Nicholas Fortescue the Younger facts for kids
Sir Nicholas Fortescue the younger (1605–1644) was an English Knight of St. John. He was the fourth son of Sir Nicholas Fortescue, who was a high-ranking official in the government. Nicholas and his brothers grew up following the Roman Catholic faith, just like their father.
The Fortescue family likely remembered Sir Adrian Fortescue, an ancestor who had also been a member of the Order of St. John. They believed he died for his faith. This strong family history probably inspired young Nicholas to try and bring back the Order of St. John in England, as it had completely disappeared there.
Contents
Becoming a Knight of St. John
In 1637, Nicholas Fortescue traveled to Malta. According to Pozzo, a historian of the Order, Fortescue had a special request from Queen Henrietta Maria. The Queen wanted to help bring back the Catholic faith in England and hoped to revive the English branch of the Order of St. John.
Fortescue became a Knight of Malta in 1638. His plan to restart the Order in England was well-received by the Grand Master of the Order, the Pope, and Cardinal Barbarini. A special group was set up to look into the idea.
Challenges and Travel
The biggest problem was finding 12,000 scudi (an old type of money). This money was needed for buildings, fees, and other costs to restart the Order in England. This challenge was too difficult to overcome.
Nicholas Fortescue spent several years traveling back and forth between England and Malta to work on this project. During one of his trips, he stayed at the English College at Rome. Interestingly, while there, he had dinner with the famous writer John Milton, who was also traveling abroad at the time.
The Plan Ends
By 1642, the plan to revive the Order of St. John in England was finally given up. Pozzo, the historian, said this was because of the "wicked trouble" among the English people. This trouble, which led to the English Civil War, stopped both the religious cause and the Queen's efforts.
Joining the Royal Army
After the plan failed, Sir Nicholas Fortescue and his brothers, William and Edmund, joined the royal army. They fought for King Charles I during the English Civil War.
According to a book called Loyal Martyrology, Sir Nicholas was killed in a small fight in Lancashire. This happened while he was with Prince Rupert's army, trying to help the city of York. However, it is more likely that he died at the Battle of Marston Moor, a major battle of the war. He was buried in Skipton on July 5, 1644.
A Brave Knight's Character
A book called Lloyd's Memoirs of Excellent Personages describes Sir Nicholas Fortescue:
- Sir Nicholas Fortescue was a Knight of Malta.
- He was killed in Lancashire.
- He was a very valuable person, even though he didn't brag about himself.
- He was so skilled that when people noticed him, they liked him.
- When he went to court, he was treated like a prince.
- He was a gentleman who achieved a lot himself.
- He and Sir Edmund Fortescue were always careful to face their enemies directly and leave no threats behind them.
The mention of Sir Edmund might refer to Sir Edmund Fortescue of Fallapit. However, it's more likely about Edmund, Sir Nicholas's own brother, who worked at the Queen's court.
