John de Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk

Sir John de Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk KG, Earl Marshal (12 September 1415 – 6 November 1461) was an important player in the Wars of the Roses.

He was the son of John Mowbray, 2nd Duke of Norfolk and Lady Katherine Neville. He succeeded to the hereditary office of Earl Marshal in 1432, on the death of his father.

As he was under age at his father's death, he was placed under the protection of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester and in 1436 accompanied Gloucester on an expedition to relieve Calais. In 1437–8 he served a year's term as warden of the east march and in 1438 he was one of the leaders of an expedition to strengthen the defences of Calais and Guînes.

At the beginning of the War of the Roses in 1450 he supported Richard, Duke of York, the leader of the Yorkist faction. However, in 1459, he swore allegiance to the Lancastrian Henry VI. He then quickly changed sides back to the Yorkists. This sort of treachery was by no means unusual during the Wars of the Roses.

In February 1461 he fought for the defeated Yorkists in the Second Battle of St Albans. In March 1461 (Richard, Duke of York now being dead) he was one of those who asked the Duke’s son the Earl of March to become Edward IV and later that month his intervention at the Battle of Towton was decisive. The battle took place in a snow storm between 80,000 men. Neither side could get an advantage until about midday Norfolk entered the battle on the Yorkist’s right flank. The Lancastrians then began to slowly fall back. As Earl Marshal, Mowbray then officiated at Edward IV’s coronation.

He died young in 1461 and was buried at Thetford Priory. He was succeeded by his only son, John

Marriage and issue

He married Eleanor Bourchier, daughter of William Bourchier, Count of Eu and Anne of Gloucester, Countess of Buckingham. She was the sister of his successor as Justice in Eyre, Henry Bourchier. They had one child, John de Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk.

See also

• Dukes of Norfolk family tree

References

• Weir, Alison. Britain's Royal Family: A Complete Genealogy. London, UK.: The Bodley Head, 1999.
• Birth and death dates stirnet.com Accessed May 24, 2007

Political offices
Preceded by The Duke of Norfolk	Earl Marshal 1432–1461	Succeeded by The Duke of Norfolk
Legal offices
Preceded by The Earl of Arundel	Justice in Eyre south of the Trent 1461	Succeeded by The Earl of Essex
Peerage of England
Preceded by John Mowbray	Duke of Norfolk 1st creation 1432–1461	Succeeded by John Mowbray
	Earl of Norfolk 3rd creation 1432–1461
	Earl of Nottingham 2nd creation 1432–1461
	Baron Mowbray 1432–1461
	Baron Segrave 1432–1461