John Conyers (died 1490) facts for kids

Sir John Conyers was an important knight from Yorkshire, northern England, during the 1400s. He lived during a time called the Wars of the Roses, which was a big fight between two powerful families for control of England. Sir John was one of twenty-five children of Christopher Conyers.

Sir John Conyers: A Life in Medieval England

Sir John Conyers lived at Hornby Castle, Yorkshire. He was a trusted helper for powerful lords. At first, he worked for Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury, who was a very important leader in the region. Sir John was paid for his service.

Early Life and Key Connections

By 1465, Sir John became a manager for the Honour of Richmond, which was a large area of land. He and his brothers, William and Richard, then started working for Salisbury's son, Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick. Warwick was also a very powerful lord, sometimes called the "Kingmaker." Sir John was paid even more for his service to Warwick.

Fighting in the Wars of the Roses

Sir John Conyers was involved in many important events during the Wars of the Roses. This was a series of battles fought between two families, the House of Lancaster (whose symbol was a red rose) and the House of York (whose symbol was a white rose). They were fighting to decide who would be king of England.

Sir John went with the Earl of Salisbury to Ludlow in 1459. He also fought in the Battle of Blore Heath on September 23, 1459. Later, in 1469, he joined Warwick's rebellion against King Edward IV of England. He might even have been the leader known as 'Robin of Redesdale' during this time. He also took part in the Battle of Edgcote.

Serving Different Kings

In March 1470, Sir John made peace with King Edward IV. After Edward successfully returned to power in 1471, Sir John became a Justice of the Peace for Yorkshire. This meant he helped keep law and order in the area.

Sir John was also a loyal supporter of King Edward's brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Richard later became King Richard III. Sir John was paid well by Richard and was made a Knight of the Body. This was a special honor given to knights who were close to the king. He was also chosen to join the Order of the Garter, which is a very old and important group of knights.

In August 1485, Sir John likely fought in the Battle of Bosworth Field as part of Richard III's army. Even though Richard III lost this battle, Sir John survived. The new king, Henry VII of England, later gave Sir John new jobs in Richmondshire in February 1486. This was because of his "good and faithful service." Sir John also supported King Henry VII during the Stafford and Lovell rebellion in 1486. This decision was very important and showed his loyalty to the new king.