Henry of Grosmont, Duke of Lancaster (– 23 March 1361) was an English statesman, diplomat, soldier, and Christian writer. The owner of
Bolingbroke Castle in
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire (abbreviated Lincs.) is a county in the East Midlands of England, with a long coastline on the North Sea to the east. It borders Norfolk to the south-east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south-west, Leicestershire ...
, Grosmont was a member of the
House of Plantagenet
The House of Plantagenet () was a royal house which originated from the lands of Anjou in France. The family held the English throne from 1154 (with the accession of Henry II at the end of the Anarchy) to 1485, when Richard III died in b ...
, which was ruling over England at that time. He was the wealthiest and most powerful peer of the realm.
The son and heir of
Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster
Henry, 3rd Earl of Leicester and Lancaster ( – 22 September 1345) was a grandson of King Henry III of England (1216–1272) and was one of the principals behind the deposition of King Edward II of England, Edward II (1307–1327), his first c ...
, and
Maud Chaworth
Maud de Chaworth (2 February 1282 – 3 December 1322) was an English noblewoman and wealthy heiress. She was the only child of Patrick de Chaworth. Sometime before 2 March 1297, she married Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster, by whom she had seven c ...
, Grosmont became one of King
Edward III
Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring r ...
's most trusted captains in the early phases of the
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a series of armed conflicts between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France during the Late Middle Ages. It originated from disputed claims to the French Crown, ...
and distinguished himself with victory in the
Battle of Auberoche
The Battle of Auberoche was fought on 21 October 1345 during the Gascon campaign of 1345 between an Anglo- Gascon force of 1,200 men under Henry, Earl of Derby, and a French army of 7,000 commanded by Louis of Poitiers. It was fought at t ...
. He was a founding member and the second knight of the
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George C ...
in 1348, and in 1351 was created
Duke of Lancaster. An intelligent and reflective man, Grosmont taught himself to write and was the author of the book ''Livre de seyntz medicines'', a highly personal devotional treatise. He is remembered as one of the founders and early patrons of
Corpus Christi College, Cambridge
Corpus Christi College (full name: "The College of Corpus Christi and the Blessed Virgin Mary", often shortened to "Corpus"), is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. From the late 14th century through to the early 19th century ...
, which was established by two guilds of the town in 1352.
Origins
Henry of Grosmont was the only son of
Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster
Henry, 3rd Earl of Leicester and Lancaster ( – 22 September 1345) was a grandson of King Henry III of England (1216–1272) and was one of the principals behind the deposition of King Edward II of England, Edward II (1307–1327), his first c ...
(c. 1281–1345); who in turn was the younger brother and heir of
Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster (c. 1278–1322).
They were sons of
Edmund Crouchback, 1st Earl of Lancaster
Edmund, Earl of Lancaster and Earl of Leicester (16 January 12455 June 1296) nicknamed Edmund Crouchback was a member of the House of Plantagenet. He was the second surviving son of King Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence. In his chi ...
(1245–1296); the second son of
King Henry III (ruled 1216–1272) and younger brother of King
Edward I of England
Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassa ...
(ruled 1272–1307). Henry of Grosmont was thus a first cousin once removed of
King Edward II and a second cousin of
King Edward III
Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring ro ...
(ruled 1327–1377). His mother was
Maud de Chaworth (1282–1322). On his paternal grandmother's side, Henry of Grosmont was also the great-great-grandson of
Louis VIII of France.
Little is known of Grosmont's childhood and youth. Due to his uncle Thomas' increasingly hostile relations with King Edward II—culminating in his rebellion and execution in 1322—historian
Kenneth Fowler suggests that this period "must have been quite eventful" and that Grosmount's "fortunes and opportunities were inextricably bound up with the tragic events of these years". The year and place of his birth are not known with certainty. He is believed to have been born in about 1310 at
Grosmont Castle
Grosmont Castle is a ruined castle in the village of Grosmont, Monmouthshire, Wales. The fortification was established by the Normans in the wake of the invasion of England in 1066, to protect the route from Wales to Hereford. Possibly commis ...
in
Grosmont,
Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire ( cy, Sir Fynwy) is a county in the south-east of Wales. The name derives from the historic county of the same name; the modern county covers the eastern three-fifths of the historic county. The largest town is Abergavenny, with ...
,
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
. According to his own memoirs he was a "good looking, youth. Tall fair and slim" and better at
martial arts
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...
than at academic subjects; he did not learn to read until later in life. His education would have been orthodox, but in being so, produced the archetypal young noble admired at the time.
Henry of Grosmont was the eventual heir of his wealthy uncle
Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster, who through his marriage to
Alice de Lacy
Alice de Lacy, ''suo jure'' Countess of Lincoln, ''suo jure'' 5th Countess of Salisbury (25 December 1281 – 2 October 1348) was an English peeress.
Life
Born on Christmas Day 1281 at Denbigh Castle, Alice was the only daughter and heir of ...
, daughter and heiress of
Henry de Lacy, 3rd Earl of Lincoln
Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln (c. 1251February 1311), Baron of Pontefract, Lord of Bowland, Baron of Halton and hereditary Constable of Chester, was an English nobleman and confidant of King Edward I. He served Edward in Wales, France, and Sco ...
, had become the wealthiest peer in England. Constant quarrels between Thomas and his first cousin, King Edward II of England, led to his execution in 1322. Having no progeny, Thomas's possessions and titles went to his younger brother Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster, Grosmont's father. Henry of Lancaster assented to the deposition of Edward II in 1327, but fell out of favour with the regency of his widow
Queen Isabella and
Roger Mortimer. When Edward III, the son of Edward II, took personal control of the government in 1330, relations with the Crown improved, but by this time Henry of Lancaster was struggling with blindness and poor health. He was able to attend the new king's coronation on 1 February 1327, where he knighted Edward. Grosmont was knighted the same year, represented his father in
Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
and attended the
King's council. He is known to have travelled a great deal between his father's estates, presumably supervising their management. In 1331 he participated in a royal
tournament
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...
at
Cheapside
Cheapside is a street in the City of London, the historic and modern financial centre of London, which forms part of the A40 London to Fishguard road. It links St. Martin's Le Grand with Poultry. Near its eastern end at Bank junction, where ...
in the
City of London
The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London fr ...
. It was, argues Fowler, conducive to Lancastrian relations with the crown that the new King and Grosmont were of a similar age and interests, and Grosmont was never to experience the reversals of fortune his father had faced.
Estates and finances
Originally heir to only the lordships of Beaufort and Monmouth, by 1327 it was looking probable that he would inherit most of the Lancastrian
patrimony. He was not yet independent from his father, from whom he received regular fundsamounting to £666 in 1332as well as grants from the English crown as a reward for his service and in recognition of his lack of a personal income. From early the next year, his father began transferring his
South Wales
South Wales ( cy, De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards ...
estates into Grosmont's name, giving him an independent income. In March 1337 he was one of six men Edward III promoted to higher levels of the peerage; one of his father's lesser titles,
earl of Derby, was bestowed upon him. He was also granted a royal annuity of 1,000 marks (£ as of ) for so long as his father lived, and a number of lucrative estates and perquisites were settled on him. By this point Grosmont's future relationship with the crown was "actively assured" comments Fowler.
The early 1340s were a period of financial constraint for Grosmont due to his acting as a broker for a number of loans between the King and Flemish bankers. As well as undergoing a number of periods of imprisonment as a debtor, Grosmont was eventually to raise numerous large sums, including £969 to gain the release of the royal crown, which Edward had pawned, and £1,500 worth of jewels to free the King after he had offered himself as security for loans.
Scotland
In 1328 Edward III's regents had agreed to the
Treaty of Northampton
A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations, individuals, business entities, and other legal perso ...
with
Robert Bruce
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventuall ...
, King of Scotland (), but this was widely resented in England and commonly known as ''turpis pax'', "the cowards' peace". Some Scots nobles refused to swear
fealty
An oath of fealty, from the Latin ''fidelitas'' (faithfulness), is a pledge of allegiance of one person to another.
Definition
In medieval Europe, the swearing of fealty took the form of an oath made by a vassal, or subordinate, to his lord. "Fea ...
to Bruce and were disinherited. They left Scotland to join forces with
Edward Balliol
Edward Balliol (; 1283 – January 1364) was a claimant to the Scottish throne during the Second War of Scottish Independence. With English help, he ruled parts of the kingdom from 1332 to 1356.
Early life
Edward was the eldest son of John Ba ...
, son of King
John Balliol
John Balliol ( – late 1314), known derisively as ''Toom Tabard'' (meaning "empty coat" – coat of arms), was King of Scots from 1292 to 1296. Little is known of his early life. After the death of Margaret, Maid of Norway, Scotland entered an ...
(), whom Edward I had deposed in 1296. One of these was Grosmont's father-in-law,
Henry de Beaumont
Henry de Beaumont (before 1280 – 10 March 1340), ''jure uxoris'' 4th Earl of Buchan and ''suo jure'' 1st Baron Beaumont, was a key figure in the Anglo-Scots wars of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, known as the Wars of Scottish Inde ...
,
Earl of Buchan and veteran campaigner of the
First War of Scottish Independence. Robert Bruce died in 1329; his heir was 5-year-old
David II (). In 1330 Edward III, who had recently assumed his full powers, made a formal request to the Scottish Crown to restore Beaumont's lands which was refused. In 1331 the disinherited Scottish nobles gathered in
Yorkshire
Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
, and led by Balliol and Beaumont plotted an invasion of Scotland. Edward III was aware of the scheme but turned a blind eye. Balliol's forces sailed for Scotland on 31 July 1332. Five days after landing in
Fife
Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...
, Balliol's force of some 2,000 men met the Scottish army of 12,000–15,000 men and crushed them at the
Battle of Dupplin Moor
The Battle of Dupplin Moor was fought between supporters of King David II of Scotland, the son of King Robert Bruce, and English-backed invaders supporting Edward Balliol, son of King John I of Scotland, on 11 August 1332. It took place a lit ...
. Balliol was crowned king of Scotland at
Scone on 24 September 1332. Balliol's support within Scotland was limited and within six months it had collapsed. He was ambushed by supporters of David II at the
Battle of Annan
The Battle of Annan, also known in the sources as the Camisade of Annan, took place on 16 December 1332 at Annan, Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland.
Edward Balliol had seized the Scottish crown three months earlier after the Battle of Duppl ...
a few months after his coronation and fled to England half-dressed and riding bareback. He appealed to Edward III for assistance.
On 10 March Balliol, the disinherited Scottish lords and some English magnates crossed the border and laid siege to the Scottish town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed
Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...
. Six weeks later a large English army under Edward III joined them, bringing the total number of besiegers to nearly 10,000. Grosmont was present at the siege, but it is not known if he marched with his father-in-law and Balliol, or with the main English effort. The Scots felt compelled to attempt to relieve the siege and an army of 20,000 men attacked the English at the
Battle of Halidon Hill
The Battle of Halidon Hill took place on 19 July 1333 when a Scottish army under Sir Archibald Douglas attacked an English army commanded by King Edward III of England () and was heavily defeated. The year before, Edward Balliol had seized ...
, from Berwick. Under intense bow-fire the Scottish army broke, the camp followers made off with the horses and the fugitives were pursued by the mounted English knights. Scottish casualties were numbered in thousands, including their commander and five earls dead on the field. Scots who surrendered were killed on Edward's orders and some drowned as they fled into the sea. English casualties were reported as fourteen; some chronicles give a lower figure of seven. About a hundred Scots who had been taken prisoner were beheaded the next morning, 20July. It is presumed that Grosmont took part in the battle, but it is possible that he was part of the detachment posted to ensure that the garrison of Berwick did not
sally. Berwick surrendered the day after the battle and Grosmont witnessed and sealed the articles of surrender and, a little later, the town's new charter.
Having sworn fealty to David II and because Balliol intended to make Scotland subservient to the English, most Scots refused to accept Balliol as their monarch. In December 1334 Grosmont accompanied Edward III to
Roxburgh in Scotland. The English force of 4,000 accomplished little and withdrew in February. Grosmont was a member of Edward III's negotiation team when a brief truce was agreed shortly after at
Nottingham
Nottingham ( , East Midlands English, locally ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east ...
. In July Grosmont accompanied Edward III on another invasion of Scotland, with an army of 13,000for the time an extremely large force. Scotland was quelled as far north as
Perth
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia. It is the fourth most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of 2.1 million (80% of the state) living in Greater Perth in 2020. Perth is ...
and Grosmont took a senior role in raiding deeper into the country. In 1336 Grosmont was given command of 500
men-at-arms
A man-at-arms was a soldier of the High Medieval to Renaissance periods who was typically well-versed in the use of arms and served as a fully-armoured heavy cavalryman. A man-at-arms could be a knight, or other nobleman, a member of a knig ...
and 1,000
longbowmen
A longbow (known as warbow in its time, in contrast to a hunting bow) is a type of tall bow that makes a fairly long draw possible. A longbow is not significantly recurved. Its limbs are relatively narrow and are circular or D-shaped in cross ...
and marched to Perth. Informed that the widow of the
Earl of Atholl was besieged in
Lochindorb Castle
Lochindorb (from the gd, Loch nan Doirb meaning "loch of the minnows") is a freshwater loch north of Grantown on Spey in the Highland council area of Scotland. In the loch there is an island, which is now thought to have been artificially creat ...
, Grosmont led a small force to rescue her and raise the siege, which he had achieved by 16 July. He was given full
plenipotentiary
A ''plenipotentiary'' (from the Latin ''plenus'' "full" and ''potens'' "powerful") is a diplomat who has full powers—authorization to sign a treaty or convention on behalf of his or her sovereign. When used as a noun more generally, the word ...
powers by the King. After Edward III reached Perth with the main English army, Grosmont was despatched on a long-range raid to
Aberdeen
Aberdeen (; sco, Aiberdeen ; gd, Obar Dheathain ; la, Aberdonia) is a city in North East Scotland, and is the third most populous city in the country. Aberdeen is one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas (as Aberdeen City), and ...
, away. He returned after two weeks, having razed Aberdeen and devastated the country on the way. Edward went south for six weeks, leaving Grosmont in charge of English-occupied Scotland. Believing that he would soon be at war with France, Edward withdrew most of his forces from Scotland in mid-1336 and sent Grosmont to London to plan the defence of the
English Channel
The English Channel, "The Sleeve"; nrf, la Maunche, "The Sleeve" (Cotentinais) or ( Jèrriais), (Guernésiais), "The Channel"; br, Mor Breizh, "Sea of Brittany"; cy, Môr Udd, "Lord's Sea"; kw, Mor Bretannek, "British Sea"; nl, Het Kana ...
ports from the mouth of the
Thames
The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the R ...
westward. By May the following year he was once again in Scotland—accompanied by the
Earls of Warwick
Earl of Warwick is one of the most prestigious titles in the peerages of the United Kingdom. The title has been created four times in English history, and the name refers to Warwick Castle and the town of Warwick.
Overview
The first creation ...
and
of Arundel—and by the time he returned to London, war with France had commenced. Fowler suggests that "while in all these military enterprises Henry seldom played a leading role, they formed an invaluable apprenticeship for the years ahead".
Northeast France
Grosmont's first trip abroad was probably to
Brabant Brabant is a traditional geographical region (or regions) in the Low Countries of Europe. It may refer to:
Place names in Europe
* London-Brabant Massif, a geological structure stretching from England to northern Germany
Belgium
* Province of Bra ...
in 1332. Six years later he travelled with Edward III to Flanders, which began inauspiciously when the King was "unable to pay or induce" his erstwhile allies to attack the French. Grosmont attended Edward's ostentatious meeting with the
Holy Roman Emperor, Louis IV, at
Coblenz
Koblenz (; Moselle Franconian: ''Kowelenz''), spelled Coblenz before 1926, is a German city on the banks of the Rhine and the Moselle, a multi-nation tributary.
Koblenz was established as a Roman military post by Drusus around 8 B.C. Its name ...
. This was a diplomatic mission amidst much pageantry; Edward III concluded agreements with a number of rulers, including Louis, whereby they would provide troops in exchange for payment. Edward was appointed
Imperial vicar
An imperial vicar (german: Reichsvikar) was a prince charged with administering all or part of the Holy Roman Empire on behalf of the emperor. Later, an imperial vicar was invariably one of two princes charged by the Golden Bull with administering ...
. To cement the Flemish alliance, and on account of Edward's shortage of money, Grosmont and the
Earl of Salisbury were imprisoned as
sureties
In finance, a surety , surety bond or guaranty involves a promise by one party to assume responsibility for the debt obligation of a borrower if that borrower defaults. Usually, a surety bond or surety is a promise by a surety or guarantor to pay ...
for Edward providing the balance of payment due his allies. Throughout the year French naval forces
ravaged the English south coast. Edward III planned to invade France with his army of allies in 1339, but was finding it impossible to raise the money to pay them; he and his ambassadors had committed him to far greater expense than he could fund. Grosmont led part of Edward III's army when it finally
invaded France in September 1339.
Cambrai was besieged, the area around it devastated, and an unsuccessful attempt made to storm the town. The allied army pressed further into France, but the French refused to battle. In mid-October, the French issued a formal challenge to battle. Edward accepted and occupied a strong defensive position at
La Capelle
La Capelle is a commune in the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Its inhabitants are called Capellois (plural Capelloises).
Geography
La Capelle had a station on the Busigny-Hirson railway line, which operated from 1885 ...
which the French declined to attack; Grosmont commanded a
detachment. Having run out of provisions, money and weather suitable for campaigning, the allied army withdrew and dispersed. Grosmont arrived in Brussels with the army at the end of October, where the campaign was celebrated with a
tournament
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...
.
From 29 March to 3 April 1340 Grosmont attended Parliament in London, where a substantial subsidy was voted to the crown. Meanwhile, encouraged by Edward III, the
Flemings
The Flemish or Flemings ( nl, Vlamingen ) are a Germanic ethnic group native to Flanders, Belgium, who speak Dutch. Flemish people make up the majority of Belgians, at about 60%.
"''Flemish''" was historically a geographical term, as all inha ...
, vassals of Philip VI, revolted during the winter. They joined forces with Edward's continental allies and launched an April offensive, which failed. A French offensive against these forces commenced on 18 May, meeting with mixed fortunes; Edward's outnumbered allies were desperate for the English army to reinforce them.
Grosmont was present at the great English victory in the naval
Battle of Sluys in June 1340. The outnumbered English fleet attacked the French and captured or sank 190 of their 213 ships. French losses were between 16,000 and 20,000 killed. The joint French commanders were both captured and one was hanged from the mast of his own ship, while the other was beheaded. Soon after Grosmont was required to commit himself as a hostage in the
Low Countries
The term Low Countries, also known as the Low Lands ( nl, de Lage Landen, french: les Pays-Bas, lb, déi Niddereg Lännereien) and historically called the Netherlands ( nl, de Nederlanden), Flanders, or Belgica, is a coastal lowland region in N ...
to merchants who had covered the debtsamounting to £9,450the King had incurred. Since Grosmont had personally
bound
Bound or bounds may refer to:
Mathematics
* Bound variable
* Upper and lower bounds, observed limits of mathematical functions
Physics
* Bound state, a particle that has a tendency to remain localized in one or more regions of space
Geography
*B ...
himself to a number of Edward's creditors, he was imprisoned as a debtor. He remained hostage until the next year and had to pay a large ransom for his release. He was only able to join the English army when it
laid siege to Tournai as a result of promising that if he did not pay in full he would return voluntarily for a period of further imprisonment. In September Grosmont was part of the
embassy
A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase usually deno ...
which signed the
Truce of Espléchin
The Truce of Espléchin (1340) was a truce between the English and French crowns during the early phases of the Hundred Years' War.
Background
The Hundred Years' War had started in 1337. After a naval defeat at the hands of the French at the Ba ...
, a five-year suspension of the fighting. Edward was unable to raise the necessary funds to repay his loans and on 25 September Grosmont returned to
Malines
Mechelen (; french: Malines ; traditional English name: MechlinMechelen has been known in English as ''Mechlin'', from where the adjective ''Mechlinian'' is derived. This name may still be used, especially in a traditional or historical contex ...
to, as the King wrote in October, "lay in prison" again. Grosmont was not treated poorly, although the King probably exaggerated his situation for domestic consumption. Grosmont was allowed out on
parole
Parole (also known as provisional release or supervised release) is a form of early release of a prison inmate where the prisoner agrees to abide by certain behavioral conditions, including checking-in with their designated parole officers, or ...
to attend jousts several times and received five marks a day expenses. He eventually raised three loans between May and August 1341 to release his bond. Numerous other costs and charges were still due, negotiations over which dragged on until the next year when the King took over the debts.
On his return, he was made the king's lieutenant in the north, or Scotland, and stayed at
Roxburgh until 1342 when a six-month truce allowed a number of jousts and tournaments to take place. The next years he spent in diplomatic negotiations in the Low Countries,
Castile and
Avignon
Avignon (, ; ; oc, Avinhon, label=Provençal dialect, Provençal or , ; la, Avenio) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region of So ...
.
Southwest France
1345
1342-1345:
War of the Breton Succession, Grosmont in ''Le Robynet'' at Sandwich etc.
![Map of Gascon campaign of 1345](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/ff/Map_of_Gascon_campaign_of_1345.svg)
Edward III decided early in 1345 to attack France on three fronts. The
Earl of Northampton
Earl of Northampton is a title in the Peerage of England that has been created five times.
Earls of Northampton, First Creation (1071)
* Waltheof (d. 1076)
* Maud, Queen of Scotland (c.1074–1130/31)
*Simon II de Senlis (1103–1153)
* Simon II ...
would lead a small force to
Brittany
Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, Historical region, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known ...
, a slightly larger force would proceed to
Gascony
Gascony (; french: Gascogne ; oc, Gasconha ; eu, Gaskoinia) was a province of the southwestern Kingdom of France that succeeded the Duchy of Gascony (602–1453). From the 17th century until the French Revolution (1789–1799), it was part o ...
under the command of Grosmont, and the main English army would accompany Edward to either northern France or
Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, ...
. Grosmont was appointed the King's Lieutenant in Gascony on 13 March 1345 and received a contract to raise a force of 2,000 men in England, and further troops in Gascony. The highly detailed contract of
indenture
An indenture is a legal contract that reflects or covers a debt or purchase obligation. It specifically refers to two types of practices: in historical usage, an indentured servant status, and in modern usage, it is an instrument used for commercia ...
had a term of six months from the opening of the campaign in Gascony, with an option for Edward to extend it for a further six months on the same terms. Derby was given a high degree of autonomy, for example, his strategic instructions were: "si guerre soit, et a faire le bien q'il poet" (...if there is war, do the best you can...).
On 9 August 1345 Grosmont arrived in Bordeaux with 500 men-at-arms, 1,500 English and Welsh
archers500 of the latter mounted on ponies to increase their mobilityancillary and support troops. Rather than continue the cautious war of sieges he was determined to strike directly at the French before they could concentrate their forces. He decided to move on Bergerac, which had good river supply links to Bordeaux, and would provide the Anglo-Gascon army with a base from which to carry the war to the French and sever communications between French forces north and south of the Dordogne. After eight years of defensive warfare by the Anglo-Gascons, there was no expectation among the French that they might make any offensive moves. Grosmont moved rapidly and took the French army at Bergerac by surprise on 26 August, decisively beating them in
a running battle. French casualties were heavy, with many killed or captured. Derby's share of the prisoner ransoms and the loot was estimated at £34,000, approximately four times the annual income from his lands.
Grosmont left a large garrison in the town and moved north with 6,000–8,000 men to Périgueux, the provincial capital of
Périgord, which Grosmont
blockaded, taking several strongholds on the main routes into the city.
John, Duke of Normandy
John II (french: Jean II; 26 April 1319 – 8 April 1364), called John the Good (French: ''Jean le Bon''), was King of France from 1350 until his death in 1364. When he came to power, France faced several disasters: the Black Death, which killed ...
, the son and heir of Philip VI, gathered an army reportedly numbering over 20,000 and manoeuvred in the area. In early October a very large detachment relieved the city, drove off Grosmont's force and started besieging the English-held strongpoints. A French force of 7,000 besieged the castle of Auberoche, east of Périgueux. A messenger got through to Grosmont, who was already returning to the area with a scratch force of 1,200 English and Gascon soldiers: 400 men-at-arms and 800 mounted archers.
After a night march Grosmont
attacked the French camp on 21 October while they were at dinner, taking the French by surprise. There was a protracted hand-to-hand struggle, which ended when the commander of the small English garrison in the castle sortied and fell upon the rear of the French. They broke and fled. Derby's mounted men-at-arms pursued them relentlessly. French casualties are uncertain but heavy. They are described by modern historians as "appalling", "extremely high", "staggering", and "heavy". Many French nobles were taken prisoner; lower ranking men were, as was customary, put to the sword. The ransoms alone made a fortune for many of the soldiers in Grosmont's army, as well as Grosmont himself, who was said to have made at least £50,000 from the day's captives. The Earl of Pembroke arrived after hostilities had ceased; Grosmont greeted him with the words, "cousin Pembroke, welcome. You are just in time to sprinkle holy water upon the dead."
Grosmont's four-month campaign has been described as "the first successful land campaign of... the Hundred Years' War", which had commenced more than eight years earlier. Modern historians have praised the generalship demonstrated by Grosmont in this campaign: "superb and innovative tactician"; "ris
ngto the level of genius"; "brilliant in the extreme"; "stunning"; "brilliant".
1346
![Map of route of Lancaster's chevauchée of 1346](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Map_of_route_of_Lancaster%27s_chevauch%C3%A9e_of_1346.svg)
The Duke of Normandy was placed in charge of all French forces in southwest France in 1346, as he had been the previous autumn. In March 1346 a French army under Duke John, numbering between 15,000 and 20,000, enormously superior to any force the Anglo-Gascons could field, marched on the town of
Aiguillon and besieged it on 1April. The town commanded the junction of the Rivers
Garonne
The Garonne (, also , ; Occitan, Catalan, Basque, and es, Garona, ; la, Garumna
or ) is a river of southwest France and northern Spain. It flows from the central Spanish Pyrenees to the Gironde estuary at the French port of Bordeaux – a ...
and
Lot
Lot or LOT or The Lot or ''similar'' may refer to:
Common meanings Areas
* Land lot, an area of land
* Parking lot, for automobiles
*Backlot, in movie production
Sets of items
*Lot number, in batch production
*Lot, a set of goods for sale togethe ...
, meaning it was not possible for the French to sustain an offensive further into Gascony unless the town was taken. On 2April an ''
arrière-ban In medieval and early modern France, the arrière-ban (Latin ''retrobannum'') was a general proclamation whereby the king (or duke) summoned to war all the vassals of his vassals.. The term is a folk-etymological correction of Old French ''herban'' ...
'', a formal call to arms for all able-bodied males, was announced for southern France. Grosmont, now known as Lancaster rather than Derby after the death of his father, sent an urgent appeal for help to Edward. Edward was not only morally obliged to succour his vassal, but also contractually required to; his
indenture
An indenture is a legal contract that reflects or covers a debt or purchase obligation. It specifically refers to two types of practices: in historical usage, an indentured servant status, and in modern usage, it is an instrument used for commercia ...
with Lancaster stated that if Lancaster were attacked by overwhelming numbers, then Edward "shall rescue him in one way or another".
The garrison of Aiguillon, some 900 men, sortied repeatedly to interrupt the French operations, while Lancaster concentrated the main Anglo-Gascon force at
La Réole, some away, as a threat. Duke John was never able to fully
blockade the town, and found that his own supply lines were seriously harassed. On one occasion Grosmont used his main force to escort a large supply train into the town.
In July the main English army landed in northern France and moved towards Paris. Philip VI repeatedly ordered his son, Duke John, to break off the siege and bring his army north. Duke John, considering it a matter of honour, refused. By August, the French supply system had broken down, there was a
dysentery
Dysentery (UK pronunciation: , US: ), historically known as the bloody flux, is a type of gastroenteritis that results in bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, and a feeling of incomplete defecation. Complications ...
epidemic in their camp, desertion was rife and Philip's orders were becoming imperious. On 20 August the French abandoned the siege and their camp and marched away. Six days later the main French army was decisively beaten in the
Battle of Crécy
The Battle of Crécy took place on 26 August 1346 in northern France between a French army commanded by King PhilipVI and an English army led by King EdwardIII. The French attacked the English while they were traversing northern France du ...
with very heavy losses, before Duke John's army could reinforce them. The English then
laid siege to the port of Calais.
Philip vacillated: on the day the siege of Calais began he disbanded most of his army, to save money and was convinced that Edward had finished his chevauchée (large-scale mounted raid) and would proceed to Flanders to ship his army home. On or shortly after 7September, Duke John made contact with Philip, having shortly before disbanded his own army. On 9September Philip announced that the army would reassemble at
Compiègne
Compiègne (; pcd, Compiène) is a commune in the Oise department in northern France. It is located on the river Oise. Its inhabitants are called ''Compiégnois''.
Administration
Compiègne is the seat of two cantons:
* Compiègne-1 (with 19 c ...
on 1October, an impossibly short interval, and then march to the relief of Calais. Among other consequences, this equivocation allowed Grosmont in the south-west to launch offensives into
Quercy and the
Bazadais; and himself lead a chevauchée north through
Saintonge
Saintonge may refer to:
*County of Saintonge, a historical province of France on the Atlantic coast
*Saintonge (region), a region of France corresponding to the historical province
Places
*Saint-Genis-de-Saintonge, a commune in the Charente-Mari ...
,
Aunis and
Poitou, capturing numerous towns, castles and smaller fortified places and storming the rich city of
Poitiers
Poitiers (, , , ; Poitevin: ''Poetàe'') is a city on the River Clain in west-central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and the historical centre of Poitou. In 2017 it had a population of 88,291. Its agglomerat ...
. These offensives completely disrupted the French defences in the region and shifted the focus of the fighting from the heart of Gascony to or more beyond its borders. Few French troops had arrived at Compiègne by 1October and as Philip and his court waited for the numbers to swell, news of Lancaster's conquests came in. Believing that Lancaster was heading for Paris, the French changed the assembly point for any men not already committed to Compiègne to Orléans, and reinforced them with some of those already mustered, to block this. After Lancaster turned south to head back to Gascony, those Frenchmen already at or heading towards Orléans were redirected to Compiègne; French planning collapsed into chaos.
Duke of Lancaster
In 1345, while Grosmont was in France, his father died. The younger Henry was now
Earl of Lancaster – the wealthiest and most powerful peer of the realm. He also inherited the
Barony of Halton. After he participated in the Siege of Calais in 1347, the king honoured Lancaster by including him as a founding member and the second knight of the
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George C ...
in 1348. In the same year
Alice de Lacy
Alice de Lacy, ''suo jure'' Countess of Lincoln, ''suo jure'' 5th Countess of Salisbury (25 December 1281 – 2 October 1348) was an English peeress.
Life
Born on Christmas Day 1281 at Denbigh Castle, Alice was the only daughter and heir of ...
died and her life holdings (which she had retained after Thomas of Lancaster was executed), including the Honour of Bolingbroke and
Bolingbroke Castle, passed to Grosmont. In 1351 Edward bestowed an even greater honour on Lancaster when he created him
Duke of Lancaster. The title of
duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
was of relatively new origin in England; only one other English ducal title had previously existed.
In addition to this, the dukedom was given
palatinate powers over the
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
of
Lancashire
Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly.
The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...
, which entitled Grosmont to administer it virtually independently of the crown. This grant was quite exceptional in English history; only two other counties palatine existed: County Durham, Durham, which was an ancient episcopal palatinate, and Chester, which was held by the crown. It is a sign of Edward's high regard for Lancaster that he bestowed such extensive privileges on him. The two men were second cousins through their great-grandfather King Henry III of England, Henry III and practically coeval (Edward was born in 1312), so it is natural to assume that a strong sense of camaraderie existed between them. Another factor that might have influenced the King's decision was the fact that Henry had no male heir, so the grant of the earldom was effectively made for Grosmont's lifetime only, and not expected to be hereditary.
1350–1352
Grosmont was present at the naval victory at the Battle of Winchelsea in 1350, where he allegedly saved the lives of the Edward, the Black Prince, and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, John of Gaunt, sons of Edward III. The years 1351–1352 he spent on Northern Crusades, crusade in Old Prussians, Prussia. Here he quarrelled with Otto, Duke of Brunswick. This almost led to a duel between the two men in Paris, which was only averted by the personal intervention of the French king.
1356
Normandy
In 1355 full-scale war between England and France flared up again. By 1356 money and enthusiasm for the war were running out in France. The modern historian Jonathan Sumption, Lord Sumption, Jonathan Sumption describes the French national administration as "fall
ngapart in jealous acrimony and recrimination". Much of the north of France was openly defying John and a contemporary chronicler recorded "the King of France was severely hated in his own realm". Arras rebelled and its citizens killed loyalists. The major nobles of Normandy refused to pay taxes. On 5 April 1356 they were dining at the table of John's eldest son (the ), Charles V of France, Charles, when John arrived, accompanied by armed men, and arrested ten of the most outspoken; four were summarily executed. One of those imprisoned was the notoriously treacherous Charles of Navarre, one of the largest landholders in Normandy. The Norman nobles who had not been arrested, sent to Kingdom of Navarre, Navarre for reinforcements. On receiving news of this, Louis began raising troops. The Norman nobles also turned to Edward for assistance. John's army took control of most of Normandy and laid siege to those rebel-held fortifications which refused to surrender. John's son Charles, who as well as being the was the Duke of Normandy, took charge of suppressing these holdouts.
![Carte Normandie Historique](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a2/Carte_Normandie_Historique.png)
Navarre's partisans negotiated an alliance with Edward. The English had been preparing an expedition to Duchy of Brittany, Brittany under Grosmont, as part of the
War of the Breton Succession. Edward diverted this to Normandy to support the French rebels. On 1 June 1356 an initial force of 140
men-at-arms
A man-at-arms was a soldier of the High Medieval to Renaissance periods who was typically well-versed in the use of arms and served as a fully-armoured heavy cavalryman. A man-at-arms could be a knight, or other nobleman, a member of a knig ...
, 200 archers and 1,400 horses left Southampton in 48 ships for the beaches near St. Vaast la Hogue in the north-east Cotentin. Horses transported in the ships of the day needed several days rest to recover, otherwise, they were liable to collapse, or even die, when ridden. On 18 June Grosmont arrived and brought the English strength up to 500 men-at-arms and 800
longbowmen
A longbow (known as warbow in its time, in contrast to a hunting bow) is a type of tall bow that makes a fairly long draw possible. A longbow is not significantly recurved. Its limbs are relatively narrow and are circular or D-shaped in cross ...
. They were reinforced by 200 Normans under Philip, Count of Longueville, Philip of Navarre. The English commander Robert Knolles joined Lancaster in Montebourg with a further 800 men detached from English garrisons in Brittany. The historian Clifford J. Rogers, Clifford Rogers suggests that these 2,300 men were reinforced by up to 1,700 men from Navarrese-held fortifications over the following month.
Chevauchée
Lancaster's main objective was to relieve the besieged Navarrese strongholds of Pont-Audemer, Breteuil, Eure, Breteuil and Tillières-sur-Avre. Lancaster's small army set off into French-controlled Normandy on 24 June. Their journey took the form of a . All participants were mounted and moved relatively rapidly for armies of the period. Villages were looted and razed, as were towns and fortifications weak enough to be easily captured; stronger places were ignored. Parties spread out from the main line of travel so that a broad swathe of France was pillaged and devastated. Grosmont was prepared for a set-piece battle if necessary, but was not actively seeking one. His small army arrived at Pont-Audemer after covering more than in four days. The town was close to falling, as the French had nearly succeeded in driving Tunnel warfare, mines under its walls. They fled on hearing of Grosmont's approach, abandoning their baggage and siege equipment. The English spent two days provisioning the town and filling in the French excavations. Detaching 100 men to reinforce the garrison, Grosmont marched south on 2 July. On the 4th he reached Conches-en-Ouche, stormed it and razed it. The next day Breteuil was reached, its besiegers having retired in good order, and was resupplied sufficiently to stand a siege for a year.
Meanwhile, John had left Chartres with a large force, initially establishing himself at Mantes. When Grosmont marched east, John believed he was striking for Rouen, and moved his army there. John also took steps to block the fords across the Seine, in the belief Grosmont may have been heading for Calais. Once it became clear Grosmont was moving south from Pont-Audemer, John followed. Just to the south of Breteuil was the capital of lower Normandy, Verneuil-sur-Avre, Verneuil. The English continued their march on 4 July to Verneuil, seized it, looted it and took prisoner anyone whom it was considered might be worth a ransom. The richest men in the district had fortified themselves in Verneuil's strong keep with their families and valuables. The historian Alfred Burne hypothesises that French siege equipment had been captured at Pont-Audemer and made storming fortified places a more viable proposition than earlier in the , when they were avoided. In any event, the keep was assaulted; many English are recorded as being wounded, but none were killed. At 6:00 am on the 6th its defenders negotiated a surrender: they were permitted to leave, but on condition they abandon all of their possessions. These were looted and the keep was then demolished. The attack on Verneuil was probably motivated by the prospect of looting a rich town; no attempt was made to relieve Navarrese-held Tillières-sur-Avre, to the east.
![JeanIIdFrance](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1d/JeanIIdFrance.jpg)
By the time the demolition of the keep at Verneuil was complete, on the evening of 6 July, reports on the approach of the French army were being received. It was much stronger than the English force; Rogers describes it as "vastly superior ... in numbers" with perhaps ten times the number of men. It had moved to Condé-sur-Iton from Rouen and so was from the freshly provisioned Breteuil and only from Verneuil. On the 7th Grosmont rested his men and horses, but they did so in battle order outside Verneuil in case of a French attack. The French at Condé-sur-Iton also rested, having marched hard to get there in two days from Rouen; John probably also wished for all of his stragglers and detachments to join his army before offering battle. On the 8th the English marched west to L'Aigle. The French army was 2 or 3 miles (3 to 5 km) away. John sent heralds to Grosmont inviting him to commit his force to a formal battle. Lancaster replied ambiguously, but John, convinced that Grosmont's main reason for landing in Normandy was to seek a battle, believed an agreement to fight the next day had been reached and camped for the night.
The next morning the French prepared themselves for battle, watched from a distance by a detachment of Navarrese cavalry, and moved off at noon. The English had broken camp during the night and set off on a long march of to Argentan. Attempting a pursuit was clearly hopeless, so the French returned to Breteuil and re-established their siege. A force was sent to Tillières-sur-Avre, which promptly capitulated. The English returned to Montebourg on 13 July. In 22 days the English had travelled , a remarkable effort for the period. The three-week expedition had been very successful: two of the besieged towns had been resupplied, the participants had seized a large amount of loot, including many horses, damage had been done to the French economy and prestige, the alliance with the Norman nobles had been cemented, there had been few casualties and the French King had been distracted from the Black Prince's preparations for a greater in south-west France.
Loire campaign
![Pont de Dumnacus-1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Pont_de_Dumnacus-1.jpg)
In August 1356 Grosmont marched south from eastern
Brittany
Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo language, Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, Historical region, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known ...
in another . It was his intention to join the army of Edward, the Black Prince, the eldest son of Edward III. This had marched north from Bergerac on 8 August. It was planned that the two would meet in the general vicinity of Tours. Grosmont brought with him from Normandy 2,500 men. He also had under his command over 2,000 men garrisoning the English-held fortifications of Brittany. The extent to which he added the men from these garrisons to the troops from Normandy is not known. Due to the unseasonable fullness of the River Loire, across which the French had destroyed or strongly fortified all the bridges, Lancaster was unable to effect a junction. In early September he abandoned the attempt to force a crossing at Les Ponts-de-Cé and returned to Brittany. En route he captured and garrisoned a substantial number of French strongpoints.
The Black Prince also returned towards his starting point, but his delay in waiting for Lancaster near Tours enabled a French army under the command of their king to overtake him. As a result the Prince was forced to commit to the Battle of Poitiers, where the French were heavily defeated and King John was captured.
1356–1360
Returning to Brittany from the Loire campaign, Grosmont Siege of Rennes (1356–1357), laid siege to its capital, Rennes. He participated in the last great offensive of the first phase of the Hundred Years' War: the Rheims campaign of 1359–1360. Then he was appointed principal negotiator for the Treaty of Brétigny. This ended the Hundred Year's War with the English achieving very favourable terms.
Death and burial
After returning to England in November 1360, he fell ill early the next year, and died at Leicester Castle on 23 March 1361. It is possible that the cause of death was the Bubonic plague, plague, which that year was making a second visitation to England. Mortimer argues against the plague being the cause of death, as Grosmont made his will ten days before his death, a space of time inconsistent with the usual swift progress of the plague and his illness and death in early 1361 is inconsistent with reports of the spread of plague in England beginning in May. He was buried in the Church of the Annunciation of Our Lady of the Newarke, Leicester, which he had built within the religious and charitable institution founded by his father next to Leicester Castle, and where he had reburied his father some years previously.
By the time of his death, Grosmont had participated in 15 military missions, leading 6 of them; been the King's lieutenant 7 times; led 6 significant embassies; and taken part in 12 truce conferences. A chronicler writing thirty-five years after his death described him as "one of the best warriors in the world".
Personal life
![Le_Livre_de_Seynt_Medicines,_f](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3d/Le_Livre_de_Seynt_Medicines%2C_f.1r.png)
Grosmont's mother died when he was about 12 and he first appears in official records at the age of 14. At about age 18, he married Isabel of Beaumont; daughter of
Henry de Beaumont
Henry de Beaumont (before 1280 – 10 March 1340), ''jure uxoris'' 4th Earl of Buchan and ''suo jure'' 1st Baron Beaumont, was a key figure in the Anglo-Scots wars of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, known as the Wars of Scottish Inde ...
,
Earl of Buchan and veteran campaigner of the
First War of Scottish Independence.
[; ] He and Isabel had two daughters. The eldest was Maud, Countess of Leicester, Maud of Lancaster (4 April 1340 – 10 April 1362), who married William I, Duke of Bavaria in 1352. The younger was Blanche of Lancaster (25 March 1345/1347 – 12 September 1368), who married her third cousin John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, John of Gaunt (1340–1399), the third of five surviving sons of Edward III. Gaunt inherited Lancaster's possessions, and he was granted the ducal title the following year, but it was not until 1377, when Edward was largely incapacitated, that Gaunt was able to recover the palatinate rights for the County of Lancaster. When Gaunt's son by Blanche, Henry IV of England, Henry of Bolingbroke, usurped the crown in 1399 and became King Henry IV, the vast Lancaster inheritance, including the Honour of Bolingbroke and the Lordship of Bowland, was merged with the Crown as the Duchy of Lancaster.
Character
More is known about Lancaster's character than that of most of his contemporaries through his memoirs, the Le Livre de Seyntz Medicines, ''Livre de Seyntz Medicines'' ("Book of the Holy Doctors"), a highly personal treatise on matters of religion and piety, also containing details of historical interest. It reveals that Lancaster, at the age of 44 when he wrote the book in 1354, suffered from gout. The book is primarily a devotional work, organised around seven wounds which Henry claimed to have received, representing the seven deadly sins. Lancaster confesses to his sins, explains various real and mythical medical remedies in terms of their theological symbolism, and exhorts the reader to greater morality.
Genealogical table
A third generation of the House of Lancaster, Henry was related to the most prominent people in early 14th-century England.
Notes
References
Sources
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External links
Online version of ''Livre de seyntz medicines''(in the original Anglo-Norman language, Anglo-Norman)
Inquisition Post Mortem#118, dated 1361.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Grosmont, Henry of Duke of Lancaster
1310s births
1361 deaths, Lancaster, Henry of Grosmont, Duke of
Year of birth uncertain
House of Plantagenet, Henry of Grosmost
Dukes of Lancaster
Lord High Stewards, Lancaster, Henry of Grosmont, Duke of
Garter Knights appointed by Edward III
14th-century deaths from plague (disease), Lancaster, Henry of Grosmont, Duke of
14th-century English nobility, Lancaster, Henry
14th-century English Navy personnel
Medieval Christian devotional writers
English people of the Wars of Scottish Independence
Male Shakespearean characters
Earls of Leicester (1265 creation), 4th Earl of Leicester
Earls of Derby
14th-century English writers, Lancaster
Peers created by Edward III
Barons of Halton
Earls of Lancaster