Henry Beaufort, 2nd Earl of Somerset (''probably'' 26 November 1401 – 25 November 1418) was an English nobleman who died aged 17 at the
Siege of Rouen in France during 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, ...
, fighting for the Lancastrian cause. As he died unmarried without issue his heir became his younger brother
John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset, 3rd Earl of Somerset.
Origins
He was the eldest son and heir of
John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset (1371-1410), the eldest of the four legitimised sons of
John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster (a younger son of King Edward III) by his mistress
Katherine Swynford
Katherine Swynford, Duchess of Lancaster (born Katherine de Roet, – 10 May 1403), also spelled Katharine or Catherine, was the third wife of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the fourth (but third surviving) son of King Edward III.
Daughter o ...
. His mother was
Margaret Holland
Margaret is a female first name, derived via French () and Latin () from grc, μαργαρίτης () meaning "pearl". The Greek is borrowed from Persian.
Margaret has been an English name since the 11th century, and remained popular through ...
(1385-1439), a daughter of
Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent, the son of
Joan "the Fair Maid of Kent", a grand-daughter of King
Edward I
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 vassal o ...
and wife of
Edward the Black Prince (eldest brother of John of Gaunt) and mother of King
Richard II
Richard II (6 January 1367 – ), also known as Richard of Bordeaux, was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. He was the son of Edward the Black Prince, Prince of Wales, and Joan, Countess of Kent. Richard's father died ...
Career
Henry succeeded his father as
Earl of Somerset
Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...
on 16 March 1410. During his minority his mother held his lands for him until he reached the age of 15.
Death and succession
He died aged sixteen at the
Siege of Rouen during 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, ...
, where he fought under the command of his uncle
Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter.
[Harriss, G.L, ''Cardinal Beaufort: A Study of Lancastrian Ascendancy and Decline'' (Oxford: Clarendon, 1988), 102.] He died unmarried and was succeeded by his younger brother
John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset, 3rd Earl of Somerset (1404-1444).
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Somerset, Henry Beaufort, 2nd Earl Of
1401 births
1418 deaths
Henry Beaufort, 2nd Earl of Somerset
Henry Beaufort, 2nd Earl of Somerset (''probably'' 26 November 1401 – 25 November 1418) was an English nobleman who died aged 17 at the Siege of Rouen (1418-1419), Siege of Rouen in France during the Hundred Years' War, fighting for the Lancastr ...
Earls of Somerset