Henry VI

Also known as: Henrie of Windsore / Henrie the sixt / K. Henrie / king Henrie the sixt / king Henrie the sixt king of England / poore king Henrie / yoong king Henrie · Family: House of Lancaster · Role: king · First appears: Henry V 1

In 1406, Joan Beaufort was described as Henry VI’s cousin. Born in 1422 to Henry V, he was proclaimed king of England and France at about nine months old; his custody went to Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter and Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester, while John of Lancaster, Duke of Bedford became regent of France and Humphrey Duke of Gloucester protector of England. In 1424, James I of Scotland performed homage to him at Windsor, and the young king later created Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York Duke of York and promoted John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk; Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick became his governor in 1426. Henry VI was crowned king of France at Paris around 1431, where French and Norman nobles paid him homage, but war with Charles VII resumed and French possessions were gradually lost.

After his mother, Catherine of Valois, died in 1437, Henry VI advanced his half-brothers Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond and Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke. In 1444 he married Margaret of Anjou, granted honours to John Holland, Earl of Huntingdon, Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, and Henry Beauchamp, Duke of Warwick, and surrendered Anjou, Mans, and Maine in connection with the marriage. William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk rose to great authority and obtained Henry’s favour, while Henry revoked a grant to Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York; Henry later removed James Fiennes, Lord Saye from office and banished William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk. He granted pardons and punishments during the unrest surrounding Jack Cade, and in 1451 met Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York at Blackheath, recognizing him as “our true and faithful subiect, and as our faithfull coosine.”