Seipp Family Genealogy:Information about Henry De Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland
Henry De Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland (b. 1341, d. 1407)
Notes for Henry De Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland:Henry, 11th Baron, 4th Lord Percy KG. and 1st Earl of Northumberland (1368 - 1409)
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Was twenty-six years of age when he succeeded and was created Earl of Northumberland on the 16th of July 1377. He had already seen service in the French wars in 1359 and 1363. In 1368 he was at Calais with King Edward, and also commanded an army in Poitu. In 1369 he returned to England sick, but again served for a period until a truce was concluded in 1376. In 1377 he was Commander-in-Chief of the forces sent to garrison the French towns in English occupation. In 1377 he led an army of 10,000 men into Scotland to revenge the burning of Roxburgh by the Scots, and ravaged the lands of the Earl of March. In 1378 he besieged Berwick with a large force. Though defended by only forty-eight men Berwick Castle held out for eight days, when it was captured and the whole garrison put to the sword. Here the Earl's son, Henry, a lad of only twelve years of age greatly distinguished himself and earned his sobriquet of 'Hotspur'.
Hostilities with the Scots continued intermittently, in which the Earl displayed remarkable ability and resource. In 1388 occurred the famous Battle of Otterbum. Hotspur, while engaged in personal combat in front of Newcastle, had been unhorsed and his pennon had been captured. The Scottish army thereupon retired up Redesdale, pursued by Hotspur and his brother Ralph, with an army of 600 knights and squires and 8,000 infantry. Hotspur insisted on making a night attack, the most hazardous of all military operations, without giving his men any rest after a march of thirty two miles, and in consequence was totally defeated and taken prisoner. He was ransomed soon afterwards.
In 1399 the Earl and his son were suspected of harbouring treasonable designs against Richard II, and he was summoned to appear before the King. As he refused to do so, he was proclaimed a traitor, whereupon he and other powerful barons raised the standard of revolt, deposed Richard and placed Henry IV on the throne.
Border warfare continued Hotspur and Douglas being the principal protagonists on either side, until the signal defeat of the Scots under Douglas at Homildon Hill in 1402. Differences with the King concerning the ransom of prisoners taken in this battle and the concerning claims for certain payments due from the King led Northumberland and his son, to the famous Rising of the Percy’s in 1403. This event was immortalised by Shakespeare in his Henry IV, which terminated in the fatal Battle of Shrewsbury on July 21st 1403, where Hotspur was killed. His father thereupon surrendered to the King at York and was pardoned, though he remained a prisoner for some time. In the meantime a rumour had spread that the King was dead and the Earl at liberty, and his northern retainers assembled in force and tried to hold Alnwick and his other castles against the King's forces, but on the threat to use cannon against them they surrendered.
In 1404 Northumberland was liberated, and in the following year he again raised the standard of rebellion. He was to join the Archbishop of York who was defeated before the Earl could do so. Northumberland fled to Berwick, and the King advanced northward with a large army to reduce his strongholds. Prudhoe and Warkworth both fell, but Alnwick refused to surrender. The King passed on to Berwick, which yielded at the first discharge from a gun of large calibre and on his return Alnwick surrendered to him. he was attainted in Parliament in 1406.
The Earl had sought refuge in Scotland, where he continued to conspire with Owen Glendower against Henry. In 1409 he made his last effort, leading a force of his own retainers and a few Scots into Yorkshire. This forlorn hope met with a crushing defeat at Bramham Moor, where the Earl was killed.
The 1st Earl married 1stly Margaret daughter of Lord Raby and 2ndly Maude de Lucy heir of Baron Lucy (see Hotspur). They had 4 sons and one daughter. They are,
Sir Harry Percy KG.,
Sir Thomas Percy Kt., of Athol had issue.
Sir Ralph Percy Kt.,
Alan Percy.
Margaret Percy.
His grandson Henry the only son of Hotspur succeeded him.
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Henry Percy, 1st earl of Northumberland
Northumberland, Henry Percy, 1st earl of, 1342–1408, English nobleman. He fought in France in the Hundred Years War, became warden of the Scottish Marches, and was a supporter of John Wyclif. Created earl of Northumberland by Richard II in 1377, he and his son Sir Henry Percy (Hotspur) were engaged in constant warfare with the Scots. He was a leading supporter of Henry of Lancaster (Henry IV) in the usurpation of 1399, but with his brother, Thomas Percy, earl of Worcester, and Hotspur, Northumberland revolted against the king in 1403. He submitted after the death of his son at the battle of Shrewsbury in the same year. By 1405, however, he was plotting again with Owen Glendower and, after fleeing to Scotland and France, invaded (1408) England from the north with the expectation of recruiting followers. He was slain and his forces were defeated at Bramham Moor.
Children of Henry De Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland and Margaret de Neville are:
- +Sir Henry "Hotspur" de Percy, K.G., Earl of Nor, b. May 20, 1366, Alnwick Castle2858, d. July 21, 1403, Killed at Shrewsbury2858.