Epiphany Rising

The Epiphany Rising was a failed rebellion against Henry IV of England in January 1400.

Background

After the murder of Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester in 1397, Richard II rewarded those who had supported him against Gloucester and the Lords Appellant with a plethora of new titles.

Upon the usurpation and accession of King Henry IV in 1399, many of those titles were placed under attainder, due to the complicity of their holders in the murder of the Duke of Gloucester.

Conspiracy

The ringleaders of the conspiracy were John Montagu, 3rd Earl of Salisbury, John Holland, 1st Earl of Huntingdon (formerly Duke of Exeter), Thomas Holland, 3rd Earl of Kent (formerly Duke of Surrey), and Thomas le Despenser, 4th Baron le Despencer (formerly Earl of Gloucester). Other members included Edward of Norwich, 1st Earl of Rutland (formerly Duke of Aumale), and Ralph Lumley, 1st Baron Lumley.

They hoped to seize King Henry during a tournament at Windsor, kill him, and restore Richard II to the throne. However, Edward of Norwich betrayed the conspirators to King Henry. Forewarned, Henry failed to appear at Windsor and began to raise an army in London. The conspirators fled to the western counties and raised the standard of rebellion. However, they obtained little support and were quickly apprehended by local authorities.

Aftermath

While attempting to seize Cirencester, Lumley was beheaded in a short but violent skirmish by the townsfolk and Salisbury and Kent were captured. Held briefly in custody, they were abruptly beheaded without trial on January 7, 1400. Le Despencer was captured at Bristol by a mob and was also summarily beheaded on January 13, 1400. Huntingdon was captured at Pleshey and dealt with likewise on January 16, 1400. Those executed were subsequently attainted in March; the sons of Kent, Salisbury and Huntingdon were later restored to their fathers' titles. The attainders were formally reversed in 1461 by a Yorkist parliament.

The rebellion also convinced Henry IV that a deposed, imprisoned and alive King Richard was a very dangerous liability for him. The deposed monarch would come to his death 'by means unknown' in Pontefract Castle by February 17, 1400.

External links

* [http://www.berkshirehistory.com/articles/earls_revolt.html Berkshire History: Revolt of the Three Earls]