Richard Guildford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Richard Guildford
Arms of Sir Richard Guildford, KG: Or, a saltire between four martlets sable
Born	about 1450 Kent, England
Died	6 September 1506 (aged 55–56) Jerusalem, Mamluk Sultanate
Spouse(s)	Anne Pympe Joan Vaux
Issue	Sir Edward Guildford Sir Henry Guildford
Father	Sir John Guildford
Mother	Alice Waller

Sir Richard Guildford was an important English leader who lived from about 1450 to 1506. He worked closely with King Henry VII, serving as a trusted advisor, government official, and military commander. He was also a Knight of the Garter, which is a very high honor in England.

Who Was Sir Richard Guildford?

Sir Richard Guildford was born in Kent, England, around 1450. His father was Sir John Guildford, and his mother was Alice Waller. He grew up to become a key figure in the English court during a time of big changes.

Starting His Career

Sir Richard Guildford was a close friend and trusted advisor to Reginald Bray. Bray was one of the first people to plan a rebellion against King Richard III in 1483. Both Sir Richard and his father gathered soldiers in Kent to support Henry Tudor, who later became King Henry VII.

Because they supported Henry, King Richard III took away some of their lands. Sir Richard had to leave England and went to Brittany to join Henry Tudor.

Joining King Henry VII

In 1485, Sir Richard returned to England with Henry Tudor. They landed at Milford Haven. It is believed that Sir Richard fought alongside Henry at the Battle of Bosworth, where Henry won and became king.

Soon after becoming king, Henry VII gave Sir Richard many important jobs. On September 29, 1485, he was made one of the `chamberlains of the receipt of exchequer`. This meant he helped manage the king's money. He also became the `Master of the Ordnance and of the Armouries`. This job put him in charge of all the king's weapons, cannons, and armor. He was even given houses near the Tower of London.

When Henry VII's first parliament met, the king reversed the order that had taken away Sir Richard's lands. This meant Sir Richard got his property back. As Master of the Armouries, he also helped prepare the jousting tournaments for the king's coronation.

Building and Engineering

Sir Richard was very skilled in controlling artillery (cannons), building forts, and designing ships. He received many payments for these projects. For example, in 1486, he was paid to build a ship in Kent. In 1487, he was paid as the master of a ship called the Mary Gylford, which might have been named after his daughter.

He also helped with changes to the buildings at Westminster Palace in 1489. In 1490, he agreed to serve the king at sea with 550 sailors and soldiers on three ships.

Important Missions

Sir Richard Guildford was a very trusted person for King Henry VII.

• In 1492, when King Henry VII was planning to invade France, he chose Sir Richard as one of the people to manage his will.
• Sir Richard went with the king to Boulogne and attended peace talks with French officials.
• In 1495, he helped arrange the marriage between Prince Arthur (Henry VII's son) and Catherine of Aragon.
• He also became the `controller of the royal household`, which meant he managed the king's home and staff.
• In 1497, he helped defeat rebels at Blackheath and was honored as a `banneret`.
• In 1499, he was sent by the king to find Edmund de la Pole, 3rd Duke of Suffolk, who had fled England, and convince him to return.
• In 1500, he went with the king to meet Archduke Philip in Calais. In the same year, he was made a Knight of the Garter, a very important award.
• In 1501, as controller of the household, he helped organize the grand welcome for Catherine of Aragon when she arrived in England.

Pilgrimage and Death

In 1506, Sir Richard Guildford decided to go on a pilgrimage, which is a religious journey, to the Holy Land. On April 8, 1506, he set sail from Rye with John Whitby, a religious leader.

They traveled through France, Italy, and then sailed from Venice. After visiting Crete and Cyprus, they reached Jaffa on August 18. Before they could land, they had to send a message to Jerusalem and wait for an escort. They also had to pay a special tax to the local rulers, called the Mamelukes.

After finally landing on August 27, they faced more difficulties. They were forced to spend a night and a day in a cave. Both Sir Richard and John Whitby became ill during the journey. They did reach Jerusalem, but John Whitby died on September 5, and Sir Richard Guildford died the very next day, on September 6, 1506.

Sir Richard's chaplain wrote an account of their journey, which was later printed as "The Pylgrymage of Sir Richard Guylforde to the Holy Land, A.D. 1506."

Family Life

Sir Richard Guildford was married twice and had several children.

First Marriage

He first married Anne Pympe. They had two sons and five daughters:

• Sir Edward Guildford: His daughter, Jane, married John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland.
• George Guildford: He married Elizabeth Mortimer. They had a son, Sir John Guildford, and two daughters.
• Philippa Guildford: She married Sir John Gage.
• Mary Guildford: She married Christopher Kempe and later Sir William Haute.
• Frideswide Guildford: She married Sir Matthew Browne.
• Elizabeth Guildford: She married Sir Thomas Well, then Sir Thomas Isley, and later Sir William Stafford.
• Eleanor Guildford: She married Edward Haute.

Second Marriage

Sir Richard married his second wife, Joan Vaux, in the presence of King Henry VII and his queen, Elizabeth. Joan was the sister of Sir Nicholas Vaux. They had one son:

• Sir Henry Guildford

After Sir Richard died, his wife Joan lived for many more years. She even traveled with King Henry VIII's sister, Mary Tudor, to France in 1514. She received money for her service to King Henry VII and his family.