John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford

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English Royalty
House of Lancaster
Armorial of Plantagenet
Henry IV
Henry V
John, Duke of Bedford
Thomas, Duke of Clarence
Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester

John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford (20 June 1389 – 14 September 1435), also known as John Plantagenet, was the third surviving son of King Henry IV of England by Mary de Bohun, and acted as Regent of France for his nephew, King Henry VI.

Contents 1 Life account 2 In literature 3 Titles, styles, honours and arms 3.1 Arms 4 Ancestry 5 References

[edit] Life account

He was created Earl of Kendal, Earl of Richmond and Duke of Bedford in 1414 by his brother, King Henry V. On 14 June 1423, at Troyes, he married Anne, daughter of John the Fearless. After Anne's death in childbirth in 1432, he married Jacquetta of Luxembourg.

When Henry V died in 1422, Bedford vied with his younger brother, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, for control of the Kingdom. Bedford was declared Regent of France, his nephew technically being heir to the throne of that country as well as to the Kingdom of England. Bedford defeated the French several times, until the arrival of Joan of Arc rallied the opposition. In 1431, Bedford had Joan tried and executed at Rouen, then arranged a coronation for the young Henry VI at Paris. While negotiating the Treaty of Rouen, he died at his home and was buried at Rouen Cathedral. Bedford had been Governor in Normandy between 1422-1432,^[1][2] where the University of Caen was founded under his auspices.

He was an extremely important commissioner of illuminated manuscripts, both from Paris (from the Bedford Master and his workshop) and England. The three most important surviving manuscripts of his are the Bedford Hours (British Library Ms Add 18850) and the Salisbury Breviary (Paris BnF Ms Lat. 17294), which were both made in Paris, and the Bedford Psalter and Hours of about 1420-23, which is English (BL Ms Add 42131). This last is signed in two places by Herman Scheere. All are lavishly decorated and famous examples of the style of the period.

[edit] In literature

Bedford appears in Shakespeare's first play, Henry VI, Part One. Since he has the first line of the first scene, he can be claimed to be the first character in all of Shakespearean literature. He also appears in Shakespeare's Henry IV Part One and Henry IV Part Two.

[edit] Titles, styles, honours and arms

[edit] Arms

As a son of the sovereign, John bore the arms of the kingdom, differenced by a label of five points per pale ermine and France.^[3]

In the Bedford Book of Hours ^[4] these arms are shown supported by an eagle collared with a crown and a sable yale all on a gold field sewn with gold uprooted tree-stumps. It is possible that the yale was painted in silver which has tarnished black. The shield is surrounded with a pair of banners gules which reverse in argent with the motto repeated four times: A vous entier (To you / yours entire[ly]). This may be a pun on the German Tier - beast or English tears and tiers of meaning - including tierce - referring to himself as third in line to his father's throne, but now rightful King but for the baby Henry vi. The Hours were supposedly produced as a courtship present from John to his wife, Anne, daughter of John the Fearless of Burgundy.

There is a Queen's Arms public house sign from Birmingham ^[5] which uses these supporters reversed and with an argent yale uncollared on a shield showing the English royal arms at left and to the right six divisions representing Lorraine. John's second wife, Jacquetta of Luxembourg, cousin to the Emperor (the King of Hungary), was mother to Elizabeth Woodville who may be this queen. Elizabeth Woodville's right to inherit these armorial supporters would seem dubious if they belong to her mother's first husband or to his first wife. Alternatively, though equally incorrect, the arms may be her mother's used in a flattering conceit.

[edit] Ancestry

v • d • e Ancestors of John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford

16. Edward II of England               8. Edward III of England                       17. Isabella of France               4. John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster                             18. William I, Count of Hainaut               9. Philippa of Hainault                       19. Joan of Valois               2. Henry IV of England                                   20. Henry Plantagenet, 3rd Earl of Lancaster               10. Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster                       21. Maud Chaworth               5. Blanche of Lancaster                             22. Henry de Beaumont               11. Isabel de Beaumont                       23. Alice Comyn               1. John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford                                         24. Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford               12. William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton                       25. Elizabeth of Rhuddlan               6. Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford                             26. Bartholomew de Badlesmere, 1st Baron Badlesmere               13. Elizabeth de Badlesmere                       27. Margaret de Clare               3. Mary de Bohun                                   28. Edmund FitzAlan, 9th Earl of Arundel               14. Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel                       29. Alice de Warenne               7. Joan FitzAlan                             30. Henry Plantagenet, 3rd Earl of Lancaster (= 20)               15. Eleanor of Lancaster                       31. Maud Chaworth (= 21)

[edit] References

John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford House of Lancaster Born: 1389 1435
English royalty
Preceded by Thomas of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Clarence	Heir to the English Throne as heir presumptive 22 March - 6 December 1421	Succeeded by Henry, Duke of Cornwall
Preceded by Henry, Duke of Cornwall	Heir to the English Throne as heir presumptive 31 August 1422 - 14 September 1435	Succeeded by Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester
Political offices
Preceded by The Duke of Exeter	Lord High Admiral 1426–1435	Succeeded by Sir John Holland
Peerage of England
Preceded by New Creation	Duke of Bedford 1414–1435	Succeeded by Extinct, next held by George Nevill
Preceded by Ralph de Neville	Earl of Richmond 1414–1435	Succeeded by Edmund of Hadham
Preceded by New Creation	Count of Mortain ?–1435	Succeeded by Extinct, next held by Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset