in 1938.
Earl of Lewes 1876–1938 Created in the Peerage of Great Britain
Peerage of Great Britain
The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Act of Union 1707 but before the Act of Union 1800...

 in 1876 for William Neville, 5th Earl of Abergavenny
William Nevill, 1st Marquess of Abergavenny
William Nevill, 1st Marquess of Abergavenny KG, MVO , styled Viscount Neville between 1845 and 1868 and known as The Earl of Abergavenny between 1868 and 1876, was a British peer....

. Abeyant in 1938.

Members in the male line

John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby
John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby
John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby, KG was born at Castle Raby, County Durham, England to Ralph Neville, 2nd Baron Neville de Raby and Alice de Audley. He fought in the Battle of Neville's Cross on 17 October 1346 as a Captain in his father's division...

1. Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland, 1364 - 1425
A. John Neville, Lord Neville (d. 1420)
B. Sir Ralph Neville (d. 1458)
C. 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:...

, 1400 - 1460
I. Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick
Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick
Richard Neville KG, jure uxoris 16th Earl of Warwick and suo jure 6th Earl of Salisbury and 8th and 5th Baron Montacute , known as Warwick the Kingmaker, was an English nobleman, administrator, and military commander...

, 1428 - 1471 (two daughters)
II. John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu
John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu
John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu KG was a Yorkist leader in the Wars of the Roses, best-known for eliminating Lancastrian resistance in the north of England during the early part of the reign of Edward IV of England....

, 1431 - 1471
a. George Neville, 1st Duke of Bedford, 1461 - 1483
III. George Neville, Archbishop of York, 1432 - 1476
IV. Thomas Neville, 1443 - 1460
D. Robert Neville
Robert Neville
Robert Neville was a Bishop of Salisbury and a Bishop of Durham. He was also a Provost of Beverley. He was born at Raby Castle. His father was Ralph Neville and his mother was Joan Beaufort, daughter of John of Gaunt. He was thus a highly-placed member of the English aristocracyNeville was...

, d. 1457, Bishop of Durham
E. William Neville, 1st Earl of Kent
William Neville, 1st Earl of Kent
William Neville, 1st Earl of Kent KG and jure uxoris 6th Baron Fauconberg, was an English nobleman and soldier.-Early life:...

, 1410 - 1463
I. Anthony Neville, Lord Grey
F. Edward Nevill, 3rd Baron Bergavenny
Edward Nevill, 3rd Baron Bergavenny
Edward Nevill, de facto 3rd Baron Bergavenny was an English peer.He was the son of Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland and Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland, daughter of John of Gaunt and Katherine de Roet...

, 1414 - 1476
I. Richard Nevill, 1439 - 1476
II. George Nevill, 4th Baron Bergavenny
George Nevill, 4th Baron Bergavenny
Sir George Nevill, 4th and de jure 2nd Baron Bergavenny was an English nobleman.George was the son of Edward Nevill, 3rd Baron Bergavenny and Elizabeth de Beauchamp, Lady of Abergavenny. He was knighted by Edward IV on 9 May 1471, after fighting for the King at the Battle of Tewkesbury...

, 1440 - 1492
a. George Nevill, 5th Baron Bergavenny
George Nevill, 5th Baron Bergavenny
George Nevill, 5th and de jure 3rd Baron Bergavenny KG, PC was an English courtier. He held the office of Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports.-Life:...

, 1469 - 1535
i. Henry Nevill, 6th Baron Bergavenny
Henry Nevill, 6th Baron Bergavenny
Henry Nevill, 6th and de jure 4th Baron Abergavenny K.B. was an English peer. Son of Sir George Nevill, 5th Baron Bergavenny and Mary Stafford daughter of Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham...

, 1527 - 1587
b. Edward Neville, 1471 - 1538
i. Edward Nevill, 7th Baron Bergavenny
Edward Nevill, 7th Baron Bergavenny
Edward Nevill, de facto 7th Baron Bergavenny was a de facto English peer.The son of Sir Edward Nevill, he was considered to have succeeded to the Barony upon the death of Henry Nevill, 6th Baron Bergavenny, his first cousin, although by modern doctrine he did not hold that title.He married...

, 1526 - 1588
1. Edward Nevill, 8th Baron Bergavenny
Edward Nevill, 8th Baron Bergavenny
Edward Nevill, de facto 8th Baron Bergavenny was an English Peer.The son of Edward Nevill, 7th Baron Bergavenny, he succeeded to the Barony upon the death of his father....

, 1550 - 1622
A. Henry Nevill, 9th Baron Bergavenny
Henry Nevill, 9th Baron Bergavenny
Sir Henry Nevill, de facto 9th Baron Bergavenny was an English Peer and MP.The son of Edward Nevill, 8th Baron Bergavenny, he succeeded to the Barony upon the death of his father in 1622....

, 1580 - 1641
I. John Nevill, 10th Baron Bergavenny
John Nevill, 10th Baron Bergavenny
John Nevill, de facto 10th Baron Bergavenny was an English peer.The son of Henry Nevill, 9th Baron Bergavenny, he succeeded to the Barony upon the death of his father.He married Elizabeth Chamberlaine....

, 1614 - 1662
II. George Nevill, 11th Baron Bergavenny
George Nevill, 11th Baron Bergavenny
George Nevill, de facto 11th Baron Bergavenny was an de facto English peer.The son of Henry Nevill, 9th Baron Bergavenny, he succeeded to the Barony upon the death of his brother, John Nevill, 10th Baron Bergavenny, who had died without male issue.He married Mary Gifford, and they had the...

, 1641 - 1666
a. George Nevill, 12th Baron Bergavenny
George Nevill, 12th Baron Bergavenny
George Nevill, de facto 12th Baron Bergavenny was an English peer.The son of George Nevill, 11th Baron Bergavenny, he succeeded to the Barony upon the death of his father....

, 1665 - 1695
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