John Bourchier, 2nd Earl of Bath facts for kids

John Bourchier, 2nd Earl of Bath (born in Devon in 1499 – died February 10, 1561), was an important English nobleman. He held several important titles, including Earl of Bath, and was also the 12th Baron FitzWarin, Baron Daubeney, and 4th Count of Eu.

The Bourchier family's coat of arms, showing a cross and four water bougets.

Family Background

John Bourchier was the son of John Bourchier, 1st Earl of Bath, and Cecily Daubeney. His family had connections to the royal court. His cousin, Anne Stanhope, married Edward Seymour, who was the brother of Queen Jane Seymour. This made Anne the aunt of King Edward VI.

His Career and Roles

John Bourchier had a busy career serving the English Crown. In 1519, he became the Sheriff for the counties of Somerset and Dorset. A sheriff was a chief law enforcement officer in a county. He was knighted in 1523, which meant he was given the title of "Sir."

When King Edward VI died, John Bourchier was one of the first to support Mary I as the new Queen. He became a Privy Counsellor in 1533, which meant he was a trusted advisor to the monarch. He also helped at Queen Mary's coronation ceremony and was involved in the trial of Lady Jane Grey.

He held other important jobs too, like being the Lord-Lieutenant for Cornwall, Devon, and Dorset. A Lord-Lieutenant was like a representative of the monarch in a county. He was also the Governor of Beaumaris Castle.

Lands and Property

John Bourchier inherited the important feudal barony of Okehampton from his grandmother. In 1539, King Henry VIII also gave him several manors, which were large estates with land and villages. These included Hackpen, Sheldon, Bolham, and Saint Hill.

His Marriages and Children

The Bourchier family's coat of arms combined with the Manners family's arms, found at Tawstock Church. This shows the marriage of John Bourchier to Eleanor Manners.

John Bourchier married three times during his life.

• His first wife was Elizabeth Hungerford. They had one daughter named Elizabeth Bourchier.

• His second wife was Eleanor Manners. They had several children, including:
  • John Bourchier, Lord FitzWarin, who passed away before his father.
  • George Bourchier, who became a soldier and statesman in Ireland. He was the father of Henry Bourchier, who later became the 5th Earl of Bath.

A falcon sitting on a Bourchier knot, a symbol of the Bourchier family.

A peacock, which was the symbol of the Manners family.

• His third wife was Margaret Donnington. She was a wealthy lady who had been married twice before. John Bourchier and Margaret made Hengrave Hall their home.

Succession to the Earldom

John Bourchier's eldest son, John Bourchier, Lord FitzWarin, died before him. So, when the 2nd Earl of Bath passed away, his grandson, William Bourchier, became the 3rd Earl of Bath. William was less than a year old at the time. The title of Earl of Bath eventually ended in 1654 with the death of the 5th Earl.

Death and Burial

John Bourchier, 2nd Earl of Bath, died on February 10, 1561. He was buried on March 10 at Hengrave, Suffolk.

Images for kids

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  The coat of arms for the Donnington family.