Thomas de Strickland facts for kids
Sir Thomas de Strickland (born in 1367, died on July 30, 1455) was an English soldier. He is most famous for carrying the special banner of St. George during the important Battle of Agincourt. This battle was a big victory for England.
Contents
Thomas Strickland's Military Life
Early Battles and Roles
Thomas Strickland was a brave fighter. On July 21, 1403, he fought for King Henry IV at the Battle of Shrewsbury. He was on the King's side against a rebel named Henry Percy. Because of his courage, the King gave him a reward of money and two horses. He was also made the Keeper of the Inglewood royal forest in Cumberland, which was an important job.
Thomas also held important government jobs. He was chosen to be the Sheriff of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire in 1410 and again in 1414. A sheriff was like a chief law enforcement officer for a county.
He was also elected as a "knight of the shire" for Westmorland. This meant he represented his area in the Parliament of England, which is like today's government. He served in Parliament in 1404, 1429, and 1431.
The Battle of Agincourt
One of the most famous moments in Thomas Strickland's life was on October 25, 1415. He was part of the army led by King Henry V. This army won a huge battle at Agincourt in France, even though they were greatly outnumbered.
At Agincourt, Thomas Strickland was still an esquire, which meant he was a knight in training. He fought on foot with a sword. He had the great honor of carrying the banner of St. George. This banner was a very important symbol for the English army. It was a matter of honor that a person carrying this banner would not use a shield, trusting his fellow soldiers to protect him. His group of soldiers included skilled archers known as "the Kendal Bowmen."
Family Life
In 1405, Thomas de Strickland married Mabel de Beethom. They had several children together, including:
- Walter (born 1411, died 1466), who married Douce Croft.
- Margaret
- Cecilia
- Robert
Thomas was made a full knight by 1418, not long after the Battle of Agincourt. Over time, noble families started to drop the "de" or "of" from their names. So, Sir Thomas de Strickland became known simply as Sir Thomas Strickland.
Later Generations of Stricklands
Thomas's son, Walter Strickland, was also an important figure. In 1452, he made an agreement to support a powerful lord, Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury. Walter promised to bring many soldiers to help the Earl, including bowmen and "billmen" (soldiers with a type of pole weapon). "Harnessed" meant they wore armor.
Walter became Sir Walter after his father passed away. He fought in important battles for the Yorkist side, like the first Battle of St. Alban's in 1455 and Blore Heath in 1459.
Sir Thomas Strickland, Walter's eldest son, continued the family's military tradition. He married Agnes Parr and later Margaret, who was the widow of Sir John Byron. This Sir Thomas also fought for the Yorkists at the Battle of Barnet in 1471, where he was made a knight by King Edward IV. He also fought at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 for King Richard III. He survived that battle and passed away in 1494.
See also
- Strickland (surname)
- Sizergh Castle
