Richard of Conisburgh, 3rd Earl of Cambridge

Infobox British Royalty|royal
name =Richard of Conisburgh
title =Earl of Cambridge


imgw = 180px
spouse =Anne de Mortimer
issue =Isabel Plantagenet
Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York
titles =The Earl of Cambridge
royal house =House of York
father =Edmund of Langley, Duke of York
mother =Isabella of Castile
date of birth = 1375
place of birth = Conisburgh Castle, Yorkshire
date of death = 5 August 1415 (aged 40)
place of death = Southampton, Hampshire|

Richard of Conisburgh, 3rd Earl of Cambridge (c. 1375 – 5 August 1415) was the younger son of Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York and Isabella of Castile.

His paternal grandparents were Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault. His maternal grandparents were Peter of Castile and María de Padilla. [Peggy K. Liss, "Isabel the Queen," New York: Oxford University Press, 1992, p. 165; James Reston, Jr. "Dogs of God," New York: Doubleday, p. 18.] He was born at Conisburgh Castle in Yorkshire, and was confirmed in the Earldom of Cambridge, which had been resigned by his brother, in 1414. In about 1406, he married his cousin, Anne Mortimer, also a descendant of Edward III (his great great granddaughter), through his son Lionel of Antwerp. A papal dispensation was dated for 28 May 1406, making it most likely that the marriage took place in May or June. It was through her that the Yorkist faction in the Wars of the Roses claimed the throne. Their marriage produced a daughter, Isabel Plantagenet, and a son, Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York. The latter eventually laid claim to the throne, beginning the Wars of the Roses.

It is believed that Anne died giving birth to Richard. Following Anne's death, Cambridge married Matilda Clifford. In the year of Richard's execution 1415, a daughter was born to both Richard and Matilda, her name was Alice Plantagenet. Alice married Sir Thomas Musgrave circa 1435. Alice daughter of Richard,3rd Earl of Cambridge by Maud (Matilda) daughter of Thomas Lord Clifford, with whom Richard Plantagenet, 4th Earl of Cambridge, 3rd Duke of York, Duke of Clarence, Prince of Wales(slain at the Battle of Wakefield 1460), gave in marriage to Sir Thomas Musgrave the manors of Crosby and Morton in Westmorland. (Collectanea Musgraviana, Appendix IV, page 297)

He was discovered to be one of the fomentors of the Southampton Plot against King Henry V immediately prior to departure on the French campaign. (His elder brother, Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York, would die at the Battle of Agincourt, less than three months later.) He was stripped of all his titles and estates and was executed on 5 August 1415 at Southampton Green, Hampshire, England; before the fleet set sail on 11 August 1415.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Arms

Richard bore his father's arms (those of the kingdom, differenced by a "label argent of three points, each bearing three torteaux gules"), differenced by a "bordure Leon". [ [http://www.heraldica.org/topics/britain/cadency.htm Marks of Cadency in the British Royal Family] ]

References

Collectanea Musgraviana: Notes on the Ancient Family of Musgrave of Musgrave, Westmorland. by Percy Musgrave, Published Leeds 1911 (Appendix IV, page 297 Foster's Visitation of Yorkshire by Robert Glover 1584/1585 of Musgrave)
* [http://www.burkes-peerage.net/articles/roking05.aspx Burke's Peerage] Retrieved November 18, 2007
* [http://www.thepeerage.com/p10167.htm thepeerage.com] Retrieved November 18, 2007