John (brother of the Duke of Somerset)

Also known as: Iohn marquesse Dorset / John Beaufort, Marquess of Dorset / John Beaufort, Marquis of Dorset · Family: House of Lancaster · Role: brother of the duke of Somerset · First appears: Edward IV 4

John, a Lancastrian and brother of Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset (the younger), went with his brother to France, where they lived in great misery until Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, their kinsman through his mother, supported them with a small pension. Later, at London, he was with Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset (the younger) and Thomas Courtenay, Earl of Devon, and they hurried west to raise forces against Edward IV and his supporters.

At Teukesburie, on 4 May, Edward IV marshalled his army into three battles, placing Richard III in the foreward and John with William Hastings, Baron Hastings in the rereward. The account also places John and his brother at the head of their foreward, opposed to Richard III, John Wenlock, Baron Wenlock, and William Hastings, Baron Hastings.

Relationship record

Life events

c. 1471 · Edward IV marshalled his army, assigning Gloucester to the foreward and Dorset and Hastings to the rereward.(Edward IV 21 · 📍 Teukesburie)
- With: Edward IV Richard III William Hastings, Baron Hastings
- “On the morrow being saturdaie, and fourth of Maie, he drew towards his enimies, and marshalled his armie, diuided into thrée battels in this sort. He put his brother the duke of Glocester in the fore-ward, and himselfe in the midle-ward. The lord Marques, and the lord Hastings led the rere-ward.”

Edward IV 4

with Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy (Charles was kin to John and his unnamed brother, and provided them a pension.) “The new duke of Summerset, and his brother Iohn, sailed into France, where they also liued in great miserie; till duke Charles, bicause he was of their kin, as descended of the house of Lancaster by his mother, succoured them with a small pension, which was to them a great comfort.”

Edward IV 17

allies with Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset (the younger) “Wherevpon they departed foorth of London, and with all hast possible drew westward, there to raise what forces they could, to ioine with those their fréends, immediatlie after they should once come on land, and so to assist them against king Edward and his partakers.”
allies with Thomas Courtenay, Earl of Devon “Wherevpon they departed foorth of London, and with all hast possible drew westward, there to raise what forces they could, to ioine with those their fréends, immediatlie after they should once come on land, and so to assist them against king Edward and his partakers.”
enemies with Edward IV “Wherevpon they departed foorth of London, and with all hast possible drew westward, there to raise what forces they could, to ioine with those their fréends, immediatlie after they should once come on land, and so to assist them against king Edward and his partakers.”
siblings with Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset (the younger) “Edmund duke of Summerset, & his brother Iohn marquesse Dorset, Thomas Courtneie earle of Deuonshire, and others being at London”

Edward IV 21

siblings with Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset (the younger) “The duke of Summerset, and his brother the lord Iohn of Summerset led the fore-ward.”
enemies with Edward IV “The duke of Summerset, and his brother the lord Iohn of Summerset led the fore-ward. The middle-ward was gouerned by the prince, vnder the conduct of the lord of saint Iohn, and the lord Wenlocke (whome king Edward had aduanced to the degrée of a baron.) The rere-ward was appointed to the rule of the earle of Deuonshire.”
enemies with Richard III “The duke of Summerset, and his brother the lord Iohn of Summerset led the fore-ward. The middle-ward was gouerned by the prince, vnder the conduct of the lord of saint Iohn, and the lord Wenlocke (whome king Edward had aduanced to the degrée of a baron.)”
enemies with John Wenlock, Baron Wenlock “The duke of Summerset, and his brother the lord Iohn of Summerset led the fore-ward. The middle-ward was gouerned by the prince, vnder the conduct of the lord of saint Iohn, and the lord Wenlocke (whome king Edward had aduanced to the degrée of a baron.)”
enemies with William Hastings, Baron Hastings “The lord Marques, and the lord Hastings led the rere-ward. Heerwith he approached the enimies campe, which was right hard to be assailed, by reason of the déepe ditches, hedges, trées, bushes, and cumbersome lanes, wherewith the same was fensed, both a front, and on the sides, so as the king could not well approach them to anie aduantage”

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Extracted from the original text of Holinshed's Chronicles — the reigns Shakespeare dramatized. Made with Rho MD.