Henry Beauchamp, Duke of Warwick facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Henry Beauchamp
Drawing of Henry from the Rous Roll, c. 1483
Born	22 March 1425
Died	11 June 1446(1446-06-11) (aged 21)
Title	Duke of Warwick
Tenure	14 April 1445 – 11 June 1446
Other titles	14th Earl of Warwick
Nationality	English
Residence	Warwick Castle
Spouse(s)	Cecily Neville
Issue	Anne Beauchamp, 15th Countess of Warwick
Parents	Richard Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick Isabel le Despenser, Countess of Worcester and Warwick

Henry Beauchamp (born March 22, 1425, died June 11, 1446) was an important English nobleman. He was known as the 14th Earl of Warwick and later became the Duke of Warwick. He lived during the time of King Henry VI.

Henry Beauchamp: A Young Duke

Henry was the son of Richard Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick. His mother was Isabel le Despenser. In 1434, when he was just nine years old, Henry married Cecily Neville. She was the daughter of a powerful family.

When his father passed away in 1439, Henry became the 14th Earl of Warwick. He was only 14 years old at the time.

Becoming a Duke

Henry was good friends with King Henry VI. His father had also served the King well. Because of this, King Henry VI really liked Henry Beauchamp. The King gave him many special titles.

In 1444, Henry was named the most important Earl in England. Then, on April 14, 1445, he was given an even higher title: Duke of Warwick. This was a very rare and important title. He also received control of the Feckenham Forest.

As Duke of Warwick, only the Duke of Norfolk was considered more important than Henry. Another nobleman, the Duke of Buckingham, argued about this. He felt that Henry should not be more important than him. However, this argument did not last long. Henry died on June 11, 1446. He was only 21 years old. Because he had no sons, the title of Duke of Warwick ended with him.

Who Inherited?

When Henry died, his earldom went to his two-year-old daughter, Anne. She was born on February 14, 1444. Anne became the Countess of Warwick in her own right. Sadly, Anne died just three years later, in 1449.

After Anne's death, there was a question about who should inherit the title. Henry had several sisters. In the end, his full sister, Anne, was chosen. She was married to Richard Neville. This decision followed an old English law. This law said that a full-blood sister would inherit before half-sisters. Henry's three half-sisters tried to challenge this, but they were not successful.

Ancestry

Henry Beauchamp came from a long line of important families. This chart shows some of his ancestors.