Hotspur

Also known as: Henrie Hotspur / Henrie Persie / Henry Percy, Hotspur / lord Henrie Persie / lord Henrie Persie surnamed Hotspur / lord Persie / sir Henrie Hotspurre · Family: England · Role: lord · First appears: Richard II 44

Hotspur was an English lord, son of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland and nephew of Thomas Percy, Earl of Worcester, with Ralph Percy as his brother. In 1388, Hotspur and Ralph Percy were captured after the English defeat at Otterburne. In 1402, leading the English with George Dunbar, Earl of March, he defeated Archibald Douglas, Earl of Douglas at Homildon and took Murdac Stewart, Earl of Fife, Thomas Dunbar, Earl of Moray, and Robert de Umphraville, Earl of Angus prisoner; he then entered Teviotdale and besieged John Grenlow at Cocklawes.

At first, Hotspur and the Percies were “both faithfull freends, and earnest aiders” of Henry IV, but after Homildon they sought Scottish support against him, offering territorial rewards to Archibald Douglas, Earl of Douglas and other Scottish lords. Hotspur had married Eleanor Mortimer, and with Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland and Thomas Percy, Earl of Worcester he freed their cousin Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March and allied with Owen Glendower. At Bangor, Hotspur received the lands north of Trent in their division of the realm, while Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March received England south and east of the Severn and Trent, and Owen Glendower received Wales and the lands west of the Severn.

In 1403, Hotspur and Thomas Percy, Earl of Worcester raised an army at Stafford, joined by Archibald Douglas, Earl of Douglas, Hugh Browne, and Richard Vernon, though most of their confederates abandoned them at the conflict. They spread the report that Richard II was alive at Chester and formally accused Henry IV of usurping the crown and causing Richard’s death. At Shrewsbury, the royal army defeated the rebels, and Hotspur was slain by Henry IV’s forces. After his death, his son Henry Percy was still a child.