William Blount, 4th Baron Mountjoy
Encyclopedia
Sir William Blount, 4th Baron Mountjoy KG (c. 1478–1534) was an English
scholar and patron of learning.
William Blount was born circa 1478 in Barton Blount
, Derbyshire, the eldest son of John Blount, 3rd Baron Mountjoy
(c.1450-1485) and Lora Berkeley. He married four times; firstly to Elizabeth Saye, secondly to Alice Keble, daughter of Henry Keble, Lord Mayor of London, thirdly to Inez de Venegas, one of the Spanish attendants of Katherine of Aragon, and fourthly to Dorothy Grey, widow of Robert Willoughby, 2nd Baron Willoughby de Broke
. His children were his son Charles
(1516–1544), a daughter Gertrude, and another daughter Catherine(d.25/2/1559), 1st wife of Sir Maurice Berkeley(d.1581) of Bruton.
He was a pupil of Erasmus, who called him inter nobiles doctissimus. His friends included Colet
, More
and Grocyn
. He held a command in the force sent to suppress Perkin Warbeck
's rebellion in 1497. In 1513 he was appointed governor of Tournai
, and his letters to Wolsey and Henry VIII
describing his vigorous government of the town are preserved in the British Library
.
He was present with Henry VIII at the Field of the Cloth of Gold
in 1520, and at the meeting with Charles V
in 1522. He had been master of the mint
since 1509, and chamberlain to Catherine of Aragon
since 1512. It fell to him in this office to announce to the queen Henry's intention to divorce
her; he also signed the letter to the pope conveying the king's threat to repudiate the papal supremacy unless the divorce were granted. Mountjoy, who was one of the wealthiest English nobles of his time, died on 8 November 1534 and is buried at Barton Blount. His son Charles Blount, 5th Baron Mountjoy
(1516–1544), was also a patron of learning.
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...
scholar and patron of learning.
William Blount was born circa 1478 in Barton Blount
Barton Blount
Barton Blount is a village and civil parish in the South Derbyshire district of Derbyshire, England, situated between Derby and Uttoxeter. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 74....
, Derbyshire, the eldest son of John Blount, 3rd Baron Mountjoy
John Blount, 3rd Baron Mountjoy
John Blount, 3rd Baron Mountjoy was an English peer and soldier.-Life:John Blount was born circa 1450 in Rock, Worcestershire, the second son of Walter Blount, 1st Baron Mountjoy and Helena Byron. He inherited his title on the death of his nephew Edward Blount, 2nd Baron Mountjoy in 1475...
(c.1450-1485) and Lora Berkeley. He married four times; firstly to Elizabeth Saye, secondly to Alice Keble, daughter of Henry Keble, Lord Mayor of London, thirdly to Inez de Venegas, one of the Spanish attendants of Katherine of Aragon, and fourthly to Dorothy Grey, widow of Robert Willoughby, 2nd Baron Willoughby de Broke
Robert Willoughby, 2nd Baron Willoughby de Broke
Robert Willoughby, 2nd Baron Willoughby de Broke, de jure 10th Baron Latimer, KB , 2nd Baron Willoughby de Broke and de jure 10th Baron Latimer....
. His children were his son Charles
Charles Blount, 5th Baron Mountjoy
Charles Blount, fifth Baron Mountjoy was an English courtier and patron of learning.-Life:Charles Blount was born on 28 June 1516 in Tournai, where his father, William Blount, 4th Baron Mountjoy, was governor. Charles Blount's mother was William 's second wife, Alice, daughter of Henry Keble, Lord...
(1516–1544), a daughter Gertrude, and another daughter Catherine(d.25/2/1559), 1st wife of Sir Maurice Berkeley(d.1581) of Bruton.
He was a pupil of Erasmus, who called him inter nobiles doctissimus. His friends included Colet
John Colet
John Colet was an English churchman and educational pioneer.Colet was an English scholar, Renaissance humanist, theologian, and Dean of St. Paul’s Cathedral, London. Colet wanted people to see the scripture as their guide through life. Furthermore, he wanted to restore theology and rejuvenate...
, More
Thomas More
Sir Thomas More , also known by Catholics as Saint Thomas More, was an English lawyer, social philosopher, author, statesman and noted Renaissance humanist. He was an important councillor to Henry VIII of England and, for three years toward the end of his life, Lord Chancellor...
and Grocyn
William Grocyn
William Grocyn was an English scholar, a friend of Erasmus.He was born at Colerne, Wiltshire. Intended by his parents for the church, he was sent to Winchester College, and in 1465 was elected to a scholarship at New College, Oxford. In 1467 he became a fellow, and among his pupils was William...
. He held a command in the force sent to suppress Perkin Warbeck
Perkin Warbeck
Perkin Warbeck was a pretender to the English throne during the reign of King Henry VII of England. By claiming to be Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York, the younger son of King Edward IV, one of the Princes in the Tower, Warbeck was a significant threat to the newly established Tudor Dynasty,...
's rebellion in 1497. In 1513 he was appointed governor of Tournai
Tournai
Tournai is a Walloon city and municipality of Belgium located 85 kilometres southwest of Brussels, on the river Scheldt, in the province of Hainaut....
, and his letters to Wolsey and Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
describing his vigorous government of the town are preserved in the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
.
He was present with Henry VIII at the Field of the Cloth of Gold
Field of the Cloth of Gold
The Field of Cloth of Gold is the name given to a place in Balinghem, between Guînes and Ardres, in France, near Calais. It was the site of a meeting that took place from 7 June to 24 June 1520, between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France. The meeting was arranged to increase...
in 1520, and at the meeting with Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
in 1522. He had been master of the mint
Royal Mint
The Royal Mint is the body permitted to manufacture, or mint, coins in the United Kingdom. The Mint originated over 1,100 years ago, but since 2009 it operates as Royal Mint Ltd, a company which has an exclusive contract with HM Treasury to supply all coinage for the UK...
since 1509, and chamberlain to Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon , also known as Katherine or Katharine, was Queen consort of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and Princess of Wales as the wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales...
since 1512. It fell to him in this office to announce to the queen Henry's intention to divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
her; he also signed the letter to the pope conveying the king's threat to repudiate the papal supremacy unless the divorce were granted. Mountjoy, who was one of the wealthiest English nobles of his time, died on 8 November 1534 and is buried at Barton Blount. His son Charles Blount, 5th Baron Mountjoy
Charles Blount, 5th Baron Mountjoy
Charles Blount, fifth Baron Mountjoy was an English courtier and patron of learning.-Life:Charles Blount was born on 28 June 1516 in Tournai, where his father, William Blount, 4th Baron Mountjoy, was governor. Charles Blount's mother was William 's second wife, Alice, daughter of Henry Keble, Lord...
(1516–1544), was also a patron of learning.