John Beaufort, 1st Marquess of Somerset and 1st Marquess of Dorset, later only 1st Earl of Somerset, (c. 1373 – 16 March 1410) was an English nobleman and politician. He was the first of the four illegitimate children of

John of Gaunt John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster (6 March 1340 – 3 February 1399) was an English royal prince, military leader, and statesman. He was the fourth son (third to survive infancy as William of Hatfield died shortly after birth) of King Edward ...

(1340–1399) (third surviving son 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 ...

) 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. Daughte ...

, whom he later married in 1396. The Beaufort children were declared legitimate twice by parliament, first during the reign 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 ...

, in 1397, which was confirmed by Henry IV, as well as by

Pope Boniface IX Pope Boniface IX ( la, Bonifatius IX; it, Bonifacio IX; c. 1350 – 1 October 1404, born Pietro Tomacelli) was head of the Catholic Church from 2 November 1389 to his death in October 1404. He was the second Roman pope of the Western Schism.Rich ...

in September 1396.Michael K. Jones and Malcolm G. Underwood, ''The King's Mother: Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby'', (Cambridge University Press, 1995), 19-20. Even though they were the grandchildren of Edward III and next in the line of succession after their father's legitimate children by his first two wives, the Beauforts were barred from succession to the throne by their half-brother Henry IV.

Early life

Map Montmorency-Beaufort Champagne France

Beaufort's surname (properly ''de Beaufort'', "from Beaufort") probably reflects his birthplace at his father's castle and manor of

Beaufort Beaufort may refer to: People and titles * Beaufort (surname) * House of Beaufort, English nobility * Duke of Beaufort (England), a title in the peerage of England * Duke of Beaufort (France), a title in the French nobility Places Polar regions * ...

("beautiful stronghold") in Champagne, France. The Portcullis heraldic badge of the Beauforts, now the emblem of the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. T ...

, is believed to have been based on that of the castle of Beaufort, now demolished. Badge of the Portcullis Pursuivant

Between May and September 1390, Beaufort saw military service in North Africa in the

Barbary Crusade The Barbary Crusade, also called the Mahdia Crusade, was a Franco- Genoese military expedition in 1390 that led to the siege of Mahdia, then a stronghold of the Barbary pirates in Hafsidi Ifriqiya (geographically corresponding to modern Tunisi ...

led by

Louis II, Duke of Bourbon Louis de Bourbon, called the Good (4 February 1337 – 10 August 1410), son of Peter de Bourbon and Isabella de Valois (the sister of French King Philip VI), was the third Duke of Bourbon. Louis inherited the duchy after his father Duke Pe ...

. In 1394, he was in

Lithuania Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...

serving with the

Teutonic Knights The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem, commonly known as the Teutonic Order, is a Catholic religious institution founded as a military society in Acre, Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was formed to aid Christians o ...

. John was created

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", particul ...

on 10 February 1397,Pollard 158 just a few days after the legitimation of the Beaufort children was recognized by Parliament. The same month, he was also appointed Admiral of the Irish fleet, as well as Constable of

Dover Castle Dover Castle is a medieval castle in Dover, Kent, England and is Grade I listed. It was founded in the 11th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history. Some sources say it is th ...

and Warden of the Cinque Ports. In May, his admiralty was extended to include the

northern fleet Severnyy flot , image = Great emblem of the Northern Fleet.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Northern Fleet's great emblem , start_date = June 1, 1733; Sov ...

. That summer, the new earl became one of the noblemen who helped

free himself from the power of the Lords Appellant. As a reward, he was created Marquess of Somerset and

Marquess of Dorset The title Marquess of Dorset has been created three times in the Peerage of England. It was first created in 1397 for John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset, but he lost the title two years later. It was then created in 1442 for Edmund Beaufort, 1st ...

on 29 September, and sometime later that year he was made a

Knight 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 ...

and appointed Lieutenant of Aquitaine. In addition, two days before his elevation as a Marquess he married the king's niece,

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 througho ...

, sister of Thomas Holland, 1st Duke of Surrey, another of the counter-appellants. John remained in the king's favour even after his older half-brother

Henry Bolingbroke Henry IV ( April 1367 – 20 March 1413), also known as Henry Bolingbroke, was King of England from 1399 to 1413. He asserted the claim of his grandfather King Edward III, a maternal grandson of Philip IV of France, to the Kingdom of Fran ...

(later Henry IV) was banished from England in 1398.

Later career

After Richard II was deposed by Henry Bolingbroke in 1399, the new king rescinded the titles that had been given to the counter-appellants, and thus John Beaufort became merely

again. Nevertheless, he proved loyal to his half-brother's reign, serving in various military commands and on some important diplomatic missions. It was Beaufort who was given the confiscated estates of the

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peopl ...

rebel leader

Owain Glyndŵr Owain ap Gruffydd (), commonly known as Owain Glyndŵr or Glyn Dŵr (, anglicised as Owen Glendower), was a Welsh leader, soldier and military commander who led a 15 year long Welsh War of Independence with the aim of ending English rule in Wa ...

in 1400, although he would not have been able to take possession of these estates unless he had lived until after 1415. In 1404, he was named

Constable of England The Lord High Constable of England is the seventh of the Great Officers of State, ranking beneath the Lord Great Chamberlain and above the Earl Marshal. This office is now called out of abeyance only for coronations. The Lord High Constable w ...

Family

John Beaufort and his wife

, the daughter of Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent and Alice FitzAlan, had six children. His granddaughter

Lady Margaret Beaufort Lady Margaret Beaufort (usually pronounced: or ; 31 May 1441/43 – 29 June 1509) was a major figure in the Wars of the Roses of the late fifteenth century, and mother of King Henry VII of England, the first Tudor monarch. A descendant o ...

married Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond, the son of Dowager Queen

Catherine of Valois Catherine of Valois or Catherine of France (27 October 1401 – 3 January 1437) was Queen of England from 1420 until 1422. A daughter of Charles VI of France, she was married to Henry V of England and gave birth to his heir Henry VI of Englan ...

by Owen Tudor. John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset, died in the Hospital of St Katharine's by the Tower. He was buried in St Michael's Chapel in

Canterbury Cathedral Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, Kent, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian structures in England. It forms part of a World Heritage Site. It is the cathedral of the Archbishop of Canterbury, currently Justin Welby, leader of the ...

. His children included the following: *

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 in France during the Hundred Years' War, fighting for the Lancastrian cause. As he died unmar ...

(1401 – 25 November 1418) * John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset (baptised 25 March 1404 – 27 May 1444) – father of Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby, mother of King Henry VII of England * Joan Beaufort, Queen of Scotland (1404 – 15 July 1445) – married James I, King of Scots. * Thomas Beaufort, Count of Perche (1405 – 3 October 1431) *

Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset, 4th Earl of Somerset, 1st Earl of Dorset, 1st Marquess of Dorset styled 1st Count of Mortain, KG (140622 May 1455), was an English nobleman and an important figure during the Hundred Years' War. His rival ...

(1406 – 22 May 1455) *

Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Devon Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Devon (c. 1409 – 1449) was a great-granddaughter of King Edward III (1327–1377). Origins Margaret Beaufort was the second and youngestThe Complete Peerage, vol.IV, p.326, Earldom of Devon daughter of John Be ...

(1409–1449) – married Thomas de Courtenay, 13th Earl of Devon.

Appointments

Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports is a ceremonial official in the United Kingdom. The post dates from at least the 12th century, when the title was Keeper of the Coast, but may be older. The Lord Warden was originally in charge of the Cin ...

: 1398 * Admiral of the West: 1397 * Admiral of the Irish Fleet: 1397 * Lieutenant of Aquitaine: 1397 *

Admiral of the North and Western Fleets N, or n, is the fourteenth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''en'' (pronounced ), plural ''ens''. History ...

: 9 May 1398 – 15 November 1399 * Lord High Constable of England: 1404 *Admiral of the North and Western Fleets: May 1406 – June 1407

Arms

As a legitimised grandson of King Edward III, Beaufort bore that king's royal arms, differenced by a ''bordure gobony argent and azure''. File:Arms of John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset (Bastard).svg, Early arms of John Beaufort with a bend dexter File:Arms of John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset.svg, Beaufort arms (

ancient Ancient history is a time period from the beginning of writing and recorded human history to as far as late antiquity. The span of recorded history is roughly 5,000 years, beginning with the Sumerian cuneiform script. Ancient history cov ...

): ''Royal arms of King Edward III within a bordure compony argent and azure'' File:Beaufort Arms (France modern).svg, Beaufort arms (

modern Modern may refer to: History *Modern history ** Early Modern period ** Late Modern period *** 18th century *** 19th century *** 20th century ** Contemporary history * Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century Philosophy ...

): ''Quarterly, 1st & 4th: Azure, three fleurs de lis or (

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

); 2nd & 3rd: Gules, three lions passant guardant in pale or (

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

); all within a bordure compony argent and azure''Debrett's Peerage, 1968, p.125 Arms of Beaufort, legitimised progeny of John of Gaunt, 3rd surviving son of King Edward III: ''Royal arms of King Edward III within a bordure compony argent and azure'' (see

Royal arms of England The royal arms of England are the arms first adopted in a fixed form at the start of the age of heraldry (circa 1200) as personal arms by the Plantagenet kings who ruled England from 1154. In the popular mind they have come to symbolise the ...

). The arms were updated when the Kings of England adopted France modern, having been adopted by the King of France in 1376.

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was " ...

, an illegitimate son of Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset (1436–1464), took the surname "Somerset" together with the Beaufort arms and was created

Baron Herbert Baron Herbert is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created by writ in 1461 for William Herbert, who was later made Earl of Pembroke. The second Earl of Pembroke surrendered his earldom in return for the earldom of Huntingdon, which be ...

(1461) and Earl of Worcester (1513). In 1682 his descendant

Henry Somerset, 3rd Marquess of Worcester Henry may refer to: People *Henry (given name) *Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...

(1629–1700), was created

Duke of Beaufort Duke of Beaufort (), a title in the Peerage of England, was created by Charles II in 1682 for Henry Somerset, 3rd Marquess of Worcester, a descendant of Charles Somerset, 1st Earl of Worcester, legitimised son of Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of S ...

. These arms are thus used by Beaufort, Duke of Somerset (extinct) and Somerset, Duke of Beaufort (extant).

Ancestry

Notes

References

*Armitage-Smith, Sydney. ''John of Gaunt, King of Castile and Leon, Duke of Lancaster, &c.''. Constable, 1904. * * *Jones, Michael K, and Malcolm G. Underwood, ''The King's Mother: Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond and Derby''. Cambridge University Press, 1992. see especially pp. 17–22 * * *

External links

The Beaufort Family

{{DEFAULTSORT:Somerset, John Beaufort, 1st Earl of 1370s births 1410 deaths Year of birth uncertain 14th-century English Navy personnel 15th-century English Navy personnel John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset Christians of the Barbary Crusade Earls of Somerset English admirals Knights of the Garter Lord High Admirals of England Lords Warden of the Cinque Ports Marquesses in the Peerage of England Marquesses of Dorset Peers created by Richard II Younger sons of dukes