Thomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Clarence
Encyclopedia
Thomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Clarence, KG (1387 – 22 March 1421), also known as Thomas Plantagenet, was the second son of King Henry IV
of England
and his first wife, Mary de Bohun
. He was born before 25 November 1387 as on that date his father's accounts note a payment made to a woman described as his nurse. Sandals and clothes were bought for him early in 1388, so the traditional birth date of 29 September 1388 may be safely discounted.
, widow of John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset
and daughter of Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent
in November or December of 1411. No children were born from this union, though Thomas was stepfather to her six children from her first marriage. He had, however, a natural son, Sir John Clarence, called "Bastard of Clarence" who fought by his father's side in France.
in France, Clarence fought in the Siege of Rouen
(July 1418 – ), where he commanded the besieging force; and in the Battle of Baugé
on 22 March 1421. He was killed, by Sir Alexander Buchanan
or Sir John de la Croise, during the latter. His natural son John accompanied the remains of his father from Baugé to Canterbury for their interment. This Sir John Clarence had a grant of lands in Ireland from Henry V and was buried in Canterbury Cathedral
. The noble de Langlée family of France claimed him for their ultimate ancestor.
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...
of England
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...
and his first wife, Mary de Bohun
Mary de Bohun
Mary de Bohun was the first wife of King Henry IV of England and the mother of King Henry V. Mary was never queen, as she died before her husband came to the throne.-Early life:...
. He was born before 25 November 1387 as on that date his father's accounts note a payment made to a woman described as his nurse. Sandals and clothes were bought for him early in 1388, so the traditional birth date of 29 September 1388 may be safely discounted.
Marriage and issue
Thomas married Lady Margaret HollandMargaret Holland
Margaret Holland, Countess of Somerset was the daughter of Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent, who was the son of Joan "the Fair Maid of Kent"...
, widow of John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset
John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset
John Beaufort, 1st Marquess of Somerset and 1st Marquess of Dorset, later only 1st Earl of Somerset, KG was the first of the four illegitimate children of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and his mistress Katherine Swynford, later his wife...
and daughter of Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent
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:...
in November or December of 1411. No children were born from this union, though Thomas was stepfather to her six children from her first marriage. He had, however, a natural son, Sir John Clarence, called "Bastard of Clarence" who fought by his father's side in France.
Life
During the wars of his elder brother Henry VHenry 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....
in France, Clarence fought in the Siege of Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
(July 1418 – ), where he commanded the besieging force; and in the Battle of Baugé
Battle of Baugé
The Battle of Baugé, fought between the English and the Franco-Scots on 21 March 1421 in Baugé, France, east of Angers, was a major defeat for the English in the Hundred Years' War...
on 22 March 1421. He was killed, by Sir Alexander Buchanan
Sir Alexander Buchanan
Sir Alexander Buchanan was the eldest of the three sons of Sir Walter Buchanan, eleventh Laird of Buchanan.-Battle of Baugé:Sir Alexander fought in the Battle of Baugé on 21 March, 1421, in which the Kingdoms of Scotland and France fought and won against the Kingdom of England - a major defeat for...
or Sir John de la Croise, during the latter. His natural son John accompanied the remains of his father from Baugé to Canterbury for their interment. This Sir John Clarence had a grant of lands in Ireland from Henry V and was buried in Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral
Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England and forms part of a World Heritage Site....
. The noble de Langlée family of France claimed him for their ultimate ancestor.
Titles and styles
- Duke of ClarenceDuke of ClarenceDuke of Clarence is a title which has been traditionally awarded to junior members of the English and British Royal families. The first three creations were in the Peerage of England, the fourth in the Peerage of Great Britain, and the fifth in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.The title was first...
(9 July 1412 – 22 March 1421); extinct upon his death until the Third Creation of it in (1461) - 1st Earl of Aumale (9 July 1412 – 22 March 1421); extinct upon his death
Honours
- KnightKnightA knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
, Order of the BathOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(12 October 1399 – 22 March 1421) - KnightKnightA knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
, Order of the GarterOrder of the GarterThe 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...
(1400 - 22 March 1421)
Offices held
- Lord High StewardLord High StewardThe position of Lord High Steward of England is the first of the Great Officers of State. The office has generally remained vacant since 1421, except at coronations and during the trials of peers in the House of Lords, when the Lord High Steward presides. In general, but not invariably, the Lord...
of EnglandEnglandEngland 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...
(1399–1421) - he was the last permanent holder of this office, the highest in medieval England. - Chief Governor of IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
(1401–1413) - Lord High AdmiralAdmiraltyThe Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
(1405–1406) - Lieutenant of AquitaineAquitaineAquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
(1412–1413) - Lord High StewardLord High StewardThe position of Lord High Steward of England is the first of the Great Officers of State. The office has generally remained vacant since 1421, except at coronations and during the trials of peers in the House of Lords, when the Lord High Steward presides. In general, but not invariably, the Lord...
of ChesterChesterChester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
(1415) - ConstableConstableA constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
of the Army (1417) - Lieutenant-General of the Army in FranceFranceThe 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 NormandyNormandyNormandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
(1417 and 1421)
Arms
Sources conflict as to Thomas' arms — as a son of the soveregn, Thomas bore the arms of the kingdom, differenced by either:- a label of three points ermine.
- a label of three points ermine, each cantoned gules, as depicted in the above image.