John Fastolf facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Fastolf
|
|
|---|---|
Coat of arms
|
|
| Born | 6 November 1380 Caister Hall, Norfolk, England
|
| Died | 5 November 1459 (aged 78) Caister Castle, Norfolk, England
|
| Burial place | Saint Benet's Abbey, the Broads, Norfolk, England |
| Occupation | Soldier, landowner |
| Era | Late Middle Ages |
| Known for |
|
| Spouse(s) | Millicent, widow of Sir Stephen Scrope (née Tibetot/Tiptoft) |
| Relatives |
|
| Awards |
|
| Signature | |
 |
|
Sir John Fastolf (born November 6, 1380 – died November 5, 1459) was an English knight and landowner. He lived during the Late Middle Ages and fought in the Hundred Years' War. Many people know him as the inspiration for the character Sir John Falstaff in Shakespeare's plays. However, historians believe he was important in his own right. He was not just a soldier, but also supported writers and wrote about military plans.
Contents
A Look at Fastolf's Family
John Fastolf was born on November 6, 1380, in Norfolk, England. His family was part of the minor landed gentry, which means they owned land but were not nobles. He was born at Caister Hall, a family home. Later, he turned this home into Caister Castle, but only its water-filled moat remains today.
His father was Sir John Fastolf (who died in 1383), and his mother was Mary Park (who died in 1406). The Fastolf family was old and well-known in Norfolk. They had lived in Great Yarmouth since the 1200s. Some famous family members included Thomas Fastolf, who was a bishop, and Nicholas Fastolf, a chief judge in Ireland.
In 1409, John Fastolf married Millicent Tibetot in Ireland. She was a wealthy widow. This marriage brought him a lot of land and money. Millicent was older than him, and they did not have any children together.
Fastolf's Early Life
John Fastolf likely received a good education for his time. When he was a boy, around 1392 or 1393, he visited Jerusalem. He probably traveled with Henry Bolingbroke, who later became King Henry IV.
Before 1398, Fastolf served as a squire to Thomas Mowbray, the Duke of Norfolk. A squire was a knight's assistant. In 1401, Fastolf joined the group of followers (called a retinue) of Thomas of Lancaster. Thomas was King Henry IV's second son. Fastolf stayed with Thomas until 1415. He first saw military action in Ireland, where Thomas was sent to keep order.
Fighting in the Hundred Years' War
First Battles in France
From 1415 to 1439, Sir John Fastolf was in northern France. He served under King Henry V and the king's brother, the Duke of Bedford.
He was part of the siege of Harfleur in 1415. A siege is when an army surrounds a city to try and capture it. Fastolf became sick and had to go home, so he missed the famous Battle of Agincourt. However, he returned to defend Harfleur when the French tried to take it back in 1415–1416.
He became the Duke of Bedford's Master of the Household. On February 25, 1426, he was made a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. This was a very high honor for a knight. In 1421, during the English control of Paris, he was in charge of the Bastille prison for about a year.
After visiting England in 1428, he went back to the war. On February 12, 1429, he led a supply convoy for the English army near Orléans. He defeated the French and Scots at the Battle of the Herrings. This battle was named because the convoy was carrying a lot of salted fish for Lent.
Facing Joan of Arc
During the 1429 Siege of Orléans, the French almost gave up. They heard that John Fastolf was coming with more troops to help the English. However, Joan of Arc was leading the French army. She was very determined and told the French leader, "Bastard, Bastard, in the name of God I command you that as soon as you hear of Fastolf's coming, you will let me know. For if he gets through without my knowing it, I swear to you that I will have your head cut off." Joan of Arc then successfully ended the siege.
Joan of Arc continued to win battles in the Loire Valley. She took Jargeau on June 12, 1429, even though Fastolf had tried to send help with troops and gunpowder. After these unexpected losses, Fastolf and another English leader, Talbot, decided to fight the French directly. This led to the Battle of Patay on June 18, 1429. Joan of Arc was present at this battle.
The Battle of Patay and Fastolf's Name
The Battle of Patay was a big defeat for the English. Many English soldiers were killed or captured, including Talbot. Fastolf, however, managed to escape. Some people accused him of being a coward. The Duke of Bedford even removed him from the Order of the Garter for a time.
It took Fastolf 13 years to clear his name. In 1442, an investigation was held, and it found that Fastolf had acted honorably. He was then put back into the Order of the Garter. This event was shown in Shakespeare's play Henry VI, Part 1, where Fastolf is shown in a bad light. Even after being cleared, his reputation was still a bit damaged.
Later Military Work
Despite the Patay incident, Fastolf continued to serve England well in France. Both the Duke of Bedford and Richard of York trusted him. He was in charge of several important places, like Honfleur (1424–34) and Caen (1430–37).
In 1435, he wrote a special report about how to fight the war in France. He suggested a new plan, focusing on large-scale raids (called chevauchées) instead of just sieges. This document is a rare example of a medieval soldier's thoughts on military strategy.
He finally returned home to England in 1440, when he was over 60 years old. However, the accusations against him continued. During Cade's rebellion in 1450, rebels blamed him for English losses because they said he had weakened the garrisons (military bases) in Normandy.
Fastolf's Wealth and Possessions
Like other English soldiers, Fastolf gained land in France during the war. He received land near Harfleur from King Henry V. He built up a large amount of property in Normandy, including four manors (large estates) that brought in a lot of money. He even became a Baron in France, a title he never achieved in England.
However, English rule in France was not stable, and he lost much of his income. By 1445, he still owned properties in France worth a lot of money, including 10 castles. But all of this was lost when the French took back their lands.
After his death, a detailed list was made of all Fastolf's personal belongings. This list included silver dishes, items for his private chapel, clothes, tapestries, armor, and furniture from his home at Caister.
Fastolf's Character and Legacy
Some people described Fastolf as "cruel and vengeful." This quote became famous because it was written in the Paston Letters, a collection of letters from that time. Besides his wife's property, he owned large estates in England, including a house in Southwark, London.
After 1435, especially after he retired, he wrote many reports and notes to the government. These were about how England should fight the war in France. His secretary, William Worcester, saved these writings. Fastolf also had a group of writers who created books for him in French and English.
His last years were filled with arguments over his land in East Anglia. He was helped by John Paston, who was related to him by marriage. Fastolf was friendly with Richard, Duke of York, but he was not fully involved in the political fights that led to the Wars of the Roses.
Fastolf was a widower for the last ten years of his life and had no children. He seemed a bit lonely. He tried to write a will to set up a college at Caister Castle, but he never finished it legally. So, he died without a proper will.
Death and Burial
Sir John Fastolf died at Caister on November 5, 1459. He was buried next to his wife, Millicent, at St Benet's Abbey. He had paid to build a special part of the church there. Fastolf had been a generous supporter of the abbey.
In his last years, he was a close friend of John Paston. Paston became famous because of the Paston Letters, a collection of over 1,000 letters from the Paston family. Fastolf's deathbed wish named John Paston as the person to handle his will and inherit his property. This led to many years of legal battles.
Today, you can still visit the ruins of St Benet's Abbey and Caister Castle. The castle never became a college as Fastolf wanted. Instead, it went to the Paston family. Most of Sir John's money went to Magdalen College at the University of Oxford. He is remembered there as a generous donor, and there is even a Fastolf Society.
Fastolf in Stories and Games
Shakespeare's Character
Fastolf appears in Shakespeare's play Henry VI, Part 1. In this play, he is shown as a cowardly knight who leaves the brave Lord Talbot. In early versions of the play, the character's name was "Falstaffe."
Later, when Shakespeare wrote Henry IV, Part 1, he created a new character named Sir John Oldcastle. This character was a wild friend of the young Prince Hal. But the real Oldcastle's family complained. So, Shakespeare changed the name to Sir John Falstaff. This name was used in three more plays.
Some people think Shakespeare used Fastolf's name because of the stories about his cowardice. There are a few small similarities between the real Fastolf and Shakespeare's Falstaff. For example, both served under Thomas Mowbray and were linked to a "Boar's Head Inn." But Falstaff is not truly a copy of the real soldier. He is more of a mix of a few real people with a lot of imagination. Also, the older Falstaff dies early in King Henry V's reign, while the real Fastolf was still in the middle of his career then.
Other Appearances
- Fastolf is a character in the video game Bladestorm: The Hundred Years' War by Koei. He helps England and uses a longsword.
- He is the main character in a novel by Robert Nye called Falstaff.
- Fastolf is also an opponent in the video game Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings. In the game's Joan of Arc campaign, Fastolf fights for England as a knight with a lance.
