Jasper Tudor [1431 - 1495] Duke of Bedford, Earl of Pembroke

Jasper Tudor [1431 – 1495] was a half-brother of King Henry VI and uncle to Henry VII. Created Earl of Pembroke on 23 November 1452, Jasper played a significant role in the upbringing and safety of his nephew, Henry Tudor. Jasper Tudor remained steadfastly loyal to the Lancastrian cause throughout the Wars of the Roses. His role in the victory at Bosworth and founding of the Tudor Dynasty was rewarded with his creation as Duke of Bedford on 27 October 1485. Jasper Tudor died in December 1495.

Jasper Tudor’s childhood

Jasper was the second son of Owen Tudor and Catherine of Valois. His elder brother was Edmund Tudor. By his mothers first marriage to King Henry V, Jasper was a half-brother of King Henry VI. Jasper and Edmund were raised away from Court, with much of their upbringing being undertaken by nuns and priests on behalf of their parents.

Jasper Tudor Created Earl of Pembroke

On 23 November 1452 Jasper Tudor was created Earl of Pembroke. He was then summoned to Parliament by right of this title in 1453. The move to elevate Jasper, and his brother Edmund, to the rank of Earl was not only recognition of their close relationship to the King but also a political choice to strengthen bonds within the Royal Family. Coming at a time of heightened tensions between senior Dukes, the move gave the Lancastrians further sway at Parliament.

Jasper, however, was quite independent at first. He had a good working relationship with the Duke of York and this continued after his elevation to the Earldom of Pembroke and into the late 1450’s.

Pembroke Castle, seat of Jasper Tudor as Earl of Pembroke — Pembroke Castle.
By JKMMX – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia

Developing Tudor power in Wales

In April 1457 Jasper was made Constable of Aberystwyth, Carmarthen, and Carreg Cennen Castles. This was in addition to lands already bestowed upon him as Earl, such as those at Pembroke and Tenby. Jasper was an effective administrator of his estates and oversaw the improvement of defences at Tenby, also in 1457. Following his brothers death in 1456, Jasper also took responsibility for Lady Margaret Beaufort and her son, Henry Tudor. This followed on from the grant of Margaret’s wardship to Jasper and Edmund, which in turn had resulted in the marriage of Edmund and Margaret.

The Coventry Parliament

Following the rout of the Yorkists at Ludford Bridge, Jasper attended the Coventry Parliament of 1459. Here he was granted lands from the attainted Yorkists which increased his personal wealth and regions of authority. This, however, was not a straightforward task as some estates remained loyal to their previous Yorkist overlord: Denbigh had to be subdued by Jasper and his retinue in 1460.

Mortimer’s Cross

On 2 February 1461 Jasper Tudor was one of the commanders of a Lancastrian army defeated by Edward Earl of March at Mortimer’s Cross. His father, Owen Tudor, was captured and later executed at Hereford. Jasper was able to escape. His precise movements in the following months are unclear. It was the beginning of a long period of stubborn resistance against the Yorkist regime that was established following the Battle of Towton.

Resistance to Yorkist Rule

Jasper led forces which resisted the Yorkists as they sought to assert their authority in Wales. In the months after the Battle of Towton the Yorkists had subdued much of Wales. Castles, including most of those held by Jasper, had fallen to a force commanded by Sir William Herbert. Jasper, along with Henry Holland Duke of Exeter, tried to maintain resistance. This all but ended at Twt Hill on 16 October 1461. Though there is very limited evidence as to the events of that day, it is clear that the Lancastrian force under the Earl of Pembroke and Duke of Exeter was defeated. Jasper was once again able to evade capture and made his way to Ireland. From Ireland he arranged supplies for ongoing resistance in North Wales, then travelled to the north east of England to join with Lancastrians resisting there.

Jasper Tudor at Bamburgh Castle

In 1462 Jasper was one of the lancastrian lords who sought to retain control of castles in the north east of England. Support from France and Scotland aided the Lancastrian cause. However, the Yorkists under the Earl of Warwick and his brother John Neville were able to array considerable resources against the Lancastrians. This forced Jasper Tudor into Bamburgh Castle. He stayed in the castle until 24 December 1462 when he surrendered the castle and used a safe conduct to travel to Scotland.

Negotiations with France

From Scotland, Jasper travelled to France where he was one of the lords who negotiated with King Louis XI for aid. Most of the period 1463-68 saw Jasper engaged in this type of diplomacy. For much of the period the task was fruitless, as the Lancastrians in the north east were defeated in 1464 and European politics placed greater emphasis on other matters. However, in 1468, Louis XI became willing to fund an expedition by Jasper. This saw Jasper command a force which landed near Harlech, then raided and captured Denbigh Castle. The campaign was soon forced into retreat by William Herbert, but proved that the Lancastrians were still able to present a threat to Edward IV‘s rule.

Jasper Tudor and the Readeption of King Henry VI

In September 1470, Jasper Tudor sailed with the Duke of Clarence and Earl of Warwick from France to England. After disembarking at Plymouth, Jasper made his way to Hereford, where he was reunited with his nephew, Henry Tudor. With Edward IV fleeing to Flanders, King Henry VI was restored. Jasper travelled with Henry to London, where the pair met with Lady Margaret Beaufort and Henry Tudor was presented to the newly restored King.

The readeption of King Henry VI led to the restoration of Jasper’s lands and titles. Jasper Tudor was in Pembrokeshire by November 1470. His time there would have been reestablishing Lancastrian control and his own administration of the estates.

Tewkesbury

Jasper Tudor’s return to Wales was relatively short-lived. Edward IV gained support for a campaign to retake the crown. In April 1471 the Earl of Warwick and Lancastrians were defeated at Barnet. Jasper had remained in Wales, arraying forces. Margaret of Anjou and Prince Edward, along with Lancastrian nobles such as the Duke of Somerset, landed in the South West as the Yorkists took control of London. With this news, Jasper readied to join with the Queen and Lancastrian army who were marching to merge forces with his.

The Battle of Tewkesbury saw the army of Queen Margaret defeated. Jasper Tudor was now isolated in Wales and targetted by Yorkists. A force led by Roger Vaughan was sent to capture Jasper. However, he was able to overcome them and captured Roger Vaughan. Vaughan was viewed by Jasper as being one of the men responsible for his fathers execution in February 1461. As a result, he had Roger Vaughan executed.

After dealing with the threat posed by Roger Vaughan, Jasper Tudor travelled to Pembroke. He then sailed with his nephew to Brittany to evade Yorkist threats. He was to remain in exile there until 1485.

Exile

From 1471 to 1484, Jasper Tudor was in Brittany. His stay there was subject to restrictions, as Duke François used the Tudors as a diplomatic bargaining chip. This period saw Anglo-Breton talks and attempts to negotiate the return of the Tudors [Henry in particular] to England.

It was not until the death of King Edward IV that matters really changed for Jasper Tudor. Then, the circumstances surrounding the accession of Richard III provided opportunities for the Tudor family. Henry’s mother, Lady Margaret, plotted with rebels including the Duke of Buckingham. These plots involved Jasper and Henry Tudor. They were given aid by the French to sail in support of Buckingham’s revolt.

The small flotilla that Jasper and Henry sailed in did not disembark in England. Instead they were forced to return to Brittany. Buckingham’s rebellion had failed and Richard III now took steps to have the threat posed by the Tudors dealt with. Staying in Brittany was increasingly insecure for Jasper and Henry Tudor. So, in September 1484, the pair fled to the Court of King Charles VIII in France.

The Bosworth Campaign

In the French Court Jasper and Henry Tudor were among friends. Other exiles flocked to the cause of Henry Tudor. The French were willing to support his cause. Henry’s mother, despite being known to have plotted against Richard III in 1483, continued to plan, with an alliance with Elizabeth Woodville strengthening support for the Tudor cause. Jasper was party to much of the negotiations that took place in France and took a role in planning the campaign that would see a fleet set sail in August 1485.

Jasper Tudor sailed with his nephew as the Tudor invasion took place. It is not known whether or not Jasper fought at Bosworth, but his influence was undeniable in the organisation that led to Henry Tudor’s victory.

Jasper Tudor under King Henry VII

Upon his taking of the Crown, Henry Tudor was quick to reward his uncle for years of support and guidance. Jasper Tudor was restored to all of his previous estates and titles. Further lands followed. He was also elevated to the rank of Duke, being created Duke of Bedford on 28 September 1485. This mirrored the rank and title held by Henry VI’s uncle John and place the Title once again firmly within the Lancastrian/Tudor line of patronage [it having been used by Edward IV for the son of John Neville to placate him for losing the Earldom of Northumberland].

The Tudor – Woodville alliance that had been instrumental in overthrowing Richard III then saw, in November 1485, Jasper marry a sister of Elizabeth Woodville. Jasper’s marriage to Katherine Woodville brought him immense wealth. Lady Catherine had previously been married to Henry Stafford 2nd Duke of Buckingham, and retained much property from that union.

Lambert Simnel and the Battle of Stoke

The Tudor regime faced threats in 1486 in the form of the Lovell-Stafford revolt. Then, in 1487, the Yorkists launched an invasion backing the claim of a pretender, Lambert Simnel. Jasper Tudor played a major role in the suppression of the revolt, and was one of the commanders at the Battle of Stoke Field.

Later Life and Death

Jasper continued to play a role in Government. Increasingly this was on a local level as he spent most of his later years in his estates in the west of England. He died at Thornbury Castle on 21 December 1495. Jasper was buried at Keynsham Abbey. His tomb was destroyed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

Jasper Tudor Duke of Bedford Earl of Pembroke was buried in Keynsham Abbey — Keynsham Abbey
By Rodw – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia.

Featured Image

Jasper Tudor, from a stained glass window in Cardiff Castle portraying himself and Catherine Woodville. Photo by Xenophon, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke and Duke of Bedford