Ralph Percy facts for kids

Sir Ralph Percy was an English nobleman and a brave knight who lived a long time ago, from 1425 to 1464. He was part of the important House of Percy family. Sir Ralph was also in charge of Bamburgh Castle. He played a big role in a series of wars in England called the Wars of the Roses, where he supported the Lancastrian side.

Sir Ralph was the son of Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland and Lady Eleanor Neville. His famous grandfather was Sir Henry "Hotspur" Percy.

Sir Ralph Percy's Family Life

Sir Ralph Percy was married twice. His first wife was Eleanor Acton. They had six children together:

• Sir Ralph Percy
• Peter Percy
• Sir Henry Percy
• George Percy
• John Percy
• Margaret Percy

Later, Sir Ralph married Jane Teye. They had one child, a daughter named Catherine Percy.

Sir Ralph Percy's Role in the Wars of the Roses

Sir Ralph Percy was born on August 11, 1425. He had three brothers: Henry, Thomas, and Richard.

Early Conflicts and Captivity

The Percy family was involved in a disagreement with another powerful family, the Nevilles. This was known as the Percy-Neville feud. Sir Ralph and his brother Thomas fought in a battle at Stamford Bridge in 1454. They were both captured during this fight. Sir Ralph was set free when King Henry VI got better and the Duke of York was no longer in charge.

Supporting the Lancastrian Cause

In 1455, Sir Ralph's father was killed at the First Battle of St Albans. This battle was part of the Wars of the Roses, a fight for the English throne between two families: the Lancastrians (who Sir Ralph supported) and the Yorkists.

A few years later, in 1459, the Yorkists accused the Percies of treason. Sir Ralph and his brothers had to run away after a battle called the Rout of Ludford Bridge. When they returned, his brother Thomas was killed at the Battle of Northampton.

Queen Margaret, the wife of King Henry VI, gathered an army in the north of England. The Percy brothers joined her. They won battles at Battle of Worksop and the Battle of Wakefield, where the Duke of York was killed. They also won the Second Battle of St Albans. It looked like the Lancastrians were winning.

However, things changed at the very difficult Battle of Towton. Sir Ralph's other brothers were killed in this battle. After this big defeat, Sir Ralph had to leave England and live in another country for a while.

Changing Sides and Final Battle

In 1462 and 1463, the Lancastrians tried to cause trouble for the new Yorkist king, Edward IV. These efforts mostly happened in northern England and were led by Queen Margaret.

The Earl of Warwick, a powerful Yorkist leader, led campaigns to stop the Lancastrians in the north. Sir Ralph Percy decided to surrender Bamburgh Castle to King Edward IV on Christmas Eve in 1462. In return, King Edward forgave him for his past actions. Sir Ralph promised to be loyal to King Edward IV. As part of King Edward's plan to make peace, Sir Ralph got his lands back. He was put in charge of both Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh Castles.

But the fighting in the north continued. In 1463, James III of Scotland, Queen Margaret, and King Henry VI invaded England. When the Scots wanted to make peace, Lord Montague was sent to arrange the terms.

On April 25, 1464, Lord Montague was on his way to Norham. Sir Ralph Percy and the Duke of Somerset (who had also promised loyalty to King Edward) broke their promises. They attacked Lord Montague with 5,000 men. This battle happened at Battle of Hedgeley Moor, near Wooler. Sir Ralph Percy led the first group of soldiers for Somerset's army. He was killed during this battle.