Warfare History Blog: Sir Hotspur's Uprising: The Battle of Shrewsbury, July 21, 1403 See the Battle between House Percy and Clan Douglas during the Anglo-Scots border conflict: Otterburn to Homildon Hill 1388-1402 for more. The motivations behind Sir Henry Percy, known to the Scots as 'Hotspur' (b.1364-1403), transformation from loyal knight in service to the realm regardless of whom was sitting on the throne in Westminster into a rebel and attainted traitor looking to kill his lawful king in battle, were complex. There is still some doubt historically as to exactly what Hotspur looked to accomplish in his rising. Certainly a catalyst for Hotspur's rebellion was a reaction to a society in both himself and his father were apart of. This hegemony and societal structure defined by the tenets of feudal service in the age of chivalry (coming to an end by the mid 1400's), amidst the violent life of the Anglo-Norman knight.

Death of Hotspur on the field at Shrewsbury Both henry and his father the Earl of Northumberland expected titles, a moderately high salary, and a greater degree of autonomy in general. These men had additional personal grievances against King Henry IV and his household. Greatest amongst these were the apparent nullification of funds owed to the two men for service in Wales fighting for the King. Evidence supports that Hotspur may have had designs of his own in regards to the throne of England and/or Northumberland in 1402-1403, his motives are lost to history. No theory has ever been proven nor debunked by modern historians. [1] Hotspur's Rising 1402-1403 Nearing forty years old in the summer of 1402, the knight Sir Henry Percy began his rebellion with a proclamation which was entirely based on a lie crafted with the sole purpose of raising support in Cheshire, where former kings men and veterans of the Cheshire Guard, the household guard of the the deceased & dethroned ‘Good King Richard’, King Richard II, still resided by the hundreds.

Hotspur had apparently made earlier calims that King Richard was returning from exile to ride at the head of the rebel army and that his father the Earl of Northumberland was bringing a Northern host to meet them and the Welsh as well. His pro Ricardian stance certainly won him admirers and soldiers within a few days time in the city of Chester with hundreds of former Cheshire Guard archers and ‘watchmen’ flocking to his standard. [2] For More see the post Prelude to Wars of the Roses, Usurpation, Rebellion, and medieval warfare 1387-140 3 . As Hostpur continued his march south in later June and into July, he began to collect a diverse rebel host made up of Northumbrian men, Cheshire, Welshmen, and Scotsmen. He began even to hear whispers of king associated with his name when the Cheshire men soon realized that King Richard would not be rising from the dead to lead them into London. It was clear in late June that it would be Hotspur alone who would lead this army south to face the royal army led by King Henry and the young Prince of Wales.

King Richard II, who from beyond the grave inspired numerous plots against King Henry IV from his imprisonment to death 1399-1400, until the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403 Battle of Shrewsbury July 1403 The single most intriguing event taking place before the Battle of Shrewsbury was the defection from the royal army(and therefor from the Kings' Peace) of Hotspur’s uncle the Earl of Worcester just days before the battle was fought. Almost nothing is known about the events surrounding his betrayal of the Prince of Wales who the Worcester had known well. He had been a retainer and battle-companion of young Prince Henry as a commander during the King's campaign in Wales, 1400-1403. The impact militarily on paper at least was significant, the Earl of Worcester bringing 1,000 men, mostly archers and lightly armed men of foot, over to Hotspurs rebel army. Another interesting caveat pertaining to the composition of Hotspurs army was the appearance, amongst the many other varying banners of the rebel army, of the ‘heart of Robert the Bruce’ and stars of Clan Douglas [3].

Since the Northern victory at Homildon Hill in September 1402 a number of Scottish knights had been held captive by the Percys. The most notable among them Archibald the fourth Earl of Douglas (b.1372-1424), who along with twenty or so others were allowed to fight with Hotspur at Shrewsbury , their motives maybe fed by a simple lust for battlefield honors and glory. Most probably they were fighting for their release from Northern custody. Historically no accounts survive which can equivocally answer the question, what did Hotspur hope to gain in leading a rebel army south? His personal grievances and dispute with King Henry over the Anglo-Welsh conflict aside, historians have debated his motives and greater ambitions for centuries. Was he a would-be usurper or a rebel knight hoping to threaten King Henry’s power for his own vain glory? Or was Hotspur the legitimate heir to a Northern throne, capable of uniting the North and the Midlands under the banner of the blue lion? Most likely not.

Hotspurs’ military campaign south began and ended on the 21st of July 1403, when his rebel army met the royalist van commanded by King Henry and the Prince of Wales near Shrewsbury in Shropshire county not far from the Welsh border. The location of the battle hints that he may have been trying to join his army with the Welsh rebels in arms under Sir Owain Glyndŵr after all. Prince Henry who was just sixteen but already proving to be a ruthless but effective campaign and battlefield commander having served in Wales , held Shrewsbury. From here he led the Shrewsbury garrison and his own in raids across the border designed to stymie the Glyndŵr rebels. Minor skirmishing had taken place on Hotspur’s approach to the town on the 19th and 20th with houses being set ablaze on the outskirts of the town, assumingly caused by flaming arrows and pitch. Though not fought in the town itself, it is thought that Berwick field where the modern day ‘ Battlefield archers commanded by Hotspur.

Thomas Walsingham, writing in the Historia Anglicana, notes the effectiveness of the Cheshire rebels’ fire during the opening to battle, poetically remarking that “men fell on the king’s side as leaves fall in the autumn after a hoar frost.” The king’s army in turn sent a volley back, killing many rebels as the order was given soon after by King Henry to advance and attack the rebel vanguard. The carnage inflicted on the royalist battle lines was significant. Hundreds were killed or very seriously wounded within a matter of minutes under the rebel arrow storm, which must have been particularly frightening for the younger, inexperienced royalist soldiers who had never been under that kind of thick, deadly fire before. Two out of the three of the royalist battles were maimed in the arrow storm at the Battle of Shrewsbury; the Prince of Wales seriously injured by a Ricardian arrow to his cheek, the Earl of Stafford was killed by an arrow as well, most of his men fleeing in panic after his death.

[8] The royal army of King Henry seemed at first to have been on the cusp of defeat, their infantry slaughtered by the longbow volley as the Scots had been charging down Homildon Hill into their demise in 1402. Historically the infamous Hotspur lust for combat and battle honors has been the main reason given by historians for why he chose to charge the kings household in a wild attempt to slay him, to win the battle and the crown with one swing his sword. Looking at the military realities of the Battle of Shrewsbury however, one can surmise that Hotspur and the Earl of Douglas must have observed the effect that the arrow storm had on the royalist army. They were jolting, not broken yet but at a very critical stage in their deployment onto the battlefield itself, where the melee would inevitably take place. Charge of Hotspur and the Tyneman at the Battle of Shrewsbury, 21st of July 1403 Though their background as Anglo-Scots border warriors may have influenced their strategies during the battle in a general sense, both men more than likely realized that their force could not hope to survive a renewed assault by King Henry’s army.

The decision to charge the king, though seemingly an unwise one because it exposed Hotspur to enemy fire during the hastened advance, was actually a wise decision from a tactical and strategic standpoint. The rebel army stood a strong chance of being routed, captured, and executed en masse if they meekly awaited the onslaught of the royalist army still greatly outnumbering them. Instead, as Hotspur might have agreed, “Fortune favors the bold” and he decided to make a charge for the standard of King Henry, daring to meet the king and his knights face-to-face in order to win the battle by the sword or die in the effort. The high water mark of Hotspur’s rebellion came just moments later as Hotspur, the Earl of Douglas, and around fifty of their household knight’s charged the royalist banners. This was a furious and ultimately costly attempt to capture or kill Henry and rout his army. Though it is popularly believed that the charge was made on horseback by hundreds of Percy knights, the reality, as it so often is, was much less magnificent or dramatic.

The rebels most likely made the fateful charge dismounted with cries of Esperance (the Percy family motto) filling the evening air at the very height of the battle. A melee ensued at the king’s royal standard just feet from King Henry, with every major account differing as to what happened next. From what is known from the surviving accounts of the battle, Sir William Blount the king’s standard bearer was slain, his helmet and skull caved in with a powerful blow from the Earl of Douglas’ warhammer. At some point during the melee however, as the rebels reached the king, Hotspur was either cut down by an enemy knight, or killed by a stray arrow to face as he lifted his visor to survey the field. Cries came from both sides saying their leaders had been killed, but it was Hotspur who turned up dead at the conclusion of the battle, a decisive victory for King Henry and his royal army. Fighting continued until twilight set in and the whispers of Hotspur’s death began to echo across the battle lines.

By nightfall the rebels had begun a full retreat, the dead rebel lords' army disintegrating as his men attempted to flee back home or merely for their lives as they tried to evade capture from the vindictive royalists executing any rebels in arms. Death of Hotspur by Richard Caton Woodville Though Hotspur’s body was recovered from the fray, and taken for burial by a Neville cousin to a nearby church, the King eager to prove to all of England that the rebel was dead, intercepted the body. From here his body suffered the indignity of a ritualized & symbolic post-mortem execution, despite Hotspur’s standing as the one time preeminent knight of North England , and of maybe the whole country. The Earl of Worcester was apprehended after the battle and beheaded in the Shrewsbury marketplace a day later, after which he was quartered, his head stuck on a pike above Old London Bridge, the rest of his corpse sent to the four corners of England. Surprisingly the Earl of Douglas who was captured in the rout escaped death as well.

Ransomed by the king he would live to fight the English again, suffering his last major defeat with his death at the Battle of Verneuil, in Normandy during the Hundred Years' Wars in 1424. So ended the July 1403 Uprising of Hotspur, a usurpation plot hardly realized and most certainly not imaginative. Most certainly a a decisive victory for the Lancastrians it is arguably the most important battle fought in the British Isles between 1350-1455. Related Posts [1] Duby, Georges The Chivalrous Society (University of California-Berkeley Press, 1980) pgs. 100-152 [2] History of England under Henry IV, Vol I [3] Reference Picture II. The Douglas clan earned the heart in their heraldry after Robert the Bruce ordered Sir James Douglas, the ‘Black Douglas’ to carry his heart to Jerusalem, in part to atone for the murder of Sir John Comyn, the Red, a political rival, inside a Greyfriars church in 1306.

The Earl of Douglas failed however, loosing his life in Moorish Spain at the Battle of Teba in 1330. [4] War for the Throne: Battle of Shrewsbury, Battle Geography and Topography [5] War for the Throne: Battle of Shrewsbury Posted by B.Sparks at The Battle of Shrewsbury, 1403 The Battle of Shrewsbury Rent a Castle Whether it's a folly for 2 or a fort for 20, try our castles for rent page. By Ellen Castelow , Contributing Writer | Comments Although the powerful Percy family had supported the Lancastrian King Henry IV when he took the throne from Richard II in 1399, the rebellion of 1403 stemmed from the king’s failure to sufficiently reward the family for the costs they had incurred in doing so. In addition, as if to add insult to injury, the infamous Sir Henry Hotspur Percy (so named for his fiery temperament) who had been successfully campaigning against the rebellious Welsh patriot Owain Glyndŵr had not received payment for his services.

A tad annoyed with the king, the Percys formed an alliance with Glyndŵr and Edward Mortimer to conquer and divide up England. With a hastily mustered force Hotspur set off for Shrewsbury to join forces with the other rebels. By the time he reached the town Hotspur’s army had grown to around 14,000 men; most notably he had recruited the services of the Cheshire archers. Hearing of the plot against him, the king had hurried to intercept Hotspur and both armies faced each other on 21 July 1403. When negotiations for a happy compromise failed, the battle finally started a few hours before dusk. For the first time on English soil, massed troops of archers faced each and demonstrated "the deadliness of the longbow ". In a closely fought encounter Hotspur was killed, apparently shot in the face when he opened his visor (as shown on the picture to the right). With the loss of their leader, the battle came to abrupt end.

To quash rumours that he had in fact survived the battle, the king had Hotspur quartered and put on display in various corners of the country, his head being impaled on York’s north gate. The brutal lesson learned in the effectiveness of the longbow would be remembered by Prince Henry, later Henry V, just a few years later on the battlefields of France. UK Battlefields Resource Centre - Medieval - The Battle of Battle of Shrewsbury Battle of Shrewsbury 21st July 1403 When Henry Bolingbroke had usurped the throne of England from his cousin Richard II in 1399, becoming King Henry IV, he did it with the assistance of the powerful Percy family, including Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland . But the relationship between Northumberland and the king was far from amicable. By 1403 the Percys were demanding payment for outstanding debts from 1399 amounting to £20,000; an exorbitant figure. Added to this was their severe displeasure at the King’s insistence of keeping the Scottish nobles captured at Homildon Hill the previous year as prisoners of war rather than applying for their ransom.

To Northumberland, who had led the victorious English troops, this was adding insult to injury and further depriving him of what he considered to be due reward. Henry was unlikely to have been deliberately withholding payment, he simply did not have the resources. Northumberland’s son, the infamous Sir Henry 'Hotspur' Percy, had been given high office in Wales, where he had completed several successful campaigns against the rebellious Owain Glyndwr, in 1401 and 1402. But he too awaited payment for services. In a complete reversal of allegiance the Percys now formed an alliance with Glyndwr and Edward Mortimer. Mortimer was uncle to the Earl of March, still in his minority, as well as brother-in-law to Hotspur and son-in-law to Glyndwr. In an effort to gain support and justify their actions the Percys now claimed that they had only supported Henry in 1399 on the understanding that he only sought to reclaim his confiscated lands and that they had no idea he intended to usurp the throne. They also accused Henry of starving Richard to death in his castle at Pontefract. The Percys now supported the Earl of March as rightful heir to the throne.

With a hastily mustered force, gathered largely in Cheshire, along with George, Earl Douglas (a captive from the battle of Homildon Hill the previous year but now allied with Percy), Hotspur headed towards Shrewsbury to join forces with the other rebels. That town was garrisoned by the King’s eldest son, Harry (later to become arguably our most famous military commader, Henry V), but this small force was unlikely to withstand an attack from the combined rebel forces. So, on the advice of the Scottish Earl of March, George Dunbar, the king headed north-west to intercept Hotspur before he could join forces with Glyndwr. The race for Shrewsbury was won by the king, who reached the town shortly before Hotspur on the 20th September. Percy was now isolated on the north side of the town, with the River Severn and the king’s army between him and reinforcements from Wales. Withdrawing from the town, Percy spent the night some 3 miles north-west of Shrewsbury at the village of Berwick.

The following morning, with no sign of Glyndwr but with the king’s forces advancing out of Shrewsbury, Percy hurriedly left Berwick and headed away from the river towards Harlescott. A battle was now inevitable. The battle of Shrewsbury was significant in military terms as it was the first occasion where massed troops armed with the longbow were pitted against each other on English soil, in the tactical formations that would be so effective in the coming decades against the French. The effectiveness of this tactical use of the weapon was apparent to all. In political terms it was also important: Henry was lenient to the Earl of Northumberland himself, grieving for his son who was killed at Shrewsbury, but the might of the Percy family was broken. The battlefield remains almost wholly undeveloped agricultural land, though now fully enclosed as hedged fields. The Shrewsbury by-pass (A5124) crosses the very southern edge of the battlefield, from east to west, along the probable line of Henry’s deployment.

Battlefield Church, which was built within a few years of the battle at the behest of King Henry ‘for the souls of those who fell’, is believed to sit close to the centre of the action. Access is via metalled and fenced public footpaths laid out by the local authority in a circular route around the battlefield, and including the church. A viewing mound and car park to the south has also been provided. In 2008 ‘Battlefield 1403’, an exhibition centre on the battle together with a café and farm shop was opened in converted farm buildings just north of the registered battlefield and a new permissive path leads from the centre down to the battlefield itself. For more information on the Shrewsbury 1403 battlefield centre please CLICK HERE KEY FACTS Sir Henry Percy, called Hotspur (1364-1403) [Harry Hotspur; Shakespeare's "Henry IV, Part I"] Search SIR HENRY PERCY, called Hotspur, eldest son of Henry, 1st Earl of Northumberland , was born on the 10th of March 1364. He saw active service when he was fourteen at the siege of Berwick.

Six years later he was associated with his father in the wardenship of the eastern march of Scotland, and his zeal in border warfare won the name of Hotspur for him from his opponents. In 1386 he was sent to Calais, and raided French territory, but was shortly afterwards recalled to defend England against a naval attack by France. In popular story and ballad he is known as one of the heroes of Otterburn or Chevy Chase, which is the subject of one of the most stirring recitals of Froissart. In the summer of 1388 the Scots invaded England by way of Carlisle, sending a small body under the earls of Douglas, Mar and Moray to invade Northumberland. The Earl of Northumberland remained at Alnwick, but sent his sons Sir Henry and Sir Ralph against the enemy. In hand-to-hand fighting before the walls of Newcastle, Douglas is said to have won Sir Henry's pennon, which he swore to fix upon the walls of Dalkeith. The Scots then retreated to Otterburn, where Percy, who was bent on recovering his pennon, attacked them on a fine August evening in 1388.

Douglas was slain in the battle, though not, as is stated by Walsingham, by Percy's hand: Henry Percy was captured by Sir John Montgomery, and his brother Ralph by Sir John Maxwell. Hotspur was released on the payment of a heavy ransom, to which Richard II contributed £3000, and in the autumn his term as warden of Carlisle and the West March was extended to five years. In 1399 together with his father he joined Henry of Lancaster . Henry IV gave the charge of the West March to Northumberland, while Henry Percy received the castles of Bamburgh, Roxburgh and Berwick, and the wardenship of the East March, with a salary of £3000 in peace time and £12,000 in war. During the first year of Henry's reign Hotspur further was appointed Justiciar of North Wales and Constable of the castles of Chester, Flint, Conway, Denbigh and Carnarvon. Henry also gave him a grant of the island of Anglesey, with the castle of Beaumaris.

William and Rees ap Tudor captured Conway Castle on the 1st of April 1401, and Percy in company with the prince of Wales set out to recover the place, Percy providing the funds. In May he reported to the king the pacification of Merioneth and Carnarvon, and before the end of the month Conway was surrendered to him. Meanwhile he wrote demanding arrears of pay, with the threat of resignation if the money were not forthcoming, but the king intimated that the loss of Conway had been due to his negligence, and only sent part of the money. He had the same difficulty in obtaining money for his northern charge that he had experienced in Wales.1 Anglesey was taken from him, and he was deprived of Roxburgh Castle in favour of his rival, the Earl of Westmorland . The Scots again invaded England in the autumn of 1402, headed by the earl of Douglas and Murdoch Stewart, son of the Duke of Albany. Northumberland and Hotspur barred their way at Millfield, near Wooler, and the Scots were compelled to fight at Humbledon, or Homildon Hill, on the 14th of September.

The English archers were provided with a good target in the masses of the Scottish spearmen, and Hotspur was restrained from charging by his ally, George Dunbar, Earl of March. The Scottish army was almost destroyed, while the English loss is said to have been five men. Disputes with the king arose over the disposal of the Scottish prisoners, Percy insisting on his right to hold Douglas as his personal prisoner, and he was summoned to court to explain. It is related that when he arrived Henry asked for Douglas, and Hotspur demanded in return that his brother-in-law, Edmund Mortimer, should be allowed to ransom himself from Owen Glendower , with whom he was a prisoner. High words followed, in the course of which Henry called Percy a traitor, struck him on the face, and drew his sword on him. Percy is said to have answered this defiance with the words, "Not here, but on the field." This was late in 1402, and in 1403 Hotspur issued a proclamation in Cheshire stating that Richard II was alive, and summoning the inhabitants to his standard.

He made common cause with his prisoner Douglas, and marched south to join forces with Glendower, who was now reconciled with Mortimer. He was reinforced by his uncle Thomas, Earl of Worcester , who, although steward to the household of the prince of Wales, joined his family in rebellion. The mythical Richard II was heard of no more, and Percy made himself the champion of the young Earl of March . When he arrived at the Castle Foregate, Shrewsbury , early on the 21st of July, and demanded provisions, he found the king's forces had arrived before him. He retired in the direction of Whitchurch, and awaited the enemy about 32 mi. from Shrewsbury. After a long parley, in which a truce of two days was even said to have been agreed on, the Scottish Earl of March, fighting on the royal side, forced on the battle in the afternoon, the royal right being commanded by the prince of Wales. Hotspur was killed, the earls of Douglas and Worcester, Sir Richard Venables of Kinderton, and Sir Richard Vernon were captured, and the rebel army dispersed. Worcester, Venables and Vernon were executed the next day.

Percy's body was buried at Whitchurch, but was disinterred two days later to be exhibited in Shrewsbury. The head was cut off, and fixed on one of the gates of York. 1 The dissatisfaction of the Percys seems to have been chiefly due to the money question. Sir J. H. Ramsay (Lancaster and York) estimates that in the four years from 1399 to 1403 they had received from the king the sum of £41,750, which represented a very large capital in the 14th century, and they had also received considerable grants of land. King Henry IV. was about to march north himself to look into the real relations between the Percys and the Scots, when on the 6th of July 1403 Henry Percy was in open rebellion. Excerpted from: Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th Ed. Vol XXI. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1910. 136.

Other Local Resources: Henry Percy KG, KB (1364-1403) | WikiTree: The FREE Family Tree Titles of Henry "Hotspur" Percy (Royal Ancestry): Justice of Chester, North Wales, and Flintshire Warden of the East March, 1384, 1388, 1393, 1396, 1399 Warden of the West March, 1390 Sheriff of Northumberland, 1399-1400 King's Lieutenant in North and South Wales, 1402 Captain of Berwick-on-Tweed WikiTree.com 2015 -- Sir Henry "Harry" Percy ... better known as "Hotspur" was born c. 1364 or 1366 in either Northumberland or Yorkshire. [1] He was killed at Shrewsbury fighting against his King, 21 Jul 1403. [2] While most of Hotspur's military campaigns targeted Scotland, Cawley (2006) states that both Hotspur and his father tried to, "depose Richard II. ...

but relations with Henry IV deteriorated until he was in open rebellion, claiming the throne for his wife's nephew Edmund Mortimer." After Hotspur died on the battle field, he was written off as a traitor in January of 1404 ... leading to the forfeit of his lands. Worse yet, he was exhumed from Whitchurch in Shropshire to be put on display. [3] Hotspur's head was impaled on a city gate in York. The rest of his body was quartered, and divided between "London, Newcastle upon Tyne, Bristol, and Chester," before his wife finally recovered them. She eventually reburied him in November 1403 at York Minster. [1] [4] [3] Monument to Sir Henry "Hotspur" Percy at York Minster Sir Henry "Hotspur" Percy was killed by an arrow to the head at the Battle of Shrewsbury, July 21, 1403. At the king's order, his head was displayed on a pike over York's Micklegate. He has a wall tablet and monument at York Minster in York in the Lady Chapel.

Note: An e-mail was sent June 19, 2006 to Alton Rogers from Nikki at Dean and Chapter York Minster (info@yorkminster.org) regarding Henry "Hotspur" Percy and his association with York Minster: "Henry Percy does have a wall tablet and monument here at York Minster in the Lady Chapel. However, he was not buried here. In 1403 he joined his uncle, Thomas Percy Earl of Worcester in rebellion against Henry IV, joining forces with the Welsh rebel Owain Glyndwr. He was killed at the Battle of Shrewsbury when he lifted his visor to get some water, by an arrow through the mouth. An example was made of Hotspur and he was quartered and his body parts were sent all around England as a warning. His head was stuck on a pole at York's gates. Unfortunately, I have no information as to the final resting place of his body parts...." Titles Apr 1377: knighted by Edward III with the future Richard II and Henry IV, who were almost exactly his own age. [5] K.G.; K.B. and many high offices.

[5] Knight of the Garter - 1366. Possibly degraded 1407. [6] Parents Henry de Percy and Margaret de Neville m. 12 Jul 1358 Brancepeth, Durham. Issue: [3] Thomas Magna Carta pedigree by Bob Kenistion of the Magna Carta Project. References Cawley, C. (2006) Medieval Lands v.3. fmg.ac . Collins, A. & Egerton, B. (1812). "Percy, Duke of Northumberland." Collins's Peerage of England Genealogical, Biographical, and Historical, (Vol. II, 217-366). London: Printed for F.C. and J. Rivington, Otridge and Son. Print. Froissart, J. (1910). "The Battle of Otterburn." The Chronicles of Froissart. John Bourchier, Lord Berners, translator. Harvard Classics. NY: P. F. Collier & Son Company. Fordham.edu . "Harry Hotspur," (n.d.). Alnwick Castle. King, A.

(2002). ‘According to the custom used in French and Scottish wars': Prisoners and casualties on the Scottish Marches in the fourteenth century. Journal of Medieval History, 28(3). doi: 10.1016/S0048-721X(02)00057-X-T0001. Richardson, D. (2013). Royal Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families, (Vol IV, pp.355 #12- 357). Kimball G. Everingham, Ed. Salt Lake City, UT: N.p. amazon.com . Battle of Shrewsbury 1403 - 1000033| Historic England Battle of Shrewsbury 1403 List Entry Summary This battlefield is registered within the Register of Historic Battlefields by English Heritage for its special historic interest. Name: Battle of Shrewsbury 1403 List entry Number: 1000033 The battlefield may lie within the boundary of more than one authority. County: National Park: Not applicable to this List entry.

Grade: Not Applicable to this List Entry Date first registered: 06-Jun-1995 Date of most recent amendment: 09-Sep-2015 Legacy System Information The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system. Legacy System: Battlefields UID: 34 Asset Groupings This list entry does not comprise part of an Asset Grouping. Asset Groupings are not part of the official record but are added later for information. List entry Description Summary of Battlefield The site of the Battle of Shrewsbury (1403) which saw the army of King Henry IV defeat a rebel army led by Sir Henry ‘Hotspur’ Percy.

Reasons for Designation The Battle of Shrewsbury (1403), which saw the army of King Henry IV defeat a rebel army led by Sir Henry ‘Hotspur’ Percy, is included on the Register of Historic Battlefields for the following principal reasons: * Historic interest: the battle was important politically because it broke the might of the Percy family and confirmed the House of Lancaster on the throne; * Military innovations: it was the first major battle in which English archers had fought against each other on their own soil and showed the effectiveness of the longbow.

It thus has particular importance for the development of late medieval military tactics which were subsequently and successfully employed by Henry V at Agincourt; * Archaeological: it has the potential to contain archaeological remains associated with the battle in the form of arrowheads, weapons and personal effects; * Documentation: the battle is popularly remembered in the context of Shakespeare’s play Henry IV Part I in which the last two acts are principally concerned with Shrewsbury; * Biographical: the battle is significant biographically in the military career of Prince Henry, later King Henry V, and the death of the defeated Henry’ Hotspur’ Percy; * Group value: the site forms the setting for the collegiate church of St Mary Magdalene (scheduled and listed Grade II*) constructed on the battlefield in 1406-09 at the behest of King Henry IV; * Amenity value: the battlefield has high amenity value with a high level of public access and information, with a visitor centre, a viewing mound and a comprehensive battlefield trail. Views within, across and beyond the site make an important contribution to understanding the battle.

History HISTORICAL CONTEXT On 21st July 1403 the armies of King Henry IV and the rebellious Percy family met in battle some three miles to the north of Shrewsbury. Although the Percy family, including Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland, and his son, Sir Henry Percy, better known at Hotspur, had been instrumental in helping Henry seize the throne from his cousin King Richard II in 1399, their relationship was far from amicable. Under Richard II, the Percys’ had been given extensive civil and military responsibility including the defence of the Border region. In 1399 Hotspur was appointed High Sherriff of Flintshire and subsequently completed successful campaigns against the Welsh patriot Owain Glyndwr in 1401 and 1402. In 1402, the Percy’s were also victorious against a Scottish force at Homildon Hill. However, the lack of financial recompense for their military expenditure heightened their disenchantment with Henry IV’s rule along with his failure to put an end to Glyndwr's rebellion through a negotiated settlement.

Also infuriating the Percy’s was the King’s increasing promotion of the military authority of his son, Prince Henry, in Wales, and his failure to ransom the Percys' kinsman, Sir Edmund Mortimer, Henry Percy's brother-in-law, whom had been captured by the Welsh in June 1402. Spurred on by these grievances, the Percys’ hatched a scheme to divide England in alliance with Mortimer, who was uncle to the Earl of March, and Glyndwr. Now supporting the Earl of March as the rightful heir to the throne, Hotspur raised a small group of retainers in early July 1403 and started the march south to meet his uncle, Thomas Percy, 1st Earl of Worcester. Although Hotspur’s ultimate destination was Shrewsbury, which was garrisoned by Prince Henry, he spent several days in Cheshire raising an army. Cheshire was seen to be a natural recruiting ground as it was the county in which Richard II’s archer bodyguard had been raised and was the only region which had attempted to resist Henry’s seizure of the throne.

More importantly, it had many experienced soldiers, notably its archers, which were expected to be reinforced by a Welsh force under Glyndwr. The King received news of these events whilst at Burton-on-Trent on 12th July as he marched an army north to assist the Percys’ against the Scots. He immediately headed north-west to intercept Hotspur before he could join forces with Glyndwr, arriving at Shrewsbury shortly before him on 20th July. Hotspur, who found the gates defended against him, withdrew some three miles to the north-west to the village of Berwick. The King, who was under pressure to attack before Glyndwr’s reinforcements could arrive, spent the night camped outside Haughmond Abbey. On 21st July, Hotspur moved his rebel army to a ridge overlooking Shrewsbury, to the east of Albright Hussey, so that he could observe the ground towards Haughmond Abbey and the approach of the King. Although there is no firm evidence for the size of each army, it is assumed that Hotspur was outnumbered. Initially, there was a general reluctance to commence battle and a great deal of time was spent in negotiation.

The Abbot of Shrewsbury and the clerk of the privy seal served as a delegation on behalf of the King, offering Hotspur peace and pardon if he would desist from his adventure. As a result of their persuasions Hotspur decided to negotiate and sent his uncle, Thomas Percy, who explained the causes of the rebellion and demanded a real reformation. When the king had condescended as far as reason would allow, his uncle returned to his nephew and reported the contrary, inflaming the mind of Hotspur and impelling him to battle, even though he was reluctant to fight. Negotiations ended near noon and the two forces advanced close for the battle in a large field planted with peas below the ridge. DESCRIPTION OF MILITARY ACTION Contemporary accounts of the battle indicate that the first clash of arms came around two hours before dusk when the royal vanguard under the Earl of Stafford advanced against Hotspur’s line and were met by a deluge of arrows from his Cheshire archers. An archery duel subsequently developed resulting in heavy casualties.

On seeing the discomfort of his vanguard, the King led his main battle forward to its relief and at this moment Hotspur led a group of horsemen forward in an attempt to kill the King. Bloody hand-to-hand fighting followed and many men were slain on both sides. Although Hotspur's foray did kill the Earl of Stafford and Henry’s standard bearer, Sir Walter Blount, it failed to find the King. It is then thought that Henry launched a counter-attack which may have included an outflanking movement by a body of troops under Prince Henry, possibly using the depression of a small brook, now known as Battlefield Brook, to avoid detection. Despite Prince Henry, who was fighting his first battle, being shot in the face by an arrow, his division reached the main body of the enemy before the others, breaking their line, and overthrowing all opponents. Passing right through he faced about, and thus closed them in between his own division and that of the King. The rebel army fell into a state of great confusion, not knowing whether they were fighting against the King's party or their own. During this uncertainty, Hotspur was cut down and killed, apparently being shot in the face when he opened his visor.

His death was not initially realised, and at some point soon afterwards the Northumbrian knights mistakenly hailed the death of King Henry and took up the war cry ‘Henry Percy king’ to encourage their own men. Understanding the object of these cries, the King retaliated by shouting ‘Henry Percy is dead’ with the absence of a reply confirming Percy’s demise. As the news of Hotspur's death began to spread, his army began to disintegrate in flight, with the battle believed to have dispersed into many smaller actions over a wider area before coming to an end. Estimates placed the dead and wounded at well over 5,000 men, with the majority being interred in a mass grave on the battlefield. Hotspur’s body was taken by Thomas Neville, 5th Baron Furnivall, to Whitchurch for burial. However, when rumours circulated that Percy was still alive, the King had the corpse exhumed and displayed in the market place at Shrewsbury.

After this, the King dispatched Percy's head to York, where it was impaled on one of the city's gates; his four-quarters were sent to London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Bristol, and Chester before they were finally delivered to his widow who had him buried in York Minster. In January 1404, Percy was posthumously declared a traitor, and his lands were forfeited to the Crown. In 1406 the site of the mass grave was acquired by the Rector of Albright Hussey to build a chantry chapel to commemorate the souls of the fallen. Completed with endowment from Henry IV, it was in use by 1409. In 1410 it was re-established as a college of seven chaplains with a large moated enclosure built around the church and a series of fishponds built to serve the college. The college was dissolved in 1547. The church was restored as the parish church in 1862; it is now redundant.

The collegiate church is listed at Grade II* (NHLE 1246192), and the whole of the collegiate site is a scheduled monument (NHLE 1003717). Details TOPOGRAPHY The site of the battlefield is dominated by a ridge of high ground running from Albright Hussey in the west to Battlefield Farm in the east. The land is still primarily agricultural in nature, mainly being under arable cultivation, although some parts are under permanent pasture, with the open fields of 1403 now enclosed with hedges. The Church of St Mary Magdalene occupies a prominent position on the landscape, enclosed by the earthwork and buried remains of a large moated enclosure. To the south-east of the church there are a series of five fishponds separated by causeways and now traversed by a boardwalk. Earthwork remains of ridge and furrow are found in both the western half of the churchyard and the south-east section of the site. The ridge and furrow formed part of the common fields of the manor of Albright Hussey and, with the field system being in place by the C13, they probably pre-date the battle.

The modern world has imposed itself to some degree on the site, including the construction of the railway line on the east side, opened in 1858, the gradual northwards spread of Shrewsbury, and the construction of the Battlefield Link Road, completed in 1998. Immediately to the north of the link road are car parking facilities and a viewing mound from where the battle site can be appreciated. FEATURES The most prominent features associated with the battle that are still evident are the ridge on which Hotspur’s rebel army assembled and the two areas of ridge and furrow. The earthwork remains of the ridge and furrow in the battlefield’s south-east corner lie in a field which has been known as Trooper’s Piece and Roushill whilst the adjacent field was called King’s Croft in the C18. The Church of St Mary Magdalene stands as a prominent memorial to those who died during the battle. ARCHAEOLOGICAL POTENTIAL Although the battlefield has not been the subject of extensive archaeological survey and investigation, the site has the potential to contain archaeological remains associated with the battle in the form of arrowheads, weapons and personal effects.

The ridge and furrow remains are of considerable importance as any possible archaeological remains will not have suffered mechanical damage for several centuries. Further significance is also derived from the site of the mass grave which lay within the enclosure where the Church of St Mary Magdalene stands. Selected Sources Books and journals Priestley, EJ , The Battle of Shrewsbury 1403, (1979) Calvert, E, 'Annales Rich II Et Hen IV' in Transactions of the Shropshire Archaeological and Natural History Society, , Vol. 10, (), 295-305 Websites Information on the Battle of Shrewsbury from the UK Battlefields Resource Centre, accessed 8 December 2014 from Other English Heritage, 1995, Battlefield Report: Shrewsbury 1403 National Grid Reference: SJ5086717165 © Crown Copyright and database right 2017. All rights reserved. Ordnance Survey Licence number 100024900. © British Crown and SeaZone Solutions Limited 2017. All rights reserved.

Licence number 102006.006. Use of this data is subject to Terms and Conditions . The above map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. For a copy of the full scale map, please see the attached PDF - 1000033 .pdf The PDF will be generated from our live systems and may take a few minutes to download depending on how busy our servers are. We apologise for this delay. This copy shows the entry on 20-Jan-2017 at 01:12:44. End of official listing Battle of Shrewsbury in the Hundred Years' War Thomas Percy, Earl of Worcester approximately 5,000-7,000 men Battle of Shrewsbury - Background: In 1403, during a lull in the Hundred Years' War , the powerful Percy family rose in rebellion due to perceived ill treatment by King Henry IV. The family's dissatisfaction stemmed from a feeling that they had been mistreated by the king after helping him gain his crown in the wars against King Richard II .

Raising an army from among the Richard's former supporters, including longbow archers from Cheshire, Sir Henry "Hotspur" Percy moved south with the goal of destroying a small Royalist force at Shrewsbury commanded by the 16-year old Prince of Wales . As he marched, Hotspur was joined by his uncle, the Earl of Worcester, who brought with him almost 1,000 men who had defected from the Prince's army. Battle of Shrewsbury - The Armies on the Move: As Hotspur moved south, King Henry IV was marching north towards the Percy's lands in Northumbria. Arriving at Nottingham on July 12, and hearing of Hotspur's activities, he turned his army west and moved to aid his son. He arrived at Shrewsbury on the 20th, just in time to prevent Hotspur from assaulting the town. With the arrival of the king's forces, the rebels withdrew northwest towards the village of Berwick. Not wanting the rebels to escape, King Henry VI pursued and made camp three miles from the rebels.

Battle of Shrewsbury - Hotspur Deploys: The following morning, Hotspur lined up his army along a low ridge while King Henry IV approached from the south. By mid-day, both armies were in position, though neither side seemed inclined to open the fight. Hoping to prevent bloodshed, the abbots of Shrewsbury and Haughmond attempted to mediate. While Hotspur appeared receptive, it was Worcester who went to meet the king. Unwilling to give into Worcester's demands, the king sent him away and the battle opened two hours before sunset. Battle of Shrewsbury - The Forces Clash: As the king's men advanced, Hotspur's archers opened fire, inflicting heavy casualties and forcing them to return to their original lines. Seeing an opportunity, Hotspur ordered a general counterattack. Leading the charge himself, the rebel troops slammed into the Royalist lines. In the melee that ensued, Hotspur was killed. As the fighting continued, the Prince of Wales, whose division was outside of the fray, wheeled his men around and attacked the rebels in the flank. This assault broke the rebel's lines and drove them from the field, completing the victory for Henry IV.

Battle of Shrewsbury - Aftermath: The battle ended in a decisive victory for King Henry IV and resulted in Henry "Hotspur" Percy's death. Also, the Earl of Worcester was captured and executed for his part in the rebellion. Approximately 2,000 were killed in the fighting, with records suggesting that Royalist forces sustained the heaviest casualties. Sir Henry Percy | English rebel | Britannica.com Sir Henry Percy Henry Ireton Sir Henry Percy, byname Hotspur (born May 20, 1364—died July 21, 1403, near Shrewsbury , Shropshire, England ), English rebel who led the most serious of the uprisings against King Henry IV (reigned 1399–1413). His fame rests to a large extent on his inclusion as a major character in William Shakespeare ’s Henry IV. He was the eldest son of Henry Percy, 1st earl of Northumberland , and was nicknamed Hotspur by his Scottish enemies in recognition of the diligence with which he patrolled the border between England and Scotland.

He was captured and held for ransom by Scottish invaders in 1388–89, and in 1399 he and his father played a crucial part in helping Henry Bolingbroke (afterward King Henry IV) overthrow King Richard II . Henry IV rewarded Hotspur with lands and offices in northern England and Wales, but the Percys would not be content until they dominated the king. Their stunning victory over the Scots at Homildon (Humbledon) Hill in Durham, in September 1402, contrasted with Henry’s fruitless attempts to suppress the Welsh rebel Owain Glyn Dŵr . Nevertheless, Henry refused to allow Hotspur to ransom the Scottish captives, and he delayed in paying the expenses of Hotspur’s border warfare. Hence in 1403 Hotspur and Northumberland decided to depose the king. Hotspur raised a rebellion in Cheshire in July, but Henry intercepted him near Shrewsbury before he could join forces with his father. In the ensuing battle Hotspur was killed.

Learn More in these related articles: 7 Famous Knights of the Middle Ages 7 Famous Knights of the Middle Ages Andrew Knighton Left: A Victorian depiction of Sir James (third from left), and other leaders of the Wars of Independence by William Brassey Hole, part of a mural in the National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh, Scotland. Photo Credit . Right: Possible statue of Tancred of Hauteville on the north side of Coutances Cathedral. This is an 1875 replacement for a statue damaged in the French Revolution. Photo Credit . Medieval knights were among the celebrities of their day – warriors, leaders, and even scholars. They became figures of romance and inspiration, giving them a special status in our imaginations. Here are seven of the most famous men who gave knighthood its allure. William Marshal (1146-1219) Described as ‘the greatest knight that ever lived’ by Archbishop Stephen Langton, William Marshal rose from minor nobility to become the most respected knight in England. After embarrassing himself with hot-headed behaviour at his first battle at the age of twenty, he joined the glamorous French tournament circuit, becoming a popular combatant.

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Such was his reputation for honesty that he was let out of captivity to raise his own ransom. After fighting courageously in several important battles, Charny was killed in the front line at the Battle of Poitiers, carrying the Oriflamme, the French royal banner, to the last. James Douglas (1286-1330) A Victorian depiction of Sir James (third from left), and other leaders of the Wars of Independence by William Brassey Hole James Douglas was only a child when his father died fighting with William Wallace against the English invasion of Scotland. Sent to Paris for his own safety, it was there that he learned the ways of knighthood. On his return to Britain, he found King Edward I unwilling to restore his family’s lands, and so joined Robert the Bruce in the revolt that led to Scottish independence. A leading fighter in the Scottish guerrilla war, Sir James captured Douglas and Roxburgh Castles (1307 and 1314) and fought in the famous Scottish victory at Bannockburn (1314). He became one of Bruce’s closest companions, and was known by the English as the Black Douglas.

When Bruce – now King Robert I – died in 1329 he asked Sir James to take his heart to Jerusalem. Diverted to a crusade against the Saracens in Spain, Douglas saw a fellow knight become surrounded at the Battle of Teba. Throwing Bruce’s heart ahead of him, he charged into the thick of the fighting, and died a warrior to the last. Sir Henry Percy (1364-1403) The Pennon or banner flown by Sir Henry Percy aka Harry Hotspur and taken from him in combat by James Douglas, Earl of Douglas. The Percy family were one of the most powerful in northern England. Throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, this part of the country was plagued by violence, including local feuds, Scottish raids and even rebellions. Sir Henry Percy, known as Hotspur, became a part of this. Knighted at the age of 13, Hotspur fought in his first battle only a year later, helping to capture Berwick Castle. He proved an excellent warrior and leader, famed for his skill and courage in tournaments, on crusade in Prussia, in England’s wars with France and in fighting Scottish border raiders.

Hotspur helped put the rebel Henry Bolingbroke on the throne as King Henry IV in 1399. But the two then fell out. Hotspur himself rebelled in 1403, and was killed in battle by royal forces at Shrewsbury. The King wept for his friend’s death, but displayed his head on a pole as a warning to other traitors. Continued on Page 2 Henry Percy (Hotspur) | Military Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Edit Arms of Hotspur Henry Percy was born 20 May 1364 at Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, the eldest son of Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland , and Margaret Neville, daughter of Ralph de Neville, 2nd Lord Neville of Raby , and Alice de Audley. [1] He was knighted by King Edward III in April 1377. [2] In 1380 he was in Ireland with the Earl of March , [3] and in 1383 travelled in Prussia .

[4] He was appointed warden of the east march either on 30 July 1384 or in May 1385, [4] and in 1385 accompanied Richard II on an expedition into Scotland. [1] 'As a tribute to his speed in advance and readiness to attack' on the Scottish borders, the Scots bestowed on him the name 'Haatspore'. [2] In April 1386 he was sent to France to reinforce the garrison at Calais, and led raids into Picardy. Between August and October 1387 he was in command of a naval force in an attempt to relieve the siege of Brest. [4] In appreciation of these military endeavours he was made a Knight of the Garter in 1388. [4] Reappointed as warden of the east march, he commanded the English forces against James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas , at the Battle of Otterburn on 10 August 1388, where he was captured, but soon ransomed for a fee of 7000 marks. [2] During the next few years Percy's reputation continued to grow.

He was sent on a diplomatic mission to Cyprus in June 1393, and appointed deputy to John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster , in the Duchy of Aquitaine . [2] He returned to England in January 1395, taking part in Richard II's expedition to Ireland, and was back in Aquitaine the following autumn. In the summer of 1396 he was again in Calais. [3] His military and diplomatic service brought Percy substantial marks of royal favour in the form of grants and appointments, [4] but despite this the Percy family determined to support Henry Bolingbroke, the future Henry IV , on his return from exile in June 1399. Percy and his father joined Bolingbroke's forces at Doncaster, and marched south with them. After King Richard's deposition, Percy and his father were 'lavishly rewarded' with lands and offices. [3] Under the new king, Percy had extensive civil and military responsibility in both the east march towards Scotland and in north Wales, where he was appointed High Sheriff of Flintshire in 1399.

He was however under increasing pressure in north Wales as a result of the rebellion of Owain Glyn Dŵr . In March 1402 Henry IV appointed Percy royal lieutenant in north Wales, and on 14 September 1402 Percy, his father, and the Earl of Dunbar and March were victorious against a Scottish force at the Battle of Homildon Hill , taking prisoner among others Archibald Douglas, 4th Earl of Douglas . [1] Rebellion and death File:Henry Hotspur Percy.jpg The Percys had become increasingly discontented with Henry IV, however.

Among their grievances was the King's failure to pay the wages due to them for defending the Scottish border, his favour towards Dunbar, his demand that the Percys hand over their Scottish prisoners, his failure to put an end to Owain Glyn Dŵr's rebellion through a negotiated settlement, his increasing promotion of his son Prince Henry's military authority in Wales, and his failure to ransom the Percys' kinsman, Henry Percy's brother-in-law, Sir Edmund Mortimer (1376–1409), whom the Welsh had captured in June 1402, and who had a claim to the crown as the grandson of Lionel, Duke of Clarence , second surviving son of King Edward III . [5] Spurred on by these grievances, in the summer of 1403 the Percys rebelled and took up arms against the King. According to Bean, it is clear that the Percys were in collusion with Glyndŵr. On his return to England shortly after the victory at Homildon Hill, Henry Percy issued proclamations in Cheshire accusing the King of 'tyrannical government'.

[3] Joined by his uncle, Thomas Percy, Earl of Worcester , he marched to Shrewsbury where he intended to do battle against a force there under the command of the Prince of Wales . However the army of his father, Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland was, for reasons never fully explained, slow to move south as well, and it was without Northumberland's assistance that Henry Percy and Worcester arrived at Shrewsbury on 21 July 1403, where they found the King with a large army. The ensuing battle was fierce, with heavy casualties on both sides, but when Henry Percy himself was struck down and killed, his own forces fled. [3] The Earl of Worcester was executed two days later. [6] Prince Henry, upon being brought Percy's body after the battle, is said to have wept. The body was taken by Thomas Neville, 5th Baron Furnivall (d.1407), to Whitchurch, Shropshire for burial; however when rumours circulated that Percy was still alive, the King 'had the corpse exhumed and displayed it, propped upright between two millstones, in the market place at Shrewsbury'.

[3] That done, the King dispatched Percy's head to York, where it was impaled on one of the city's gates; his four quarters were sent to London, Newcastle upon Tyne, Bristol, and Chester before they were finally delivered to his widow. She had him buried in York Minster in November of that year. [7] In January 1404, Percy was posthumously declared a traitor, and his lands were forfeited to the Crown.[ citation needed ] Marriage and issue Elizabeth Percy (c.1395 – 26 October 1436), who married firstly John Clifford, 7th Baron de Clifford , slain at the Siege of Meaux on 13 March 1422, by whom she had issue, and secondly Ralph Neville, 2nd Earl of Westmorland (d. 3 November 1484), by whom she had a son, Sir John Neville. [10] Sometime after 3 June 1406 Elizabeth Mortimer married as her second husband, Thomas de Camoys, 1st Baron Camoys , by whom she had a son, Sir Roger Camoys.

[11] Thomas Camoys distinguished himself as a soldier in command of the rearguard of the English army at the Battle of Agincourt on 25 October 1415. [12] Shakespeare and Henry Percy Edit Warkworth Castle, the home of Henry Percy Henry Percy, 'Hotspur', is one of Shakespeare's best-known characters. In Henry IV, Part 1 Percy is portrayed as the same age as his rival, Prince Hal, by whom he is slain in single combat. In fact he was 23 years older than Prince Hal, the future King Henry V , who was a youth of 16 at the date of the Battle of Shrewsbury. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Henry Percy . Footnotes

Question: At which battle of 1403 was Sir Henry Percy aka Hotspur killed?
Answer: SHREWSBURY