Edmund, Earl of Rutland

House of York

Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York Children    Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York    Richard of Conisburgh, Earl of Cambridge    Constance, Countess of Gloucester Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York Richard of Conisburgh, Earl of Cambridge Children    Isabel, Countess of Essex    Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York Children    Anne, Duchess of Exeter    Edward IV of England    Edmund, Earl of Rutland    Elizabeth, Duchess of Suffolk    Margaret, Duchess of Burgundy    George, Duke of Clarence    Richard III of England Edward IV of England Children    Elizabeth, Queen Consort of England    Mary of York    Cecily Kymbe    Edward V of England    Margaret of York    Richard of Shrewsbury, Duke of York    Anne, Countess of Surrey    George, Duke of Bedford    Catherine, Countess of Devon    Bridget of York George, Duke of Clarence Children    Margaret, Countess of Salisbury    Edward, Earl of Warwick Richard III of England Children    Edward of Middleham, Prince of Wales

Edmund, Earl of Rutland (May 17, 1443 – December 31, 1460) was the fifth child and second surviving son of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York and Cecily Neville. He was born in Rouen. Edmund was a younger brother of Anne of York and Edward IV of England and an older brother of Elizabeth of York, Margaret of York, George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence and Richard III of England. He was styled Earl of Rutland.

Lord Chancellor of Ireland

In 1451, Edmund's father, who held the title of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, appointed Edmund as Lord Chancellor of Ireland. As Edmund was underage, the duties of the position were held by Deputy Chancellors. His first Deputy Chancellor was Edmund Oldhall, Bishop of Meath. His brother Sir William Oldhall was Chamberlain to the Duke of York and was likely behind that appointment. He acted as de facto Chancellor until 1454. Goldhall was replaced by John Talbot, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury who also held the office of Lord High Steward of Ireland. He would continue serving as the de facto Chancellor until his death at the Battle of Northampton (10 July, 1460). His appointment and those of his Deputies were acknowledged by the Parliament of Ireland which at this time first asserted its independence. The Parliament declared that Ireland held separate legislature from the Kingdom of England and its subjects were only subject to the laws and statutes of "the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons of Ireland, freely admitted and accepted in their Parliaments and Great Councils". According to Parliamentary decisions during his term, the Irish subjects were only bound to answer writs by the Great Seal of Ireland, held by the Lord Chancellors. Any officer attempting to enforce the rule of decrees from England would lose all of his property in Ireland and be subject to a fine. The House of York in Ireland had won the support of Thomas FitzGerald, 7th Earl of Kildare and James FitzGerald, 6th Earl of Desmond. Several allies of the FitzGeralds followed them in their loyalties. On the other hand the House of Lancaster found its main Irish supporter in the person of James Butler, 5th Earl of Ormonde.

Death

Edmund died at the age of seventeen after the Battle of Wakefield (December 30, 1460) during the Wars of the Roses. He had fought in the battle at the side of his father. By the account given by Roderick O'Flanagan in his 1870 biography of the Edmund: "Urged by his tutor, a priest named Robert Aspell, he was no sooner aware that the field was lost than he sought safety by flight. Their movements were intercepted by the Lancastrians, and Lord Clifford made him prisoner, but did not then know his rank. Struck with the richness of his armour and equipment, Lord Clifford demanded his name. 'Save him,' implored the Chaplain; 'for he is the Prince's son, and peradventure may do you good hereafter.' This was au impolitic appeal, for it denoted hopes of the House of York being again in the ascendant, which the Lancastrians, flushed with recent victory, regarded as impossible. The ruthless noble swore a solemn oath:- 'Thy father,' said he, 'slew mine; and so will I do thee and all thy kin;' and with these words be rushed on the hapless youth, and drove his dagger to the hilt in his heart. Thus fell, at the early age of seventeen, Edmund Plantagenet, Earl of Rutland, Lord Chancellor of Ireland." Edmund was thus executed on the orders of the Lancastrian Lord Clifford, or by some accounts, by Lord Clifford himself. His head was displayed on the gates of York, England, along with those of his father and of his uncle, Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury. [1] In Shakespeare's play, Henry VI, part 3, Rutland is inaccurately portrayed as a small child who is brutally murdered by Clifford after pleading for his life.

References

• Weir, Alison (2002). Britain's Royal Family: A Complete Genealogy. Bodley Head. ISBN 0-7126-4286-2.  page 134

External links

• "The Lives of the Lord Chancellors and Keepers of the Great Seal of Ireland - from the earliest times to the reign of Queen Victoria" by J. Roderick O'Flanagan, 1870 publication