Arthur (supp. fl. in or before 6th cent.), legendary warrior and supposed king of Britain, has an attested career that is entirely posthumous. From obscure beginnings in British legend, he became internationally known in the twelfth century, particularly through the success of Geoffrey of Monmouth's...
Article
Arthur (supp. fl. in or before 6th cent.), legendary warrior and supposed king of Britain
O. J. Padel
Article
Basset, Thomas (d. 1220), soldier and courtier
Nicholas Vincent
Basset, Thomas (d. 1220), soldier and courtier, was a younger son of Thomas Basset (d. c. 1182) of Headington and Adeliza Basset [see under Dunstanville, de, family], daughter of Walter de Dunstanville, lord of Castle Combe in Wiltshire. First recorded before ...
Article
Beauchamp, Thomas, eleventh earl of Warwick (1313/14–1369), soldier and magnate
Anthony Tuck
Beauchamp, Thomas, eleventh earl of Warwick (1313/14–1369), soldier and magnate, was the son and heir of Guy de Beauchamp, tenth earl of Warwick (c. 1272–1315), and his wife, Alice Tosny, widow of Thomas Leyburn.
Beauchamp was probably born some time between August 1313 and 14 February 1314, most likely the latter date. He was no more than two years old when his father died on 12 August 1315, and the earldom thus underwent a long minority at a time of political instability. The custody of the lands of the earldom was granted on 21 June 1317 to ...
Article
Beauchamp, William, first Baron Bergavenny (c. 1343–1411), soldier and landowner
Christine Carpenter
revised
Beauchamp, William, first Baron Bergavenny (c. 1343–1411), soldier and landowner, was the fourth son of Thomas Beauchamp, eleventh earl of Warwick (1313/14–1369), and of Katherine (d. 1369), daughter of Roger Mortimer, first earl of March.
As a younger son Beauchamp was destined for the church and attended ...
Article
Beaufort, Edmund, first duke of Somerset (c. 1406–1455), magnate and soldier
Colin Richmond
Beaufort, Edmund, first duke of Somerset (c. 1406–1455), magnate and soldier, was the younger brother of John Beaufort, duke of Somerset (1404–1444); John and Edmund were the second and third sons of John Beaufort, marquess of Dorset and of Somerset (c. 1371–1410), who was the eldest son of ...
Article
Beaufort, John, marquess of Dorset and marquess of Somerset (c. 1371–1410), soldier and administrator
G. L. Harriss
Beaufort, John, marquess of Dorset and marquess of Somerset (c. 1371–1410), soldier and administrator, was the first offspring of the liaison between John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaster (1340–1399), and Katherine Swynford (1350?–1403) [see Katherine, duchess of Lancaster]. He became a staunch supporter of ...
Article
Beaufort, John, duke of Somerset (1404–1444), magnate and soldier
G. L. Harriss
Beaufort, John, duke of Somerset (1404–1444), magnate and soldier, was the second son of John Beaufort, marquess of Dorset and of Somerset (d. 1410), and Margaret Holland, daughter of Thomas Holland, earl of Kent. He succeeded to the earldom of Somerset on the death of his elder brother, ...
Article
Beaufort, Thomas, duke of Exeter (1377?–1426), magnate and soldier
G. L. Harriss
Beaufort, Thomas, duke of Exeter (1377
Article
Bigod, Roger, fifth earl of Norfolk (c. 1245–1306), magnate and soldier
Michael Prestwich
Bigod, Roger, fifth earl of Norfolk (c. 1245–1306), magnate and soldier, was the son of Hugh (III) Bigod (b. in or before 1220, d. 1266), justiciar of England. He succeeded to his father's lands in 1266, and to the earldom of Norfolk when his uncle, ...
Article
Blount, Sir John (d. 1418)
See Blount, Sir Walter
Article
Bourchier, Sir William, count of Eu (c. 1374–1420), magnate and soldier
Carole Rawcliffe
Bourchier, Sir William, count of Eu (c. 1374–1420), magnate and soldier, was the son and heir of Sir William Bourchier (d. 1375) and his wife, Eleanor Lovayne (1345–1397).
Bourchier's family had risen to prominence during the fourteenth century through an unblemished record of service to the crown, gaining estates concentrated in ...
Article
Bradeston, Thomas, Lord Bradeston (d. 1360), soldier and royal councillor
Nigel Saul
Bradeston, Thomas, Lord Bradeston (d. 1360), soldier and royal councillor, was probably the son of Robert de Bradeston, a minor landowner of Breadstone, Gloucestershire. The Bradestons were close allies of the Berkeleys of Berkeley Castle, their near neighbours, and Thomas probably began his career in the ...
Image
Bréauté, Sir Falkes de (d. 1226)
In
Article
Bréauté, Sir Falkes de (d. 1226), soldier and royal favourite
D. J. Power
Bréauté, Sir Falkes de (d. 1226), soldier and royal favourite, was of obscure Norman parentage. One reasonably reliable source, which described him as 'small in stature but very valiant', stated that he was the son of a Norman knight by a concubine (...
Article
Brechin, Sir David (b. before 1278, d. 1320), soldier and landowner
A. A. M. Duncan
Brechin, Sir David (b. before 1278, d. 1320), soldier and landowner, was the son of Sir William Brechin, son of Henry, illegitimate son of David, earl of Huntingdon (d. 1219); his mother was Elena, daughter of Alexander Comyn, earl of Buchan. His father died between 1286 and June 1291 (when no claim to the Scottish throne was submitted by him); on 10 December 1292 ...
Article
Bruce, Edward, earl of Carrick (c. 1280–1318), soldier and claimant to the Irish throne
A. A. M. Duncan
Bruce, Edward, earl of Carrick (c. 1280–1318), soldier and claimant to the Irish throne, was the third, or possibly fourth, son of Robert VI de Brus (d. 1304), son of the claimant for the Scottish throne, and Marjory, countess of Carrick. He had two older brothers, ...
Article
Brus [Bruce], Robert de, lord of Annandale (d. 1142), baron and soldier
A. A. M. Duncan
Brus [Bruce], Robert de, lord of Annandale (d. 1142), baron and soldier, has been said without authority to be the son of a Robert (sometimes Adam) de Brus, who was alleged to have fought at Hastings. The subject of this memoir came from ...
Article
Burgh, Walter de, first earl of Ulster (d. 1271), magnate and soldier
Robin Frame
Burgh, Walter de, first earl of Ulster (d. 1271), magnate and soldier, was the second son of Richard de Burgh (d. 1243), lord of Connacht, and Egidia, daughter of Walter de Lacy, lord of Weobley and Meath. Richard de Burgh died early in 1243 while serving on ...
Article
Burley, Sir Simon (1336?–1388), soldier and courtier
John L. Leland
Burley, Sir Simon (1336
Article
Byrhtnoth [Brihtnoth] (d. 991), magnate and soldier
Richard Abels
Byrhtnoth [Brihtnoth] (d. 991), magnate and soldier, was the hero of the battle of Maldon. His family origins are obscure, although his wealth, connections, and office imply noble birth. His name appears as Byrhtnoth in the poem The Battle of Maldon, which names ...