In 1327 King Edward II abdicated in favour of his son, Edward III. The abdication of the King had been forced, with him effectively being overthrown by his wife Queen Isabella and Roger Mortimer 1st…
The 1311 Ordinances were a series of statements made by Barons that were intended to regulate the way in which King Edward II managed his household and state. It was a response to perceptions of…
By late medieval England Kings were bound by a series of responsibilities, traditions, and laws. These were based upon legitimate rule, and in time, acceptance of that Right to be King from the Three Estates.…
John of Gaunt was born in Ghent, Belgium, in 1340. The third eldest son of King Edward III, he was father of Henry Bolingbroke, who usurped Richard II to become King Henry IV. As well…
Thomas Courtenay 6/14th Earl of Devon was born in 1432. He was the eldest son of Thomas 5/13th Earl of Devon and Margaret Beaufort [aunt of Lady Margaret Beaufort mother of Henry Tudor]. Thomas inherited…
Thomas Courtenay 5/13th Earl of Devon was born in Devon on 3 May 1414 and died at Abingdon Abbey on 3 February 1458. The Earl of Devon is best remembered for his part in the…
On 7 February 1478 Henry Stafford 2nd Duke of Buckingham was appointed as High Steward. The role was one of State but in this instance was awarded for one particular task: to pronounce the death sentence…
On 6 February 1455 a Papal Ambassador called upon England to join a Crusade. Pope Nicholas V was eager to tackle the problem of “the Turk” in Eastern Europe. The Ottomans had advanced and were fighting…
5 February 1451 was the last day of hearings in Kent in which the King, amongst others, presided over the trials of key rebels. In 1450 two uprisings had taken place in Kent and adjoining counties.…
Early 1458 was a period of heightened tension. Disputes between magnates continued, and were at times violent. France was presenting a threat. The Council, Lords, and Commons all realised that the situation needed to be…