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Fifteenth Century Life:

Nobility: Keeping Them Straight!

New Charts to Ponder

By Tina Cooper

This, I guess you would say, is the sequel to my article done in the August issue of the Crown and Helm. I hope to contribute addition charts periodically and would love to hear from any of you who might want a title researched. I've been trying to stay with titles pertinent to the War of the Roses, either side. Please also feel free to send me suggestions on the format or information I've not included that you'd like to see. For many of these men, there was other information available, but in order to save space I only included that which I felt important to the transfer of the title. I hope these charts help all of you as well as they have myself, in sorting out the questions on how titles pass from one generation or family to the next!

#	Name and Title	Date of Birth	Date of Death	Date In Possession Of Title	How Title Was Acquired
Pre-Conquest	Waltheof Earl of Northumberland	NA	1006	Between 965 and 1006	Originates with Danish and Saxon rule.
Pre-Conquest	Uchtred Earl of Northumberland	NA	1018	1006-1018	Son and Heir of Waltheof
Pre-conquest	Ealred (Siward) Earl of Northumberland	NA	1055	1042-1055	Received title through wife Aefflaed of Bernicia, granddaughter of Uchtred, after the death of her uncle in 1042.
Pre-Conquest	Tostig Godwinsson Earl of Northumberland	CIR 1026	1066	1055-1065	Awarded the title, being brother of Harold the favorite of King Edward the Confessor, on death of Siward. He was deposed in 1065 by the thegns of Northumbria.
Pre-Conquest	Morcar (Morkere) Earl of Northumberland	NA	1071	1065-1068	Elected by the thegns of Northumbria and appointed as such by Edward the Confessor to replace Tostig. Surrendered to the Conqueror after the battle of Hastings, confirmed then as Earl by William. Later died in prison being against William.
	Copsi	NA	1068	1068	Appointed as Tostig’s Deputy in 1068 to supersede Morcar’s nominee Osulf. Killed by Osulf 5 weeks later.
	Robert De Comines	NA	1069	1068-1069	Sent by the Conqueror in 1068 to take the place of Copsi. Opposed and slain Jan. 1069

By this time the southern portion of Northumbria (from Humber to Tees) appears to have been sufficiently in the Conqueror’s power to be ruled by officials responsible to him.

#	Name and Title	Date of Birth	Date of Death	Date In Possession Of Title	How Title Was Acquired
	Gospatric	CIR 1040	1072	1069-1072	Grandfather was Malcolm II of Scotland who was married to Uchtred’s da. Ealdgyth. Combined the ancient earls and Royal houses of England and Scotland in blood. Paid the Conqueror a heavy fine to succeed to the Earldom. Forfeited in 1072, on old charge of assisting in the massacre at Durham.
	Waltheof Earl of Northumberland	NA	1076	1072-1076	Only surviving son of Siward Earl of Northumberland. Received title after Gospatic had forfeited. Executed May, 1076
	Walcher	NA	1080	1076-1080	Received the charge of gov’t of Northumberland upon forfeiture of Waltheof. Reckoned as an Earl a century later. Murdered May, 1080
	Aubrey	NA	NA	1080	Appointed upon Walcher’s death but resigned.
	Robert De Mowbray	NA	NA	1080-1095	Earl upon retirement of Walcher. Fought against William Rufus to put Stephan on the throne. He was deprived of his earldom and imprisoned.

The Earldom was taken into the King’s hands in 1095, and remained in the crown until 1139, when by the treaty made between Stephan and David I of Scotland, the English King alienated it, and the Scottish King conferred it upon his son.

#	Name and Title	Date of Birth	Date of Death	Date In Possession Of Title	How Title Was Acquired
1st Earl	Henry of Huntington	ABT 1114	1152	1139-1152	Son and Heir of David I of Scotland
2nd Earl	William the Lion of Scotland	1143	1214	1152-1157	Earldom assigned to him, after the death of his father, Henry. His elder brother Malcolm, King of Scotland surrendered the earldom to Henry II in 1157. William made frequent but unsuccessful attempts to regain the earldom both before and after his succession to the throne of Scotland (1165). Henry II of England promised him the title to purchase William’s support (1173)
3rd Earl	Hugh De Puiset	NA	1195	1189-1194	Purchased the earldom from Richard I when he was raising money for his crusades. Surrendered it 2 days after Richard’s second coronation.

The Earldom created in 1377 was not, except in name, the Earldom held by the earls mentioned above. Though the patent of creation of Henry Percy, contains provisions that the lands he then held and those thereafter to be acquired were to constitute a comital honour, the Earldom was no longer a Palatinate, and the earl, as such drew from his Earldom only the £20 assigned him in lieu of the old time Third-Penny.

#	Name and Title	Date of Birth	Date of Death	Date In Possession Of Title	How Title Was Acquired
1st Earl	Henry Percy	1342	1408	1377-1406	He was cr. Earl of Northumberland at the coronation of Richard II (1377). Played a prominent part in procuring Richard’s abdication in 1399, and probably his subsequent death. Questionable treason in 1403 and definite treason in 1405. Forfeited honours and estates and was attainted 1406. Beheaded in 1408.
2nd Earl	Henry Percy	1392	1455	1415-1455	On 16 Mar, 1415 he was cr. in Parliament, with girding of sword, Earl of Northumberland. Father was Sir Henry Percy (Hotspur) & grandfather was Henry Percy 1st Earl. He was slain at first battle of St. Albans.
3rd Earl	Henry Percy	1421	1461	1455-1461	Son and Heir of 2nd Earl. Slain at the Battle of Towton. Attainted 1461. Later reversed and given to son.
	John Neville	NA	1471	1464-1470	Cr. Earl of Northumberland by Edward IV in 1464. Title restored to Henry Percy 3rd Earl’s son 1470. Died at Barnet.
4th Earl	Henry Percy	ABT 1449	1489	1470-1489	Restored to title that had belonged to father in 1470 after swearing oath of allegiance to Edward IV. Murdered in 1489.
5th Earl	Henry Algernon Percy	1477	1527	1489-1527	Son and Heir of Henry 4th Earl.
6th Earl	Henry Algernon Percy	ABT 1502	1537	1527-1537	Son and Heir of Henry 5th Earl. Since brother Thomas was attainted all honours were forfeited of the family.
7th Earl	Thomas Percy	1528	1572	1537-1557 1557-1571	Nephew of Henry 6th Earl. Between 6th and 7th Earl Edward the VI had given the title of Duke of Northumberland to John Dudley since Thomas had been attainted above. John Dudley was however, attainted for treason against Queen Mary and she gave it back in 1557. This Thomas was beheaded in 1572 for having conspired against Queen Elizabeth.

#	Name and Title	Date of Birth	Date of Death	Date In Possession Of Title	How Title Was Acquired
8th Earl	Henry Percy	ABT 1532	1585	1572-1585	Brother and Heir of Thomas 7th Earl. Remained loyal to Elizabeth during his brother’s rebellion. Arrested (1571) for helping Mary Queen of Scots and fined. Arrested again(1583) for same thing and found dead in his bed from 3 pistol shots(1585)
9th Earl	Henry Percy	1564	1632	1585-1632	Son and Heir of Henry 8th Earl. Involved in Gunpowder Plot and sent to the Tower in 1605-1621.
10th Earl	Algernon Percy	1602	1668	1632-1668	3rd but 1st Surv. Son of Henry 9th Earl.
11th Earl	Joceline Percy	1644	1670	1668-1670	Son and Heir of Algernon 10th Earl. No surv. Sons.
Duke & Earl	George Fitzroy	1665	1716	E-1674-1716 D-1683-1716	3rd and youngest illegit. Son of King Charles II. 8 y.o. when he was cr. Earl of Northumberland and was cr. Duke of Northumberland in 1683. All his honours became extinct upon his death.
Duke	Phillip Wharton	NA	1731	1716-1731	By titular King James III. He was outlawed for high treason 1729 and d. 1731
1st Earl	Algernon Seymour	1684	1750	1749-1750	He was, in consequence of his maternal descent, cr. Earl of Northumberland in 1749. Mother was Elizabeth Percy daughter of Joceline 11th Earl. Special rem. was to go to his Son-in-law Hugh Smithson who was married to his da. Elizabeth and then to heirs male of her body.

#	Name and Title	Date of Birth	Date of Death	Date In Possession Of Title	How Title Was Acquired
2nd Earl & 1st Duke	Hugh (Smithson) Percy	1714	1786	E-1750-1786 D-1766-1786	Changed name in 1750 to Percy by act of Parliament Son-in-law of above. Cr. Duke in 1766.
3rd Earl & 2nd Duke	Hugh Percy	1742	1817	1786-1817	Son and Heir of Hugh 2nd Earl and 1st Duke Assumed Percy name under same act of Par. as father in 1750.
4th Earl & 3rd Duke	Hugh Percy	1785	1847	1817-1847	Son and Heir by 2nd wife of Hugh 3rd Earl & 2nd Duke.
5th Earl & 4th Duke	Algernon Percy	1792	1865	1847-1865	Only surv. Brother and Heir of Hugh 4th Earl & 3rd Duke.
6th Earl & 5th Duke	George Percy	1778	1867	1865-1867	Succ. His cousin Algernon 5th Earl and 4th Duke. Went back to Hugh 3rd Earl and 2nd Duke, then forward to George.
7th Earl & 6th Duke	Algernon George Percy	1810	1899	1867-1899	3rd but 1st surv. Son and Heir of George 6th Earl and 5th Duke.
8th Earl & 7th Duke	Henry George Percy	1846	1918	1899-1918	1st Son and Heir of Algernon 7th Earl & 6th Duke
9th Earl & 8th Duke	Alan Ian Percy	1880	1930	1918-1930	2nd Son of Henry George 8th Earl and 7th Duke. Older brother died of pneumonia in 1909.
10th Earl & 9th Duke	Henry George Alan Percy	1912	1940	1930-1940	Son and Heir of Alan 9th Earl and 8th Duke
11th Earl & 10th Duke	Hugh Algernon Percy	1914	1988	1940-1988	Brother and Heir of Henry 10th earl and 9th Duke
12th Earl & 11th Duke	Henry Alan Walter Richard Percy	1953	1995	1988-1995	Son and Heir of Hugh 11th Earl and 10th Duke
13th Earl & 12th Duke	Ralph George Algernon Percy	1956		1995-Present	Brother and Heir of Henry 12th Earl and 11th Duke

Bibliography

Burke's. Genealogical & Heraldic History of the Peerage, Baronetage, & Knightage, London: International House, 1980 4^th ed.

Cokayne, G. E. Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland………., Edited by V. Gibbs, et al. London: St. Catherine Press, 1910-59.

Debrett's, Debrett's Peerage & Baronetage, London: St. Martins Press, 1995 ed.

From the World Wide Web:

www.camelotintl.com

www.dcs.hull.ac.uk (Hull royal and noble genealogical database -- no longer at this location; instead, see
http://www3.dcs.hull.ac.uk/genealogy/GEDCOM.html