14th-century English prince and nobleman
Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent
(5 August 1301 – 19 March 1330), whose seat was
Arundel Castle
in Sussex,
[1]
was the sixth son of King
Edward I of England
, and the second by his second wife
Margaret of France
, and was a younger half-brother of King
Edward II
. Edward I had intended to make substantial grants of land to Edmund, but when the king died in 1307, Edward II refused to respect his father's intentions, mainly due to his
favouritism
towards
Piers Gaveston
. Edmund remained loyal to his brother, and in 1321 he was created
Earl of Kent
. He played an important part in Edward's administration as diplomat and military commander and in 1321?22 helped suppress a
rebellion
.
Discontent against the King grew and eventually affected Edmund. The discontent was largely caused by Edward's preference for his new favourites,
Hugh Despenser the Younger
and
his father
. In 1326, Edmund joined a rebellion led by
Queen Isabella
and
Roger Mortimer
, whereby King Edward II was deposed. Edmund failed to get along with the new administration, and in 1330 he was caught planning a new rebellion and executed.
Once the new king,
Edward III
, came of age and assumed personal control of the government, he posthumously annulled the charges against his uncle. The title and estates of the Earl of Kent descended on Edmund's son, also called
Edmund
. When this Edmund died, in 1331, his brother
John
became earl. Though he was officially exonerated, Edmund did not enjoy a great reputation during his life and afterwards, due to his unreliable political dealings.
Family background and early years
[
edit
]
Edward I of England
had a great number of children with his first wife,
Eleanor of Castile
, but only one son who survived into adulthood ? the future
Edward II
(born 1284).
[a]
After Eleanor died, the king married
Margaret of France
, with whom he had two children who survived to adulthood:
Thomas
(born 1300) and, when the king was sixty-two, Edmund.
[2]
[b]
Edmund was born at
Woodstock
in
Oxfordshire
on 5 August 1301, and was therefore referred to as Edmund of Woodstock.
[3]
Son of the English king, he was also, through his mother, grandson of
Philip III of France
.
[3]
On 7 July 1307, before Edmund had turned six, King Edward I died, leaving Edmund's half-brother Edward to succeed as King Edward II.
[4]
Though not resident in the two boys' household, Edward I had taken great interest in the princes' upbringing and well-being.
[5]
Before he died, the king had promised to provide Edmund with substantial grants of land. In August 1306, Edward I signed a
charter
promising Edmund land worth 7000
marks
a year, and in May 1307, 1000 marks were added to this.
[6]
He probably intended to give the
earldom of Norfolk
to Thomas, while Edmund would receive the
earldom of Cornwall
, which had been left vacant after Edward I's cousin
Edmund
died without children in 1300.
[6]
When Edward II came to the throne, however, he went against his father's wishes by granting the earldom of Cornwall to his
favourite
Piers Gaveston
.
[7]
According to the chronicle
Vita Edwardi Secundi
, this act was a grave insult to the king's younger brothers.
[8]
Edward II, nevertheless, took steps to provide his half-brother with an income; grants made in 1315 and 1319 secured Edmund 2000 marks a year.
[3]
In May 1321, Edmund received the strategically important
Gloucester Castle
, and further grants followed his creation as
Earl of Kent
on 28 July 1321.
[9]
[c]
Edward II's close relationship with Gaveston had been a source of conflict at court, and Gaveston's execution by a group of rebellious barons in 1312 had brought the country to the brink of civil war.
[10]
As Edmund came of age, he became an important member of the circle around his brother. In 1318, the
Treaty of Leake
was drafted as an effort to reconcile the opposing parties, and Edmund ? as his first public act ? was among the witnesses to sign this treaty.
[11]
Further official appointments followed. In the spring of 1320 he took part in an embassy to
Pope John XXII
in
Avignon
, where the mission was to absolve the king of his oath to uphold the
Ordinances
, a set of restrictions imposed on royal authority by the baronage.
[11]
Later that year, he joined his brother the king in
Amiens
, where Edward was paying
homage
to the French king.
[12]
In October 1320, Edmund attended his first parliament.
[3]
Civil war
[
edit
]
As the political conflict escalated into full-scale
rebellion
in 1321?22, Edmund played an important role in its suppression. The opposition stemmed from resentment against the king's new favourites,
Hugh Despenser the Younger
and
Hugh Despenser the Elder
.
[13]
When
Bartholomew Badlesmere
,
steward of the royal household
, defected to the opposition, Edward made his youngest brother
Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports
in place of Badlesmere on 16 June.
[9]
In the parliament of July 1321, Edmund briefly sided with the opposition when he agreed to exile the Despensers, but later claimed this had been done under duress, and in November sat on the council that annulled the exile.
[3]
In October, Edmund was once more employed in a move against Badlesmere, when he took part in a siege on
Leeds Castle
in
Kent
, which was held by Badlesmere.
[3]
After Badlesmere was forced to surrender, hostilities moved to the
Welsh Marches
, where
Roger Mortimer
and others were in open revolt.
[14]
Once confronted with the royal army, Mortimer surrendered without a fight, and attention turned to the leader of the baronial opposition,
Thomas of Lancaster
. Edmund, who had taken part in the Marcher campaign, was now ordered, with the
Earl of Surrey
, to take Lancaster's castle of
Pontefract
.
[15]
On 17 March 1322, Lancaster was captured after his defeat at the
Battle of Boroughbridge
and brought to Pontefract.
[16]
Here, Edmund was on the jury that condemned him to death for
treason
.
[d]
Even with Lancaster defeated, the battle against the rebels was not over. Edmund was charged with overtaking
Wallingford Castle
from
Maurice de Berkeley
in January 1323, a task which he fulfilled with great success.
[3]
For his loyalty, Edmund was rewarded with substantial holdings in Wales, primarily land forfeited by Roger Mortimer.
[e]
The greater part of the spoils of war, however, went to the Despensers, who both benefited greatly from the forfeiture of the rebels. By 1326, the Despensers, father and son respectively, enjoyed incomes of £3,800 and £7,000, while Edmund's annual income was at only 2,355
marks
(£1,570).
[17]
Scotland and France
[
edit
]
With domestic opposition largely neutralised, the king turned his attention to Scotland. A major campaign was organised in August, but the effort ended in total failure when the English were routed by the Scots, led by
Robert the Bruce
, at the
Battle of Old Byland
on 14 October 1322.
[18]
Edward II himself had to flee the battlefield to avoid capture, and Edmund was with him as the royal army retreated to
York
.
[19]
The king's inability to handle the Scottish situation was becoming apparent.
Andrew Harclay
, who had defeated Lancaster at Boroughbridge, and for this had been created
Earl of Carlisle
and appointed
Warden of the Marches to Scotland
, signed a peace treaty with the Scots without royal sanction in January 1323.
[20]
When the king found out, he ordered Harclay's arrest. Edmund was one of the judges who passed judgement on Harclay, who was
hanged, drawn and quartered
for treason.
[3]
With Harclay gone, Edmund was given responsibilities for the defence of the northern border, but the situation remained untenable.
[9]
On 30 May 1323, Edmund was on the council that agreed to a thirteen-year truce with Scotland.
[3]
Meanwhile, the English king's possessions in France were coming under threat from the French king.
Charles IV of France
demanded that Edward again pay
homage
for his
Duchy of Aquitaine
,
[f]
while at the same time threatening to confiscate the
duchy
under the pretext of a local dispute involving the priory at
Saint-Sardos
.
[21]
In April 1324, Edmund and
Alexander de Bicknor
,
Archbishop of Dublin
, were sent to France on a diplomatic mission.
[22]
While some historians have criticised Edmund for his failure to reach a diplomatic settlement,
[23]
others have pointed to the difficult circumstances he faced, and how others had fared little better.
[17]
When diplomacy failed, Edmund was appointed Edward's
lieutenant in Aquitaine
on 20 July 1324.
[3]
Though there was a desperate need for reinforcements from England, these never arrived.
[24]
In
the short war
that followed, the English lands were quickly overrun by the French, and Edmund was besieged at
La Reole
. Here he held out until 22 September, at which point he was forced to surrender and agree to a six-month truce.
[24]
Deposition of Edward II
[
edit
]
Edward II's refusal to pay homage to the French king was based on concern for his royal sovereignty, but also on fear of a potential resurgence of domestic resistance.
[25]
For this reason, he sent his wife
Isabella
to negotiate with King Charles, who was her brother.
[26]
The Queen departed for France on 9 March 1325, and in September she was joined by her son, the heir to the throne, Prince
Edward
.
[27]
Isabella's negotiations were successful, and it was agreed that the young Prince Edward would perform homage in the king's place, which he did on 24 September.
[3]
Not long after this, Edmund joined the queen and prince in Paris. A circle of opposition was emerging around the queen, including the exiled Roger Mortimer. Edmund, who had previously been steadfast in his support for his half-brother, now joined the plot against the king.
[28]
Though he still distrusted Mortimer, his hatred for the Despensers seems to have been even greater at this point.
[29]
When Edmund, along with the others, ignored the king's order to return to England, his lands were confiscated in March 1326.
[3]
In September, Isabella and Mortimer invaded England with mercenary soldiers, and Edmund took part in the invasion.
[30]
The invasion won the support of a great part of the English nobility, including Edmund's brother Thomas, and
Henry, Earl of Lancaster
, Thomas of Lancaster's brother.
[31]
Edmund took part in the trials of the two Despensers, and in the council transferring power to Prince Edward, who was crowned King Edward III.
[3]
For his participation in the coup, Edmund received a reward of land belonging to the Despensers, and the
Earl of Arundel
, who was also executed as a supporter of Edward II.
[3]
As the Northern situation was still difficult, Edmund was given joint command of the
Scottish Border
with Lancaster, but the two fell out, and Lancaster was soon after given sole command.
[32]
It did not take long for Edmund to grow disenchanted with the new regime; one source of contention was the dominant position at the court of Mortimer, who has been described as Isabella's lover.
[33]
In the autumn of 1328, Edmund and his brother Thomas joined Henry of Lancaster in a conspiracy against Isabella and Mortimer. The conspiracy was a product of shared interest, however, rather than strong personal ties. Once it became clear that it would fail, the two brothers abandoned the venture.
[34]
Death and aftermath
[
edit
]
After participating in the planned rebellion, Edmund became less popular at court. He was still allowed to accompany the king's wife
Philippa
to her coronation in February 1330, but his appearances at court became less frequent.
[3]
At this point he became involved in another plot against the court, when he was convinced by rumours that his brother was still alive.
[35]
[g]
It later emerged that Roger Mortimer himself was responsible for leading Edmund into this belief, in a form of entrapment.
[36]
The plot was revealed, and in the parliament of March 1330 Edmund was indicted and condemned to death as a traitor.
[35]
Upon hearing that the verdict was death, the condemned earl pleaded with Edward III for his life, offering to walk from Winchester to London with a rope around his neck as a sign of atonement, but leniency was blocked by Mortimer and the queen. It was almost impossible to find anyone willing to perform the execution of a man of royal blood, until a convicted murderer eventually beheaded Edmund in exchange for a pardon.
[3]
Edmund's body was initially buried in a
Franciscan
church in
Winchester
, but it was removed to
Westminster Abbey
in 1331.
[37]
The execution of a royal prince was a great provocation to the seventeen-year-old Edward III, who had not been involved in the decision, and it probably contributed to the king's decision to rise up against his protector.
[38]
In October 1330, Edward III carried out a coup installing himself in personal control of the government, and Mortimer was executed.
[39]
Among the charges against Mortimer was that of procuring Edmund's death, and the charges against the late Earl of Kent were annulled.
[40]
In late 1325, Edmund had married
Margaret Wake
, sister of
Thomas Wake, Baron Wake of Liddell
, and the couple had several children.
[3]
His lands and titles descended on his oldest son by the same name, but this
Edmund
himself died in October 1331. The earldom then passed to the younger son
John
.
[41]
Edmund was not particularly popular while he was alive, nor did he enjoy a good reputation after his death. His unreliability in political issues, and repeated shifts in allegiance, might have contributed to this. His household was also said to behave in a way that caused popular resentment, taking provisions as they passed through the countryside while offering little compensation.
[3]
At the same time, it has been pointed out that Edmund showed a great deal of loyalty to Edward II, in spite of receiving relatively little rewards and recognition from his brother.
[42]
Children
[
edit
]
Ancestry
[
edit
]
Ancestors of Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent
[43]
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Notes
[
edit
]
a.
^
A detailed account of the children of Edward I can be found in
Michael Prestwich
's biography of the king.
[44]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Edmund FitzAlan, 9th Earl of Arundel
of Arundel Castle was executed in 1326 for his part in the rebellion against King Edward II, whereupon Arundel Castle was forfeited to the crown, and was granted by Edward II to his half-brother Edmund of Woodstock
- ^
Marshall (2006), p. 190.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
Waugh (2004).
- ^
Prestwich (1997), pp. 556?557.
- ^
Marshall (2006), p. 197.
- ^
a
b
Lawne (2010), p. 28.
- ^
McKisack (1959), p. 3.
- ^
Lawne (2010), p. 29.
- ^
a
b
c
Lawne (2010), p. 31.
- ^
Prestwich (2007), pp. 188?9.
- ^
a
b
Lawne (2010), p. 30.
- ^
Phillips (1972), p. 192.
- ^
Prestwich (2007), pp. 197?8.
- ^
Prestwich (2007), p. 198.
- ^
McKisack (1959), p. 66.
- ^
Maddicott (1970), pp. 311?2.
- ^
a
b
Lawne (2010), p. 33.
- ^
Barrow (1965), p. 317.
- ^
Lawne (2010), p. 32.
- ^
Phillips (1972), p. 229.
- ^
Prestwich (2007), p. 303.
- ^
Phillips (1972), p. 232.
- ^
McKisack (1959), p. 109.
- ^
a
b
Lawne (2010), p. 34.
- ^
McKisack (1959), pp. 108?9.
- ^
Tuck (1985), p. 88.
- ^
Lawne (2010), p. 35.
- ^
Prestwich (2007), p. 215.
- ^
McKisack (1959), p. 93.
- ^
McKisack (1959), pp. 82?3.
- ^
Tuck (1985), p. 90.
- ^
Tuck (1985), p. 97.
- ^
Haines (2003), p. 216.
- ^
Tuck (1985), pp. 99?100.
- ^
a
b
McKisack (1959), p. 100.
- ^
Prestwich (2007), p. 223.
- ^
Lawne (2010), p. 47.
- ^
Given-Wilson (1996), p. 33.
- ^
Prestwich (2007), pp. 223?4.
- ^
Tuck (1985), p. 103.
- ^
Powicke (1961), p. 434.
- ^
Lawne (2010), pp. 46?7.
- ^
Watson, G.W. (1895).
"The Seize Quartiers of the Kings and Queens of England"
. In H.W. Forsyth Harwood (ed.).
The Genealogist
. New Series. Vol. 11. Exeter: William Pollard & Co. pp. 30 (father), 79 (mother).
- ^
Prestwich (1988), pp. 122?33.
Bibliography
[
edit
]
- Barrow, G. W. S.
(1965).
Robert Bruce and the Community of the Realm of Scotland
. London: Eyre & Spottiswoode.
ISBN
9780748620227
.
- Denholm?Young, Noel
(1969).
The Country Gentry in the Fourteenth Century: With Special Reference to the Heraldic Rolls of Arms
. Oxford: Clarendon.
ISBN
0198223013
.
- Given-Wilson, Chris (1996).
The English Nobility in the Late Middle Ages
. London: Routledge.
ISBN
0415148839
.
- Haines, Roy Martin (2003).
King Edward II: Edward of Caernarfon, His Life, His Reign, and Its Aftermath, 1284?1330
. Montreal, London: McGill-Queens University Press.
ISBN
9780773524323
.
- Lawne, Penny (2010). "Edmund of Woodstock, Earl of Kent (1301?1330): a study of personal loyalty". In Chris Given-Wilson (ed.).
Fourteenth Century England VI
. Boydell & Brewer. pp. 27?48.
ISBN
9781843835301
. Retrieved
12 May
2011
.
- Marshall, Alison (2006). "The childhood and household of Edward II's half-brothers, Thomas of Brotherton and Edmund of Woodstock". In Gwilym Dodd; Anthony Musson (eds.).
The Reign of Edward II: New Perspectives
. Boydell & Brewer. pp. 190?204.
ISBN
9781903153192
.
- McKisack, May
(1959).
The Fourteenth Century: 1307?1399
. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
ISBN
0198217129
.
- Maddicot, J.R.
(1970).
Thomas of Lancaster, 1307?1322
. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
ISBN
0198218370
.
OCLC
132766
.
- Phillips, J.R.S.
(1972).
Aymer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke 1307?1324
. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
ISBN
0198223595
.
OCLC
426691
.
- Powicke, Maurice
; E.B. Fryde (1961).
Handbook of British Chronology
(2nd ed.). London:
Royal Historical Society
.
- Prestwich, Michael
(1980).
The Three Edwards: War and State in England 1272?1377
. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson.
ISBN
0297777300
.
OCLC
185679701
.
- Prestwich, Michael (1997) [1988].
Edward I
(updated ed.). New Haven: Yale University Press.
ISBN
0300072090
.
- Prestwich, Michael (2007).
Plantagenet England: 1225-1360
(new ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
ISBN
978-0198228448
.
- Tuck, Anthony
(1985).
Crown and Nobility 1272-1461: Political Conflict in Late Medieval England
. London: Fontana.
ISBN
0006860842
.
- Waugh, Scott L. (2004). "Edmund, first earl of Kent (1301?1330)".
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
doi
:
10.1093/ref:odnb/8506
.
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- Illegitimate:
Joan, Lady of Wales
- Richard FitzRoy
- Oliver FitzRoy
- Geoffrey FitzRoy
- John FitzRoy
- Henry FitzRoy
- Osbert Gifford
- Eudes FitzRoy
- Bartholomew FitzRoy
- Maud FitzRoy
- Isabel FitzRoy
- Philip FitzRoy
- William de Forz
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- Illegitimate: Edmund Leboorde
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