Richard Grey, 4th Baron Grey of Codnor
Encyclopedia
Richard Grey, 1st or 4th Baron Grey of Codnor KG ( – 1 August 1418) was an English
soldier and diplomat.
. In 1402 he was one of the commissioners appointed to treat with Owain Glyndŵr
for the release of Reginald Grey, 3rd Baron Grey de Ruthyn
. He was appointed justice of South Wales in 1403, a position he held until 1407, and from 1404 to 1413 served as Chamberlain of the Household
. In 1405 Grey submitted certain considerations on the state of Wales to the king and council and on 2 December he was appointed Lieutenant of South Wales, and held the post till 1 February 1406. In 1405 Grey was also engaged in a controversy with Henry Beaumont, 5th Baron Beaumont as to which of them was entitled to precedency, the earliest record of such a dispute between two barons. In this year he also acted as Marshal
during the absence of Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland, in 1406 was a commissioner to receive fines from the Welsh rebels, in 1407 became Constable of Nottingham Castle
and Ranger of Sherwood Forest
, and in 1413 Governor of Fronsac in Aquitaine.
From 1412 he was constantly employed on diplomatic missions. In 1413 he was one of the ambassadors to treat for a marriage between Henry, Prince of Wales
, and Anne
, daughter of John, Duke of Burgundy. Next year he was one of those appointed to procure a prolongation of the truce with France, and one of the ambassadors to negotiate a marriage between Henry V and Catherine of France
. In August 1415 he was employed to negotiate a truce with Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, regent of Scotland
, and shortly after was made Warden of the Eastern Marches. In 1418 he was Governor of the Castle of Argentan
in Normandy.
Grey was summoned to parliament from 17 September 1397, and was made a Knight of the Garter
in about 1404.
He died on 1 August 1418, possibly in France, and was buried at Aylesford Priory
in Kent
.
. In 1387 he married Elizabeth, daughter of Ralph Basset of Sapcote, who died after 1446 and they had two sons and three daughters: John (–1430), who succeeded as fifth baron; Henry (–1443), who succeeded his brother as sixth baron; Elizabeth, who married John Zouche; Eleanor, who married Thomas Newport; and Lucy, who married Rowland Lenthall. The barony fell into abeyance between the three sisters following the death of the seventh baron; the termination of the abeyance in 1989 was granted in the favour of a descendant of Lucy.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
soldier and diplomat.
Military and diplomatic service
In 1400 he was appointed Admiral of the king's fleet from the Thames to the north, and in the same year was made Governor of Roxburgh CastleRoxburgh Castle
Roxburgh Castle was a castle sited near Kelso, in the Borders region of Scotland, in the former Roxburghshire.-History:The castle was founded by King David I. In 1174 it was surrendered to England after the capture of William I at Alnwick, and was often in English hands thereafter. The Scots made...
. In 1402 he was one of the commissioners appointed to treat with Owain Glyndŵr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
for the release of Reginald Grey, 3rd Baron Grey de Ruthyn
Reginald Grey, 3rd Baron Grey de Ruthyn
Reginald Grey, 3rd Baron Grey de Ruthyn , a powerful Welsh marcher lord, succeeded to the title on his father Reginald's death in July 1388.- Lineage :...
. He was appointed justice of South Wales in 1403, a position he held until 1407, and from 1404 to 1413 served as Chamberlain of the Household
Lord Chamberlain
The Lord Chamberlain or Lord Chamberlain of the Household is one of the chief officers of the Royal Household in the United Kingdom and is to be distinguished from the Lord Great Chamberlain, one of the Great Officers of State....
. In 1405 Grey submitted certain considerations on the state of Wales to the king and council and on 2 December he was appointed Lieutenant of South Wales, and held the post till 1 February 1406. In 1405 Grey was also engaged in a controversy with Henry Beaumont, 5th Baron Beaumont as to which of them was entitled to precedency, the earliest record of such a dispute between two barons. In this year he also acted as Marshal
Earl Marshal
Earl Marshal is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England...
during the absence of Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland, in 1406 was a commissioner to receive fines from the Welsh rebels, in 1407 became Constable of Nottingham Castle
Nottingham Castle
Nottingham Castle is a castle in Nottingham, England. It is located in a commanding position on a natural promontory known as "'Castle Rock'", with cliffs high to the south and west. In the Middle Ages it was a major royal fortress and occasional royal residence...
and Ranger of Sherwood Forest
Sherwood Forest
Sherwood Forest is a Royal Forest in Nottinghamshire, England, that is famous through its historical association with the legend of Robin Hood. Continuously forested since the end of the Ice Age, Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve today encompasses 423 hectares surrounding the village of...
, and in 1413 Governor of Fronsac in Aquitaine.
From 1412 he was constantly employed on diplomatic missions. In 1413 he was one of the ambassadors to treat for a marriage between Henry, Prince of Wales
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
, and Anne
Anne of Burgundy
Anne of Burgundy, Duchess of Bedford was a daughter of John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy and his wife Margaret of Bavaria.-Marriage:...
, daughter of John, Duke of Burgundy. Next year he was one of those appointed to procure a prolongation of the truce with France, and one of the ambassadors to negotiate a marriage between Henry V and Catherine of France
Catherine of Valois
Catherine of France was the Queen consort of England from 1420 until 1422. She was the daughter of King Charles VI of France, wife of Henry V of Monmouth, King of England, mother of Henry VI, King of England and King of France, and through her secret marriage with Owen Tudor, the grandmother of...
. In August 1415 he was employed to negotiate a truce with Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany, regent of Scotland
Kingdom of Scotland
The Kingdom of Scotland was a Sovereign state in North-West Europe that existed from 843 until 1707. It occupied the northern third of the island of Great Britain and shared a land border to the south with the Kingdom of England...
, and shortly after was made Warden of the Eastern Marches. In 1418 he was Governor of the Castle of Argentan
Argentan
Argentan is a commune, and the seat of two cantons and of an arrondissement in the Orne department in north-western France.Argentan is located NE of Rennes, ENE of the Mont Saint-Michel, SE of Cherbourg, SSE of Caen, SW of Rouen and N of Le Mans....
in Normandy.
Grey was summoned to parliament from 17 September 1397, and was made a Knight of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
in about 1404.
He died on 1 August 1418, possibly in France, and was buried at Aylesford Priory
Aylesford Priory
Aylesford Priory or The Friars is a priory in Aylesford, near Maidstone, Kent, England. It was founded in 1242 by the first Carmelites to come from the Holy Land, under the patronage of the crusader Richard de Grey....
in Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
.
Family
Grey was the son of Henry de Grey (died 1379), and succeeded his grandfather John de Grey (1305–1392) to the Grey of Codnor baronyBaron Grey of Codnor
Baron Grey, of Codnor in the County of Derby, is a title in the Peerage of England. Sir Henry Grey, grandson of Richard de Grey and who saw military service under Edward I, was summoned to Parliament by writ in 1299...
. In 1387 he married Elizabeth, daughter of Ralph Basset of Sapcote, who died after 1446 and they had two sons and three daughters: John (–1430), who succeeded as fifth baron; Henry (–1443), who succeeded his brother as sixth baron; Elizabeth, who married John Zouche; Eleanor, who married Thomas Newport; and Lucy, who married Rowland Lenthall. The barony fell into abeyance between the three sisters following the death of the seventh baron; the termination of the abeyance in 1989 was granted in the favour of a descendant of Lucy.