Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry Percy
|
|
|---|---|
| Earl of Northumberland | |
 |
|
| Born | 27 April 1564 Tynemouth Castle, Northumberland, England |
| Died | 5 November 1632 (aged 68) Petworth House, Sussex, England |
| Noble family | Percy |
| Spouse(s) | Lady Dorothy Devereux |
| Issue | Lady Dorothy Percy Lady Lucy Percy Algernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland Henry Percy |
| Father | Henry Percy, 8th Earl of Northumberland |
| Mother | Katherine Neville |
Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland (born April 27, 1564 – died November 5, 1632) was an important English nobleman. He was one of the richest people in the court of Elizabeth I. Later, under King James I, he was held in the Tower of London for a long time. This was because people thought he might have known about the Gunpowder Plot.
Henry Percy was also known as The Wizard Earl. He got this nickname because he loved science and experiments. He was also very interested in maps and had a huge library.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Henry Percy was born at Tynemouth Castle in Northumberland, England. His father was Henry Percy, 8th Earl of Northumberland, and Henry became the Earl in 1585. His mother was Katherine Neville.
He was raised as a Protestant, like his father. However, some people later suspected he might secretly be Catholic. This was partly because he spent time with people like Charles Paget.
In 1594, Henry married Lady Dorothy Devereux. She was the sister of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex. Through this marriage, he gained more estates in the south of England. These included Petworth House in Sussex and Syon House in Middlesex.
Henry and Dorothy had four children:
- Lady Dorothy Percy (born around 1598 – died 1659). She married Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester.
- Lady Lucy Percy (born 1599 or 1600 – died 1660). She married James Hay, 1st Earl of Carlisle.
- Algernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland (born 1602 – died 1668). He became the next Earl.
- Henry Percy, Baron Percy of Alnwick (born 1604 – died 1659). He never married.
Even though they had children, Henry and Dorothy's marriage was not happy. They separated after some time.
Suspected Catholic Sympathies
The Percy family had many Catholic members, even though Henry was officially Protestant. When it seemed likely that the Protestant James VI of Scotland would become the next king of England, Henry sent his cousin, Thomas Percy, to meet James. Thomas Percy was a new Catholic convert.
Henry hoped that English Catholics would accept James as king if James was more tolerant of their religion. Henry even wrote to James, saying it would be a shame to lose a kingdom "for not tolerating a mass in a corner." Thomas Percy worked for Henry as a rent collector. He was not always honest, but Henry trusted him with this important message.
In 1603, James became king. Soon after, Thomas Percy became one of the main people involved in the Gunpowder Plot. This was a plan to blow up the Parliament building and King James I. When the plot was discovered, Thomas Percy ran away and was later killed.
Because of his connection to Thomas Percy, the Earl of Northumberland was suspected of knowing about the plot but not telling the authorities. He claimed he had planned to be at Parliament on that day. The court did not have enough proof to convict him of knowing about the plot.
However, they found other reasons to punish him. For example, he had appointed Thomas Percy to a royal guard group without the king's permission. Henry Percy was sent to the Tower of London and stayed there for almost 16 years. He also had to pay a very large fine.
Life in the Tower of London
Even though he was a prisoner, Henry Percy was still a very rich man. He made his living space in the Tower of London quite comfortable. He had large rooms that he decorated nicely. He also had about 20 servants who helped him.
He spent a lot of money on books and built a huge library. He even had his own bowling alley and could play tennis and fence. He often met with smart people he supported, like Thomas Harriot, Walter Warner, and Robert Hues. These scholars were sometimes called the "Earl of Northumberland's Magi" (wise men). They discussed advanced scientific ideas together.
In 1621, Henry Percy was finally released from the Tower. After his release, he had trouble hearing and seeing. He went to the Bath Inn to get better. Once he recovered, he moved to Petworth House, where he lived until he died in 1632. His wife, Dorothy, had died in 1619.
Interests and Friends
.jpg)
Henry Percy was called "The Wizard Earl" because he loved science and had a huge library. His library was one of the biggest in England at that time. He supported many scientists, including Thomas Harriot, Nicholas Hill, and Robert Hues.
Thomas Harriot lived at Syon House, one of Henry's estates. Harriot used a telescope to make a map of the moon months before Galileo did. He might have also been the first person to see sunspots.
Henry Percy also knew many writers and poets. George Peele wrote a poem for him when Henry joined the Order of the Garter in 1593. The famous playwright Christopher Marlowe was also part of the same group of friends. Henry was also a friend of the poet John Donne.
Some people believe that William Shakespeare's play Love's Labour's Lost mentions a "School of Night." This might have been a group of scientists who met at Syon House. Because Henry Percy was sometimes thought to be an atheist (someone who doesn't believe in God), this group was sometimes called the "School of Atheism."
|
