Thomas of Brotherton, 1st Earl of Norfolk

Thomas of Brotherton
Coat of arms of Thomas, Earl of Norfolk
Born	(1300-06-01)1 June 1300 Brotherton, Yorkshire, England
Died	Aug 1338
Resting place	Bury St Edmunds Abbey, Suffolk 52°14′38.76″N 0°43′9.12″E
Title	1st Earl of Norfolk
Tenure	1312 – 1338
Known for	Younger half-brother of Edward II of England
Years active	1316 – 1338
Nationality	English
Wars and battles	Second War of Scottish Independence Battle of Halidon Hill
Offices	Lord Marshal of England
Predecessor	New creation
Successor	Margaret, 2nd Countess of Norfolk
Spouse(s)	Alice Hayles Mary Braose
Issue	Edward of Norfolk Margaret, Duchess of Norfolk Alice of Norfolk
Parents	Edward I of England Margaret of France

Thomas of Brotherton, 1st Earl of Norfolk, Lord Marshal (1 June 1300 – August 1338) was the son of Edward I of England and Margaret of France and a younger half-brother of Edward II.

Early life

Thomas was born at the Manor House in Brotherton. His mother was staying at Pontefract Castle and was following a hunt when she went into labour. He was born in the main house, later demolished in the 1930s due to disrepair, although the new 17th century wing still exists. He was named in honour of Thomas Becket, since his mother had prayed to him during her pregnancy.

Edward quickly rushed to the queen and the newborn baby and had him presented with two cradles. His brother Edmund was born in the year after that. They were overseen by wetnurses until they were six years old. Like their parents, they learned to play chess and to ride horses. They were visited by nobles and their half-sister Mary of Woodstock, who was a nun. Their mother often accompanied Edward on his campaigns to Scotland, but kept herself well-informed on their well-being.

His father died when he was 7 years old. Thomas's half-brother, Edward, became king of England. The Earldom of Cornwall had been intended for Thomas, but Edward instead bestowed it upon his favourite, Piers Gaveston, in 1306. When Thomas was 10 years old, Edward assigned to him and his brother Edmund, the estates of Roger Bigod who had died without heirs in 1306.

Career

In 1312, he was titled "Earl of Norfolk" and on 10 February 1316 he was created Lord Marshal of England. While his brother was away fighting in Scotland, he was left Keeper of England. Thomas was known for having a hot and violent temper. He was one of the many victims of the unchecked greed of the king's new favourite, Hugh Despenser the Younger and his father Hugh Despenser the Elder, who stole some of the young earl's lands. He allied himself with Queen Isabella and Roger Mortimer, Earl of March when they invaded England in 1326, and stood as one of the judges in the trials against both Despensers. When his nephew Edward III reached his majority and took the government into his own hands Thomas became one of his principal advisors. It was in the capacity of Lord Marshal that he commanded the right wing of the English army at the Battle of Halidon Hill on 19 July 1333.

Marriages and children

He married first, by 1319, Alice Hayles, daughter of Sir Roger Hayles and Alice Skogan. She was supposed to have been a great beauty. Her father was the coroner of Norfolk, which in the 14th century was a fiscal, not a medical position; his post demanded that he collect and protect revenues for the king. Thomas and Alice had three children:

• Edward of Norfolk (c. 1319–1334)
• Margaret, Duchess of Norfolk (c. 1320–1399)
• Alice of Norfolk (c 1321/6–1352)

Alice Hayles died by 1330, when a chantry was founded for her soul in Bosham, Sussex.

Thomas married secondly, before 4 April 1336, Mary Braose, widow of Ralph de Cobham, Lord Cobham, no issue came of this marriage.

Thomas' issue passed through Margaret to the Mowbray family and ultimately up to the Howard Dukes of Norfolk, from whom descended two of the wives of Henry VIII of England, Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard. Queen Elizabeth I was also a descendant; Lady Elizabeth Howard being the mother of Queen consort, Anne Boleyn.

Death

He died in August 1338, and was buried in the Abbey of Bury St. Edmunds. Thomas was succeeded by his daughter Margaret, 2nd Countess of Norfolk, she was later created Duchess of Norfolk for life in 1397.

Titles, styles, honours and arms

Arms

As a son of Edward I of England, Thomas had use of the coat of arms of the kingdom, differenced by a label argent of three points.

References

• Mortimer, Ian. The Greatest Traitor, 2003.

English royalty
Political offices
Preceded by Nicholas Seagrave	Lord Marshal 1316–1338	Succeeded by The Countess of Norfolk
Peerage of England
New creation	Earl of Norfolk 3rd creation 1312–1338	Succeeded by Margaret