John Harington, 1st Baron Harington facts for kids
John Harington, 1st Baron Harington (1281–1347) was an important English nobleman. He lived in Aldingham, Lancashire. In 1326, he was given the special title of Baron Harington. This meant he was called to join the English Parliament.
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Early Life and Family
John Harington was born in 1281 in Farleton, Melling. His father was Sir Robert de Haverington, who died in 1297. His mother was Agnes de Cansfield, who also died in 1297. Agnes was an heiress, meaning she inherited a lot of land.
Her family owned land in Aldingham and a part of Furness. This land was important because it was held from the Abbot of Furness Abbey. John's mother, Agnes, was also a descendant of Æthelred the Unready, an early English king.
His Career and Lands
When John's father died in 1297, John was still a child. He was under the care of Sir William de Dacre until 1302. On May 22, 1306, he became a knight.
In October 1309, he was called to serve in the military. He traveled to Scotland with Edward, Prince of Wales. After leaving the military in March 1335, John became involved in local government.
He later became a member of the English Parliament in 1326. He served in Parliament until he died in 1347. John owned many important estates. These included lands in Aldingham, Thurnham, and Ulverston in Lancashire. He also had lands in Witherslack and Hutton Roof in Westmorland. Plus, he owned estates in Austwick and Harrington in Cumberland.
Family and Children
John Harington married twice during his life.
His first wife was Margaret de Barlingham. They had two sons:
- Sir Robert Harington (1305–1334): He was the oldest son. Robert became a knight before 1331. He married Elizabeth de Multon, who was also an heiress. She brought many estates into the family. Robert died before his father. He had a son named John Harington, 2nd Baron Harington (1328–1363). This grandson later inherited John Harington's title.
- John Harington (born 1307): He was born when his mother, Margaret, died. This John started a different branch of the Harington family.
His second wife was Joan de Dacre. She was likely from the Dacre family of Naworth Castle. They had one daughter:
- Joan Harington (born 1330)
Death and Burial
John Harington died on June 2, 1347. He passed away at his home in Aldingham. He was buried at Cartmel Priory. This priory is now in Cumbria, but it was in Lancashire back then. You can still see his monument there today. It has statues of him and his wife.
Famous Descendants
Many important people are descendants of John Harington. Here are a few:
- Catherine Parr: She was the sixth and last wife of Henry VIII, a famous English king.
- William Harrington (knight): He was a knight and the official flag-bearer for England. He carried the flag for Henry V of England at the famous Battle of Agincourt.
- James Harrington (Yorkist knight): He was likely the flag-bearer for Richard III of England at the Battle of Bosworth Field.
- Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby: He was the husband of Lady Margaret Beaufort. He was also the stepfather of Henry VII of England.
- Cuthbert Tunstall: He became the Bishop of Durham, an important church leader.
- Lady Jane Grey: She was known as the "Nine Days' Queen." She claimed the throne of England for a short time in 1553.
