Henry Scrope, 3rd Baron Scrope of Masham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henry Scrope
Baron Scrope of Masham
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Arms of Sir Henry Scrope, 3rd Baron Scrope of Masham, KG
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| Born | c. 1373 |
| Died | 5 August 1415 |
| Cause of death | Beheaded |
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| Parent(s) | Stephen Scrope, 2nd Baron Scrope of Masham Margery Welles |
| Relatives | John Scrope, 4th Baron (brother) Richard Scrope (uncle) |
| Family | Scrope of Masham |
Henry Scrope, 3rd Baron Scrope of Masham was an important person in England during the time of King Henry V. He was a close friend of the King and went on many important trips for him. Sadly, he was accused of being part of a plot against the King and was executed. Some people think the accusations against him might have been unfair.
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Henry Scrope's Family Background
Henry Scrope was born around 1373. He was the oldest son of Stephen Scrope, who was the 2nd Baron Scrope of Masham. His mother was Margery Welles.
Henry had four brothers and one sister:
- Sir Geoffrey Scrope
- Stephen Scrope, who became a church leader
- John Scrope, 4th Baron Scrope of Masham
- William Scrope, who also became a church leader
- Maud Scrope, who married Baldwin Freville
Henry Scrope's Early Career and Royal Service
In 1390, Henry Scrope joined John Beaufort on a military journey called the Barbary Crusade. Beaufort was the half-brother of the future King Henry IV.
King Richard II gave Henry Scrope a yearly payment. When Henry IV became king, he continued this payment. In 1403, Scrope was called a 'king's knight'. He fought for Henry IV at the Battle of Shrewsbury.
His uncle, Richard Scrope, who was the Archbishop of York, was executed in 1405. This happened because his uncle was part of a rebellion against the King. However, Henry Scrope was not involved in his uncle's rebellion. He was serving the King in Wales when he inherited his father's title and lands in 1406.
In 1408, Henry Scrope traveled with King Henry IV's daughter, Philippa, to Denmark for her wedding. In 1409, he went to Paris for an important diplomatic mission with Henry IV's half-brother, Henry Beaufort.
Becoming a Royal Favorite
During this time, Henry Scrope became good friends with the future King Henry V. Because of this friendship, he was made Treasurer of England in 1410. He also became a Knight of the Garter in the same year. This was a very high honor.
When Henry V became king in 1413, Scrope was sent on several important diplomatic missions. In 1414, he went with Bishop Henry Chichele to Burgundy to try and create an alliance.
The Southampton Plot Accusations
In 1415, King Henry V planned to invade France. Henry Scrope attended a meeting in February 1415 to help plan this important trip. However, on May 27, 1415, Scrope was not at a council meeting.
On July 31, Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March told King Henry about a plot. This plot was supposedly to harm King Henry and put Mortimer on the throne instead. Mortimer had a stronger claim to the throne than Henry V. This was because Mortimer was a descendant of King Edward III's second son, while Henry V was from Edward III's third son.
The three main people accused in this plot were:
- Richard of Conisburgh, Earl of Cambridge, who was Edmund Mortimer's brother-in-law.
- Sir Thomas Grey.
- Henry Scrope himself.
Richard, Scrope, and Grey were quickly arrested. Their trial took place in Southampton. Grey was executed on August 2, 1415. Henry Scrope and Cambridge were executed on August 5, 1415. Scrope's head was sent to York to be displayed.
Historians are still puzzled by Henry Scrope's involvement in this plot. Some historians believe that Scrope might have been trying to uncover the plot himself to help the King. However, others think that the accusations against Cambridge, Grey, and Scrope were made more serious than they were. This might have been done to make sure they received the death penalty for other things they had done wrong.
The story of the Southampton Plot is shown in Shakespeare's play Henry V.
Henry Scrope's Marriages
Henry Scrope married twice, but he did not have any children.
His first wife was Philippa Bryan. She passed away in 1406.
His second wife was Lady Joan Holland. They married in 1410. Joan was the daughter of Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent. She was also the sister of Eleanor Holland, who was the mother of Edmund Mortimer, 5th Earl of March. Edmund Mortimer was the person at the center of the Southampton Plot.
After Henry Scrope's death, Joan married a fourth time to Sir Henry Bromflete.
Since Henry Scrope had no children, his brother, John Scrope, 4th Baron Scrope of Masham, became the next Baron. However, it took many years for his brother to get back the family lands that had been taken away after Henry Scrope's execution.
