Richard FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel

Richard FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel and 10th Earl of Surrey (1346 – September 21, 1397) was an English medieval nobleman and military commander.

Infobox Person
name = Richard FitzAlan


image_size =
caption =
birth_date = 1346
birth_place =
death_date = September 21, 1397
death_place = London, England
education =
occupation = Peer of England
title = Earl of Arundel, Earl of Surry
spouse = Elizabeth Bohun Philippa Mortimer
parents = Richard FitzAlan Eleanor of Lancaster
children = Thomas, Elizabeth, Joan, Margaret, Alice
nationality = English
website =

Lineage

He was the son of Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel and Eleanor of Lancaster and was born in 1346.G. E. C. "The Complete Peerage" p. 244-245] He succeeded his father on January 24, 1376.

His brother was Thomas Arundel who was Bishop of Ely from 1374 to 1388, then Archbishop of York from 1388 to 1397, then Archbishop of Canterbury.Powell, et al. "The House of Lords" p. 398]

At the coronation of Richard II, Richard FitzAlan carried the crown.

Admiral

In 1377 he was Admiral of the West and South. In this capacity, he attacked Harfleur at Whitsun 1378, but was forced to return to his ships by the defenders. Later, he and John of Gaunt attempted to seize Saint-Malo but were unsuccessful.Seward "The Hundred Years War" p. 124-125]

Power Struggle

FitzAlan was closely aligned with Thomas, Duke of Gloucester who was an uncle of King Richard II. Thomas was opposed to Richard II's desire for peace with France in the Hundred Years War and a power struggle between Gloucester and Richard II ensued. In late 1386, Gloucester forced Richard II to name both himself and Richard FitzAlan to Richard's Council.Seward "The Hundred Years War" p. 136-139] This Council was to all intents and purposes a Regency Council for Richard II, however Richard limited the duration of the Council's powers to be one year.Powell et al. "The House of Lords" p. 400-401]

Knight of the Garter

In 1386 Richard II named him Admiral of all England, as well as being knighted a Knight of the Garter. As Admiral of All England, he defeated a Franco-Spanish-Flemish fleet off Margate in March 1387, along with Thomas de Mowbray, Earl of Nottingham..

New Favourites

In August, the King dismissed Gloucester and FitzAlan from the Council and replaced them with his own favourites - including the Archbishop of York, Alexander Neville, the Duke of Ireland Robert de Vere, Michael de la Pole the Earl of Suffolk, Sir Robert Tresilian who was the Chief Justice, and the former Mayor of London Nicholas Brembre.Powell et al. "The House of Lords" p. 404] .

Radcot Bridge

The King summoned Gloucester and FitzAlan to meet with the King, but instead of coming, they raised troops and defeated the new Council at Radcot Bridge, taking the favorites prisoner. The Merciless Parliament the next year condemned the favorites. FitzAlan was one of the Lords Appellant who accused and condemned Richard II's favorites.He made himself particularly odious to Richard by refusing, along with Gloucester to spare the life of Sir Simon Burley who had been condemned by the Merciless Parliament, even though the queen, Anne of Bohemia went down on her knees before them to beg for mercy. Richard never forgave this humiliation and planned and waited for his moment of revenge. In 1394 he further antagonized the King by arriving late for the queen's funeral. Richard, in a rage snatched a wand and struck him in the face and drew blood. Shortly after that, Richard feigned a reconciliation but he was only biding his time for the right moment to strike. Arundel was named Governor of Brest in 1388.

Opposed to Peace

Peace was concluded with France in 1389, however Richard FitzAlan followed Gloucester's lead and stated that he would never agree with the peace that had been concluded.

Marriage and Children

Arundel married twice.

His first wife was Elizabeth de Bohun, daughter of William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton and Elizabeth de Badlesmere. They married around September 28, 1359 and had four children:

* Thomas FitzAlan, 12th Earl of Arundel
* Elizabeth FitzAlan [ [http://www.google.co.uk/books?id=4xwNAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA2-PA298&dq=%22Elizabeth+Fitzalan%22&as_brr=0&ei=No0pR_KsA6jA7AKJh_DoDg Memorials of the Order of the Garter, from Its Foundation to the Present ... By George Frederick p. 298] accessed 1 November 2007]
* Joan FitzAlan (1375 - November 14, 1435), who married William Beauchamp, 1st Baron Bergavenny;
* Margaret FitzAlan, who married Sir Rowland Lenthall;
* Alice FitzAlan, who married John Cherleton, 4th Baron Cherleton. (not mentioned as an heir of Thomas in the "Complete Peerage")

Arundel then married Philippa Mortimer, daughter of Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March. Her mother was Philippa Plantagenet, a daughter of Lionel of Antwerp and thus a granddaughter of Edward III. They had no children.

Death and Succession

On July 12, 1397 he was arrested for his opposition to Richard II, as well as plotting with Gloucester to imprison the king.Seward "The Hundred Years War" p. 142] He stood trial at Westminster and was attainted.Powell et al. "The House of Lords" p. 417] He was beheaded on September 21, 1397 and was buried in the church of the Augustin Friars, Bread Street, London.Tradition holds that his final words were said to the executioner, "Torment me not long, strike off my head in one blow". [Thomas B. Costain "The Last Plantagenets", page 200] In October of 1400, the attainder was reversed, and Richard's son Thomas succeeded to his father's estates and honors.

Notes

References

* Cockayne, G. E. "The Complete Peerage" Microprint Edition Gloucester:Sutton Publishing 2000 ISBN 0-904387-82-8
* Powell, J. Enoch and Keith Wallis "The House of Lords in the Middle Ages: A History of the English House of Lords to 1540" London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson 1968 ISBN 0-297-76105-6
* Seward, Desmond "The Hundred Years War: The English in France, 1337-1453" New York: Atheneum ISBN 0-689-70628-6

ee also

* [http://www.medievalgenealogy.org.uk/cp/arundel.shtml Some proposed Corrections to the Complete Peerage] accessed on July 10, 2007

External links

* [http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/FITZALAN.htm FitzAlan Family] accessed on July 10, 2007
* [http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/ENGLISH%20NOBILITY%20MEDIEVAL1.htm Foundation for Medieval Genealogy - FitzAlan] accessed on July 10, 2007

Persondata
NAME= Richard FitzAlan
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= 11th Earl Arundel
DATE OF BIRTH= 1346
PLACE OF BIRTH=
DATE OF DEATH= September 21, 1397
PLACE OF DEATH= Cheapside, London