Ralph Neville, 4th Earl of Westmorland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ralph Neville |
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|---|---|
| 4th Earl of Westmorland | |
| Arms of Sir Ralph Neville, 4th Earl of Westmorland, KG | |
| Spouse(s) | Katherine Stafford |
| Issue | |
| Henry Neville, 5th Earl of Westmorland Sir Thomas Neville Edward Neville Christopher Neville George Neville Ralph Neville Cuthbert Neville Dorothy Neville Mary Neville Margaret Neville Elizabeth Neville Eleanor Neville Anne Neville Ursula Neville |
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| Noble family | House of Neville |
| Father | Ralph Neville, Lord Neville |
| Mother | Edith Sandys |
| Born | 21 February 1498 |
| Died | 24 April 1549 (aged 51) |
| Burial | Staindrop, Durham |
Ralph Neville, 4th Earl of Westmorland (born February 21, 1498 – died April 24, 1549), was an important English noble and soldier. He was a member of the Order of the Garter, a special group of knights. Ralph was the grandson of Ralph Neville, 3rd Earl of Westmorland, and the father of Henry Neville, 5th Earl of Westmorland.
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Ralph Neville's Family and Early Life
Ralph Neville was born on February 21, 1498. His father, also named Ralph Neville, passed away in the same year Ralph was born. His mother was Edith Sandys. Ralph's grandparents were Ralph Neville, 3rd Earl of Westmorland, and Isabel Booth.
Ralph had a brother who died when he was very young. He also had a sister named Isabel. After his father died, Ralph's mother, Edith, married Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy of Darcy. Thomas Darcy was later executed in 1537 because of his involvement in a large protest called the Pilgrimage of Grace. Ralph's mother, Edith, passed away in 1529.
Ralph Neville's Career and Public Service
Ralph Neville became the Earl of Westmorland when he was just a baby, after his grandfather died in 1499. When he was about 12 years old, Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, became his guardian. This meant the Duke looked after Ralph and his lands until he was old enough.
Early Years in Royal Service
As a young man, Ralph was part of King Henry VIII's group. He attended the famous Field of the Cloth of Gold in June 1520. This was a grand meeting between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France, where they tried to show off their wealth and power. Ralph also met Emperor Charles V in July of that year.
In 1520, Ralph officially took control of his lands. He was also present when the Emperor visited England in 1522. From 1522 to 1523, Ralph served as a soldier on the border with Scotland. He was made a knight in 1523 by Thomas Howard.
Important Roles and Royal Advisor
In 1525, Ralph became a member of the Order of the Garter, which is one of the most important honors in England. Before 1526, he joined the king's Privy Council. This was a group of trusted advisors to the king.
He continued to work on the northern border. From 1525 to 1526, he was a Deputy Captain of Berwick and a Vice Warden of the East and Middle Marches. These roles involved defending the border. In 1526, he was the main person sent to make a peace agreement with Scotland.
Loyalty During Difficult Times
In 1530, Ralph was one of the nobles who signed a letter to Pope Clement VII. This letter asked the Pope to cancel King Henry VIII's marriage to his first wife, Catherine of Aragon. This was a very important political event at the time.
In 1534, he helped investigate accusations of treason against another noble. He also served in the military again in 1535, helping to stop unrest in northern England. In 1536, he was one of the nobles who took part in the trial of King Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn.
During the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536–1537, a major rebellion against the king, Ralph Neville remained loyal to King Henry VIII. This was notable because some of his own family members were involved in the rebellion.
In 1537, Ralph attended the funeral of King Henry VIII's third wife, Jane Seymour. In 1544, he was in charge of the East and Middle Marches during an invasion of Scotland.
Ralph Neville passed away on April 24, 1549, when he was 51 years old. He was buried in Staindrop, Durham.
Ralph Neville's Marriage and Children
Ralph Neville was originally supposed to marry Elizabeth Stafford. However, she ended up marrying Thomas Howard instead.
Ralph then married Elizabeth's sister, Katherine Stafford, before June 1520. They had many children together, including:
- Henry Neville, 5th Earl of Westmorland: He married Anne Manners. Their son, Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland, later took part in a rebellion called the Rising of the North. He lost his titles and had to leave England.
- Sir Thomas Neville
- Edward Neville
- Christopher Neville: He also took part in the Rising of the North and had to leave England.
- George Neville
- Ralph Neville
- Cuthbert Neville: He was also involved in the Rising of the North and died outside of England.
- Dorothy Neville: She married John de Vere, 16th Earl of Oxford.
- Mary Neville: She married Sir Thomas Danby.
- Margaret Neville: She married Henry Manners, 2nd Earl of Rutland.
- Elizabeth Neville: She married Thomas Dacre, 4th Baron Dacre.
- Eleanor Neville: She married Sir Bryan Stapleton.
- Anne Neville: She married Sir Fulke Greville. Their son, Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke, became a famous writer and friend of Sir Philip Sidney.
- Ursula Neville
