William de Ufford, 2nd Earl of Suffolk

The Earl of Suffolk
William de Ufford, from a stained glass window in St Andrews church in Wimpole.
Born	(1338-05-30)30 May 1338
Died	15 February 1382(1382-02-15) (aged 43) Westminster Hall, London
Resting place	Campsey Priory, Campsea Ashe, Suffolk
Title	Earl of Suffolk
Tenure	1369–1382
Other titles	Lord Ufford
Years active	Bef. 1367–1382
Nationality	English
Residence	Orford Castle
Locality	East Anglia
Net worth	c. £2–3,000 p.a.
Wars and battles	Hundred Years' War • Battle of Poitiers Peasants' Revolt
Offices	Admiral of the North
Predecessor	Robert de Ufford, 1st Earl of Suffolk
Successor	Extinct
Spouse(s)	(1) Joan Montagu (bef. 1361–bef. 1376) (2) Isabel Beauchamp (married bef. 1376)
Parents	Robert de Ufford, 1st Earl of Suffolk Margaret Norwich

William de Ufford, 2nd Earl of Suffolk KG (30 May 1338 – 15 February 1382) was an English nobleman in the reigns of Edward III and Richard II. He was the son of Robert de Ufford, who was created Earl of Suffolk by Edward III in 1337. William had three older brothers who all predeceased him, and in 1369 he succeeded his father. In the 1370s, he participated in several campaigns of the Hundred Years' War, but this period was not a successful one for England. Suffolk was closely connected to Thomas Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and his conciliatory skills were highly valued in national politics. He helped arbitrate in the conflict between Gaunt and the parliamentary Commons during the Good Parliament. In 1381, Suffolk took part in suppressing the Peasants' Revolt in East Anglia, after narrowly escaping the rebels himself. He died suddenly in 1382 while attending parliament, and since he had no surviving children, his title became extinct and his property was dispersed.

William's father Robert, the first Ufford Earl of Suffolk, was a close associate of King Edward III and a trusted military commander in the early stages of the Hundred Years' War. His military career included the Battle of Crécy, the Siege of Calais and the Battle of Poitiers, where he greatly distinguished himself. In 1324, Robert married Margaret, daughter of Walter Norwich, Treasurer of the Exchequer, expanding his already substantial territorial holdings in East Anglia.