Thomas de Woodstock

Thomas de Woodstock or of Wodestock (born the January 7th 1355 and dead the September 8th (or 9) 1397), was the thirteenth one and last child of the King d' Angleterre Edouard III and of the queen Philippa de Hainaut.

It was Count d' Essex since 1376, Count de Buckingham since 1377 and Duc of Gloucester since 1385. It was also created Duc of Albemarle, but never carried this title.

It owes its name with the fact that it was born with the Palate from Woodstock. He married Éléonore de Bohun, girl of the count of Essex, in 1376, and inherited this county at the time of died of his Humphrey father-in-law. His/her younger sister-in-law married her cousin, the future Henri IV of England.

The fight for the capacity

Between 1377 and 1380, it takes part in the last combat of the first phase of the Guerre One hundred Year old. It assists initially Robert Knolles in the defense of the English coasts against the French attacks and Castilians. In 1380, it is in Brittany where it besieges Nantes in vain. It returns to England after the second treated of Guérande.

Since 1377, it is its nephew Richard II which reigns but it is his/her brother Jean of Ghent, Count de Lancastre, which controls. This one leaves to make the war in Castille in 1385. Thomas de Woodstock thinks of taking his place but Richard II, assisted by his chancellor Michel of the Pole, Count de Suffolk, and by its favorite Robert de Vere, Count d' Oxford, decides to deal with itself its government.

Woodstock is put at the head of the party baronnial, dissatisfied with the negotiations that Richard II is starting with France. At the time of the Parliament of 1386, it openly requires the desistance from the two advisers, which the king refuses to him. It succeeds in all the same making imprison Michel of the Pole. Robert de Vere manages to flee in Ireland. Consequently, the king is put in supervision by five English Lords who are made call the appealing Lords . One of them is obviously Thomas de Woodstock. Their army succeeds in overcoming the troops of Robert de Vere, who had returned to England.

Of 1387 with 1389, Thomas de Woodstock is the true Master of the kingdom. It controls arbitrarily, banishing or carrying out all the close relations of Richard II, which they are innocent or guilty. It dissatisfied however barons when he extorts 20.000 books from the Parliament for the profit of the appealing Lords . The May 3rd 1389, Richard II has their support to take again the head of the government without there being for the moment of sanctions.

Fine tragedy

During a few years, all is with the good shape between the uncle and the nephew. In 1394, Woodstock accompanies even the king in his countryside by Ireland. The pacifist policy with France and the marriage of Richard II with Isabelle de Valois, girl of Charles VI, calls all in question. The uncle of the king and other barons disapprove the twenty years truce imposed by the new Franco-English agreement of 1396. But Richard II is decided this time not to let itself some impose. The July 8th 1397, it makes stop his/her uncle in his castle of Pleshey in Essex, as well as the five others appealing Lords .

Shown treason, Thomas de Woodstock is taken along to Calais where it is carried out without lawsuit on order of the king. The others appealing Lords are also condemned to death.

The son of Thomas de Woodstock, Humphrey, is not worried and succeeds to him without clashes like Count de Gloucester and Count de Buckingham. He dies without heir in 1399 and the county of Gloucester is then attached to the Crown, while the county of Buckingham passes to his/her Anne daughter married to Edmond Stafford.

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