John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury

Also known as: Iohn lord Talbot / Iohn lord Talbot earle of Shrewesburie / Iohn the valiant lord Talbot / John Talbot, Baron Talbot / John Talbot, Lord Talbot / earle of Shrewesburie / lord Talbot · Family: England · Role: lord · First appears: Henry V 19

Around 1418, after winning a fortress, John Talbot proceeded with Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick to the siege of Rouen, while Humphrey Duke of Gloucester also hastened there. Around 1427, hearing that Mans was vulnerable, he gathered about seven hundred men, sent Matthew Gough to scout, and with Thomas de Scales, Baron Scales assaulted the city at dawn, crying, “saint George, Talbot.” At Pataie around 1429, French forces defeated his army and captured him after he was wounded; the loss caused several towns to return from the English side to the French. John Fastolf later regained his garter against Talbot’s wishes.

In 1431, Poton de Xaintrailles was exchanged for Talbot, who had been taken at Pataie. Talbot then killed Amadour de Vignoils in a skirmish and captured Creill in 1434, rescued Gisours with Thomas de Scales, Baron Scales, and in 1437 defeated forces including Étienne de Vignolles, Alain Geron, and Louis de Bailleul at Rise. At Crotoy, he forced John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy to flee and captured his bastile; in 1440, he joined Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York in taking Lihons. In 1442, for his service in England and France, he was created Earl of Shrewsbury and sent to Normandy with three thousand men.

In 1453, Talbot was appointed to lead an army to Gascony, where he regained Bordeaux and received and fortified Chastillon in Perigort. At Chatillon, he died alongside John Talbot, Lord Lisle and Henry Talbot; his body was later found by his friends and interred at Whitchurch in Shropshire. Bastard Talbot had earlier been entrusted with a bastile and the governance of a siege. By around 1460, Talbot and Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York were described as mortal enemies, and he was also opposed to Edmund Plantagenet, Earl of Rutland, Edward IV, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, and Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury.