Thomas Holland, 1st Earl of Kent
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Thomas Holland, 1st Earl of Kent, 2nd Baron Holand, KG
(c. 1314 – 26 December 1360) was an English
nobleman and military commander during the Hundred Years' War
.
. He was a son of Robert de Holland, 1st Baron Holand
and Maud la Zouche.
; and, in the following year, had the honour of being chosen one of the founders of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. In 1346, he attended King Edward III into Normandy in the immediate retinue of the Earl of Warwick; and, at the taking of Caen, the Count of Eu and Guînes, Constable of France
, and the Count De Tancarville surrendered themselves to him as prisoners. At the Battle of Crécy, he was one of the principal commanders in the van under the Prince of Wales and he, afterwards, served at the Siege of Calais in 1346-7.
Around the same time as, or before, his first expedition, he secretly married the 12-year-old Joan of Kent
, daughter of Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent
and Margaret Wake
, granddaughter of Edward I
and Margaret of France. However, during his absence on foreign service, Joan, under pressure from her family, contracted another marriage with William Montacute, 2nd Earl of Salisbury
(of whose household Holland had been seneschal
). This second marriage was annulled
in 1349, when Joan's previous marriage with Holland was proved to the satisfaction of the papal commissioners. Joan was ordered by the Pope to return to her husband and live with him as his lawful wife; this she did, thus producing 4 children by him.
In 1348 he became one of the founders and 13th Knight of the Order of the Garter.
Between 1353 and 1356 he was summoned to Parliament
as Baron de Holland.
In 1354 Holland was the king's lieutenant in Brittany
during the minority of the Duke of Brittany, and in 1359 co-captain-general for all the English continental possessions.
His brother-in-law John, Earl of Kent, died in 1352, and Holland became Earl of Kent in right of his wife.
He was succeeded as baron by his son Thomas
, the earldom still being held by his wife (though the son later became Earl in his own right). Another son, John
became Earl of Huntingdon and Duke of Exeter.
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...
(c. 1314 – 26 December 1360) was an English
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...
nobleman and military commander during the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
.
Early Life
He was from a gentry family in Upholland, LancashireLancashire
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...
. He was a son of Robert de Holland, 1st Baron Holand
Robert de Holland, 1st Baron Holand
Robert de Holland, 1st Baron Holand was an English nobleman, born in Lancashire.He was a son of Sir Robert de Holland of Upholland, Lancashire and Elizabeth, daughter of William de Samlesbury....
and Maud la Zouche.
Military Career
In his early military career, he fought in Flanders. He was engaged, in 1340, in the English expedition into Flanders and sent, two years later, with Sir John D'Artevelle to Bayonne, to defend the Gascon frontier against the French. In 1343, he was again on service in FranceFrance
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...
; and, in the following year, had the honour of being chosen one of the founders of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. In 1346, he attended King Edward III into Normandy in the immediate retinue of the Earl of Warwick; and, at the taking of Caen, the Count of Eu and Guînes, Constable of France
Raoul II of Brienne, Count of Eu
Raoul II of Brienne was the son of Raoul I of Brienne, Count of Eu and Guînes and Jeanne de Mello. He succeeded his father in 1344 as Count of Eu and Guînes, as well as in his post as Constable of France....
, and the Count De Tancarville surrendered themselves to him as prisoners. At the Battle of Crécy, he was one of the principal commanders in the van under the Prince of Wales and he, afterwards, served at the Siege of Calais in 1346-7.
Around the same time as, or before, his first expedition, he secretly married the 12-year-old Joan of Kent
Joan of Kent
Joan, Countess of Kent , known to history as The Fair Maid of Kent, was the first English Princess of Wales...
, daughter of Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent
Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent
Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent was a member of the English Royal Family.-Early life:He was born at Woodstock in Oxfordshire, the son of Edward I Longshanks, King of England and his second wife, Margaret of France. He was 62 years younger than his father, who died when Edmund of Woodstock...
and Margaret Wake
Margaret Wake, 3rd Baroness Wake of Liddell
Margaret Wake was the wife of Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent.-Biography:She was the daughter of John Wake, 1st Baron Wake of Liddell, and was descended directly from Llywelyn the Great, Prince of Gwynedd. Her mother was Joan de Fiennes, making her a cousin of Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of...
, granddaughter of Edward I
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
and Margaret of France. However, during his absence on foreign service, Joan, under pressure from her family, contracted another marriage with William Montacute, 2nd Earl of Salisbury
William Montacute, 2nd Earl of Salisbury
Sir William II Montague, alias de Montacute, 2nd Earl of Salisbury, 4th Baron Montacute, King of Mann, KG was an English nobleman and commander in the English army during King Edward III's French campaigns in the Hundred Years War.He was born in Donyatt in Somerset, the eldest son of William...
(of whose household Holland had been seneschal
Seneschal
A seneschal was an officer in the houses of important nobles in the Middle Ages. In the French administrative system of the Middle Ages, the sénéchal was also a royal officer in charge of justice and control of the administration in southern provinces, equivalent to the northern French bailli...
). This second marriage was annulled
Annulment
Annulment is a legal procedure for declaring a marriage null and void. Unlike divorce, it is usually retroactive, meaning that an annulled marriage is considered to be invalid from the beginning almost as if it had never taken place...
in 1349, when Joan's previous marriage with Holland was proved to the satisfaction of the papal commissioners. Joan was ordered by the Pope to return to her husband and live with him as his lawful wife; this she did, thus producing 4 children by him.
In 1348 he became one of the founders and 13th Knight of the Order of the Garter.
Between 1353 and 1356 he was summoned to Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
as Baron de Holland.
In 1354 Holland was the king's lieutenant in Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
during the minority of the Duke of Brittany, and in 1359 co-captain-general for all the English continental possessions.
His brother-in-law John, Earl of Kent, died in 1352, and Holland became Earl of Kent in right of his wife.
He was succeeded as baron by his son Thomas
Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent
Thomas Holland , 2nd Earl of Kent, 3rd Baron Holand KG was an English nobleman and a councillor of his half-brother, King Richard II of England.-Family and early Life:...
, the earldom still being held by his wife (though the son later became Earl in his own right). Another son, John
John 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...
became Earl of Huntingdon and Duke of Exeter.
Children
Thomas and Joan of Kent had four children:- Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of KentThomas Holland, 2nd Earl of KentThomas Holland , 2nd Earl of Kent, 3rd Baron Holand KG was an English nobleman and a councillor of his half-brother, King Richard II of England.-Family and early Life:...
- John Holland, 1st Duke of ExeterJohn Holland, 1st Duke of ExeterJohn 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...
- Joan Holland, who married John V, Duke of BrittanyJohn V, Duke of BrittanyJohn V the Conqueror KG was Duke of Brittany and Count of Montfort, from 1345 until his death.-Numbering:...
- Maud Holland, married Waleran III of Luxembourg, Count of LignyWaleran III of Luxembourg, Count of LignyWaleran III of Luxembourg , Count of Ligny and Saint Pol, was a French nobleman and soldier.He was the son of Guy of Luxembourg, Count of Ligny and Mahaut of Châtillon, Countess of Saint Pol. He succeeded his father in 1371, after his death at the Battle of Baesweiler...