Humphrey of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Gloucester
| The Duke of Gloucester | |
|---|---|
Gloucester in the frontispiece of the Talbot Shrewsbury Book, 1445
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| Born | 3 October 1390 |
| Died | 23 February 1447 (aged 56) |
| Spouse |
Jacqueline, Countess of Hainaut m. 1422; ann. 1428 Eleanor Cobham m. bet. 1428–1431; ann. c. 1441 |
| Issue more... |
Antigone, Countess of Tankerville |
| House | House of Lancaster |
| Father | Henry IV of England |
| Mother | Mary de Bohun |
Humphrey of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Pembroke, KG (3 October 1390 – 23 February 1447) was an English nobleman. He was "son, brother and uncle of kings," being the fourth and youngest son of Henry IV and his first wife Mary de Bohun, the brother of Henry V, and the uncle of Henry VI.
Humphrey was the exemplar of the romantic chivalric persona. Mettled and courageous, he was a foil for the beautiful Jacqueline of Hainaut, his wife. His learned, widely read, scholarly approach to the early renaissance cultural expansion demonstrated the quintessential well-rounded princely character. He was an exemplar for Oxford, accomplished, diplomatic, with political cunning. Unlike his brothers, he was not naturally brave, but opinionated, fervent and judgmental. He exaggerated his own achievements, but idolized his brother Henry V.
He was the youngest in a powerful quadrumvirate of brothers, who were very close companions; on 20 March 1413, Henry and Humphrey had been at their dying father's bedside.Thomas, John and Humphrey had all been knighted in 1399. They joined the Order of the Garter together in 1400.
The place of his birth is unknown, but he was named after his maternal grandfather, Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford.
During the reign of Henry IV, Humphrey received a scholar's education, while his elder brothers fought on the Welsh and Scottish borders. Following his father's death he was created Duke of Gloucester in 1414, and Chamberlain of England, and he took his seat in Parliament. In 1415 he became a member of the Privy Council.
Before embarking for France, the army camped at Southampton, where the Earl of Cambridge failed in an assassination plot to kill the king. Humphrey and his brother, the Duke of Clarence, led an Inquiry of Lords to try Lords Cambridge and Scrope for high treason on 5 August.
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