William Blount, 4th Baron Mountjoy facts for kids
William Blount, 4th Baron Mountjoy (born around 1478 – died November 8, 1534), was a very important English nobleman and a Knight of the Garter. He lived in Barton Blount, Derbyshire. William Blount was a respected scholar who loved learning and helped many other learned people. He was one of the most powerful and possibly the richest English noble at the royal court during his time. People all over the world knew him as a humanist writer, scholar, and someone who supported the arts.
Early Life and Family
William Blount was born around 1478 in Barton Blount, Derbyshire. He was the oldest son of John Blount, 3rd Baron Mountjoy, who died in 1485. His mother was Lora Berkeley. After William's father passed away, his mother Lora married two more times. Her second husband was Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond. He was the grandfather of Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, who was the father of Queen Anne Boleyn. Anne Boleyn later became the second wife of King Henry VIII.
Life and Achievements
William Blount was a student of a very famous scholar named Erasmus. Erasmus even called him "the most learned among the nobles." William Blount was also friends with other important thinkers like John Colet and Thomas More.
In 1497, he helped lead a group of soldiers to stop a rebellion by Perkin Warbeck. Later, William Blount became the teacher for the young King Henry VIII. In 1509, he was put in charge of the Master of the Mint, which made coins for the country. From 1513 to 1519, he was the Governor of Tournai, a town in France. His letters about how he managed the town are still kept in the British Library.
In 1520, William Blount was with King Henry VIII at a famous meeting called the Field of the Cloth of Gold. This was a grand event where Henry VIII met the King of France. In 1522, he was also present when King Henry VIII met Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.
William Blount served as the Chamberlain to Queen Catherine of Aragon starting in 1512. This meant he had an important role in her household. Because of this job, he was the one who had to tell Queen Catherine that King Henry VIII wanted to divorce her. He also signed a letter to the Pope, saying that the King would not follow the Pope's rules anymore if the divorce was not allowed. William Blount was a very powerful and wealthy nobleman in England at that time. He died on November 8, 1534, in Sutton-on-the-Hill, Derbyshire. He always remained in the King's favor and was never disgraced. His son, Charles Blount, 5th Baron Mountjoy, also supported learning, just like his father.
Family Life
William Blount married four times:
- His first wife was Elizabeth Saye. They married around 1497. They had one daughter:
- Gertrude Blount later became a lady in waiting to Queen Mary I. In 1519, Gertrude married Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter.
- His second wife was Inés de Venegas. They married before July 1509. She was one of the Spanish ladies who attended Queen Catherine of Aragon.
- His third wife was Alice Keble. They married before February 1515. Alice was the daughter of Henry Keble, who was the Lord Mayor of London in 1510. She died in 1521. William and Alice had these children:
- Charles Blount, 5th Baron Mountjoy (born 1516 – died 1544). He was the oldest son and inherited his father's title. Like his father, he was a successful nobleman and supported learning.
- Catherine Blount (born around 1518 – died 1559). She married twice.
- His fourth wife was Dorothy Grey. They married before July 1523. Dorothy was the daughter of Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset. William and Dorothy had these children:
- John Blount
- Mary Blount, who married Sir Robert Dennis.
- Dorothy Blount, who married John Blewett.
