Marmaduke Constable facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Marmaduke Constable
Memorial at Flodden Field, where Marmaduke Constable commanded the left wing
Spouse(s)	Margery FitzHugh Joyce Stafford
Issue
Sir Robert Constable Sir Marmaduke Constable Sir William Constable Sir John Constable Agnes Constable Eleanor Constable
Father	Sir Robert Constable
Mother	Agnes Wentworth
Born	c.1456/7
Died	10 November 1518
Burial	Church of St Oswald, Flamborough, Yorkshire

Sir Marmaduke Constable (born around 1456 or 1457, died 1518) was a famous soldier and courtier. He lived in Flamborough, Yorkshire, England. He served three different kings: Richard III, Henry VII, and Henry VIII.

Life and Times

Sir Marmaduke Constable was born around 1456 or 1457. He was the oldest son of Sir Robert Constable and Agnes Wentworth. His family, the Constables of Flamborough, were important supporters of the Percy family.

Early Career and Royal Service

Marmaduke's father worked for King Edward IV in 1461. By 1470, both Marmaduke and his father served Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland. Marmaduke fought with the Earl in Scotland in the early 1480s. He was made a knight at Berwick in August 1482. His tombstone says he was also with King Edward IV in France in 1475.

By December 1483, Constable was a "knight of the body" for King Richard III. This meant he was a close personal attendant to the King. He received lands that had been taken from others after a rebellion. In March 1484, the King made him the constable of Tutbury Castle.

It is not clear if Constable fought for Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. This battle was where Richard III lost his crown. Even so, Marmaduke was not punished by the new king. He received a pardon from Henry VII in November 1485. He became a "knight of the body" for Henry VII by May 1486. He also went with King Henry VII to wars in France in 1492.

Leadership and Later Years

Constable's father passed away in May 1488. Marmaduke then became the sheriff of Yorkshire. This was an important local government role. The first few years of Henry VII's rule had many uprisings in the North of England.

After the Earl of Northumberland died in an uprising in 1489, Constable became friends with Thomas Howard. Howard later suggested Marmaduke for the Order of the Garter. This is a very special award given by the King.

In 1513, Constable led the left side of the army at the Battle of Flodden. He fought under Thomas Howard. For his bravery, he received a thank you letter from King Henry VIII. The letter called him Sir Marmaduke Constable the elder, "called the little."

Sir Marmaduke Constable died on November 10, 1518. It is said he swallowed a frog while drinking water. You can still read a rhyming poem about his life at the Church of St Oswald in Flamborough.

Family Life

Sir Marmaduke Constable was married twice.

First Marriage

He first married Margery FitzHugh. She was the daughter of Henry FitzHugh, 5th Baron FitzHugh. They did not have any children together.

Second Marriage and Children

His second wife was Joyce Stafford. She was the daughter of Sir Humphrey Stafford. Marmaduke and Joyce had four sons and two daughters:

• Sir Robert Constable (born around 1478, died 1537): He was made a knight in 1497. He faced serious consequences for his actions during a rebellion called the Pilgrimage of Grace. He married Jane Ingleby and had several children.
• Sir Marmaduke Constable (born around 1480, died 1545): He was also made a knight after the Battle of Flodden in 1513. He attended the Queen at the famous Field of the Cloth of Gold meeting in 1520. He was a Member of Parliament for Yorkshire. He married Barbara Sothill and had children. One of his grandsons was the poet Henry Constable.
• Sir William Constable of Hatfield: He was made a knight at Flodden.
• Sir John Constable (born around 1491, died between 1554 and 1556): He was made a knight in 1544. He married Jane Sothill and had three daughters.
• Agnes Constable: She married two different knights, Sir Henry Ughtred and Sir William Percy.
• Eleanor Constable (died 1525): She married John Ingleby. Later, she married Sir Thomas Berkeley, 5th Baron Berkeley, and had children.

Another important person from this family was Sir William Constable (died 1655). He fought for Parliament during the English Civil War. He also signed the order for the death of Charles I of England.