The 'Duke of Norfolk' is the Premier Duke in the
peerage of England, and also, as
Earl of Arundel, the Premier Earl. The Duke of Norfolk is, moreover, the
Earl Marshal and Hereditary Marshal of England. The seat of the Duke of Norfolk is
Arundel Castle in Sussex, although the title refers to the county of
Norfolk. The current Duke of Norfolk is His Grace
Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk. The dukes have historically been
Roman Catholic, a state of affairs known as
recusancy in England.
History

John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk
Before the Dukes of Norfolk, there were the Bigod
Earls of Norfolk, starting with
Roger Bigod from
Normandy (died
1107). Their male line ended with
Roger Bigod, 5th Earl of Norfolk, who died without an heir in
1307, so their titles and estates reverted to the crown.
Edward II then created his brother
Thomas of Brotherton earl in
1312. It passed to Thomas's daughter
Margaret, and then to her grandson
Thomas Mowbray.
When
King Richard II created Thomas Mowbray duke in
1397, he conferred upon him the estates and titles (including
Earl Marshal) that had belonged to the Bigod earls. His elderly grandmother Margaret was still alive, and so at the same time she was created Duchess of Norfolk for life.
Between 1397 and 1476, the Mowbray family held the title and estates of the Duke of Norfolk. John Mowbray, the 4th duke, died without male issue in
1476, his only surviving child being the 3-year-old
Anne Mowbray. At the age 5, Anne was arranged to marry
Richard, Duke of York, the 4-year-old son of
King Edward IV of England. She remained Richard's wife until she died at the age of 8.
In accordance with the marriage arrangements, Richard inherited the lands and wealth of the Mowbray family. He was also made Duke of Norfolk. However, upon the death of Edward IV, controversy over the legitimacy arose, as evidence of an earlier marriage on the part of Edward IV emerged. Soon after their father's death Richard, and his brother Edward, were declared illegitimate. Richard was sent to the
Tower of London by the new king,
Richard III, in mid-1483, thus ending his claim to both York and Norfolk.
For his support of Richard III's claim to the throne,
John Howard, the son of Thomas Mowbray's elder daughter Margaret, was created 1st Duke of Norfolk in
1483, in the title's third creation. From this point to the present, the title has remained in the hands of the descendants of John Howard.
The current Duke of Norfolk is His Grace
Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk, who succeeded his father,
Miles Stapleton-Fitzalan-Howard, 17th Duke of Norfolk, in 2002.
Duties and other titles
In addition to the title of Duke of Norfolk, the Dukes of Norfolk also hold the hereditary position of
Earl Marshal, which has the duty of organizing state occasions such as the state opening of
parliament. For the last five centuries, save some periods when it was under
attainder, both the Dukedom and the Earl-Marshalship have been in the hands of the Howard family. According to
The House of Lords Act 1999, due to his duties as Earl Marshal, Norfolk is one of only two hereditary peers automatically admitted to the
House of Lords, without being elected by the general body of hereditary peers (the other being the
Lord Great Chamberlain).
Additionally, the Duke of Norfolk participates in the ceremony of the
State Opening of Parliament. He is among the four individuals that precede the monarch, and one of the two of these that walks always facing the sovereign (thus backwards).
As the Earl Marshal, the Duke of Norfolk is head of the
College of Arms, through which he regulates all matters connected with armorial bearings and standards, in addition to controlling the arrangements for state functions.
He is one of three claimants to the title
Chief Butler of England.
The Duke of Norfolk currently holds the following subsidiary titles:
★
Earl of Arundel (created
1433)
★
Earl of Surrey (
1483)
★
Earl of Norfolk (
1644)
★
Baron Beaumont (
1309)
★
Baron Maltravers (
1330)
★ Baron FitzAlan (
1627)
★ Baron Clun (
1627)
★ Baron Oswaldestre (
1627)
★
Baron Howard of Glossop (
1869)
All titles are in the
Peerage of England, save for the Barony of Howard of Glossop which is in the
Peerage of the United Kingdom. All descend to heirs male except the Barony of Beaumont, which can pass in the female line. The style ''Earl of Arundel'' is used as a
courtesy title by the Duke's eldest son, the present one of which is
Henry Fitzalan-Howard, Earl of Arundel.
Coat of arms

Arms of the Duke of Norfolk
The coat of arms of the Duke of Norfolk consist of five different elements: the arms (or shield), the crest(s), the supporters, the motto, and the batons of the Earl Marshal. Each will be addressed in turn:
★ 'The Arms:' Quarterly 1st Gules on a Bend between six Cross-crosslets
fitchy Argent an Escutcheon Or charged with a Demi-lion rampant pierced through the mouth by an arrow within a Double Tressure flory counterflory of the first (Howard); 2nd Gules three Lions passant gardant in pale Or, Armed and Langued Azure, in chief a Label of three points Argent (Thomas of Brotherton); 3rd Checky Or and Azure (Warenne); 4th Gules a Lion rampant Or, Armed and Langued Azure (Fitzalan).
★ 'The Crests:' 1st On a Chapeau Gules turned up Ermine a Lion statant gardant with tail extended Or gorged with a Ducal Coronet Argent (Thomas of Brotherton); 2nd Issuant from a Ducal Coronet Or a pair of Wings Gules each charged with a Bend between six Cross-crosslets fitchy Argent (Howard); 3rd On a Mount Vert a Horse passant Argent holding in the mouth a Slip of Oak fructed proper (Fitzalan).
★ 'The Supporters:' Dexter a Lion sinister a Horse both Argent the latter holding in his mouth a Slip of Oak Vert fructed proper.
★ 'The Motto:' ''Sola Virtus Invicta'' (Virtue alone is unconquered).
★ 'The Batons:' Placed behind the shield two gold Batons in Saltire enamelled at the end Sable (black), which represent the Duke of Norfolk's office as Earl Marshal and Hereditary Marshal of England.
Often, the
coat of arms of the Duke of Norfolk appears with the garter of the
Order of the Garter surrounding the shield, as seen in the arms of
Miles Stapleton-Fitzalan-Howard, 17th Duke of Norfolk. However, this is by no means hereditary. His Grace, the 17th Duke of Norfolk did not become a Knight of the Garter until 22 April 1983. The current Duke of Norfolk,
His Grace Edward William Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk, has not (yet) been awarded the
Order of the Garter. Thus, the
Order of the Garter, or any order of knighthood for that matter, is not necessarily a component of the coat of arms of the Duke of Norfolk.
Residences
The main residences commonly associated with the Dukes of Norfolk are:
Framlingham Castle,
Bungay Castle, as well as
Clun Castle in
Shropshire, which are now largely ruins;
Carlton Towers and most notably
Arundel Castle.
'Framlingham Castle' was originally a part of the properties of the Earls of Norfolk, but when the title fell from use, the castle was administered by the crown. In 1397, it was given to Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, by King Richard II. And when the Mowbray line became extinct, it passed eventually to the Howard family. Major repairs to this castle were carried out in 1485 by John Howard. the castle would remain in the Howard family, and thus the Dukes of Norfolk, for a while, but would eventually pass from their possession. In 1553, for example, Framlingham was given to
Mary Tudor, sister of
King Edward VI.
[1]
'Bungay Castle' was also originally apart of the properties of the Earls of Norfolk. In 1483, it passed into the possession of the Howards, Dukes of Norfolk, and the family continued to own it, apart from brief periods, until the late 20th century. However, the castle has been in a state of decay for quite some time. And for this reason, the 17th Duke of Norfolk, in 1987 presented the castle to the town, which had already begun restoration attempts on their own, with an endowment towards its preservation. It is now owned and administered by the Castle Trust.
[2]
'Carlton Towers' is in Carlton (near Goole),
Yorkshire, England. It is a
Victorian gothic country house designed by
Edward Welby Pugin. It is the Yorkshire home of the Duke of Norfolk.
Though the Duke of Norfolk's family still live in part of the house, it is now largely used for wedding receptions and similar events.
The principal seat of the Dukes of Norfolk and their ancestors for over 850 years is 'Arundel Castle'. Built in the 11th Century by
Roger de Montgomery,
Earl of Arundel, the castle was seized by the crown in 1102.
King Henry II, who added on to the castle, in 1155 confirmed
William d'Aubigny as Earl of Arundel, with the honour and the castle of Arundel. Arundel Castle is still to this day the home of The Duke and Duchess of Norfolk and their children. Its Fitzalan Chapel, founded in 1390 by the 4th Earl of Arundel, is still the burial place of the Dukes of Norfolk.
[3]
'Glossop as an occasional residence' is situated in the High Peak District of Derbyshire. As the family became closely connected with Sheffield, The Farm in Glossop became increasingly used, particularly when Henry Howard lived there in the 1760's; when the fourteenth Duke, Henry Granville Fitzalan-Howard, enlarged The Farm as an occasional residence; and during the time of the fifteenth Duke, who had interest in the activities of the City.
List of the Dukes of Norfolk

Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk
The Duchy of Norfolk has gone through three creations: in 1397, when it was the possession of the Mowbray family; in 1477 when it was a duchy of the Duke of York; and in 1483, when it came into possession of the Howard family. The following are the men who have held the title of Duke of Norfolk:
===Dukes of Norfolk, first Creation (
1397)===
★
Thomas de Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk (
1365-
1399) (forfeit 1399)
★
Margaret Manny, Duchess of Norfolk (c.
1320-
1398) (''suo jure'' Countess of Norfolk and grandmother of 1st Duke; created Duchess of Norfolk for life in 1397)
★
John de Mowbray, 2nd Duke of Norfolk (
1392-
1432) (restored
1425)
★
John de Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk (
1415-
1461)
★
John de Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk (
1444-
1476)
===Dukes of Norfolk, second Creation (
1481)===
★
Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York and 1st Duke of Norfolk (
1473-
1483)
===Dukes of Norfolk, third Creation (
1483)===
★
John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk (
1430-
1485) (forfeit
1485)
★
Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk (
1443-
1524) (restored
1514)
★
Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk (
1473-
1554) (forfeit
1547, restored
1553)
★
Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk (
1536-
1572) (forfeit
1572)
★
Thomas Howard, 5th Duke of Norfolk (
1627-
1677) (restored
1660)
★
Henry Howard, 6th Duke of Norfolk (
1628-
1684)
★
Henry Howard, 7th Duke of Norfolk (
1655-
1701)
★
Thomas Howard, 8th Duke of Norfolk (
1683-
1732)
★
Edward Howard, 9th Duke of Norfolk (
1685-
1777)
★
Charles Howard, 10th Duke of Norfolk (
1720-
1786)
★
Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk (
1746-
1815)
★
Bernard Edward Howard, 12th Duke of Norfolk (
1765-
1842)
★
Henry Charles Howard, 13th Duke of Norfolk (
1791-
1856)
★
Henry Granville Fitzalan-Howard, 14th Duke of Norfolk (
1815-
1860)
★
Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk (
1847-
1917)
★
Bernard Marmaduke Fitzalan-Howard, 16th Duke of Norfolk (
1908-
1975)
★
Miles Francis Stapleton-Fitzalan-Howard, 17th Duke of Norfolk (
1915-
2002)
★
Edward William Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk (b.
1956)
★
★ The heir apparent is
Henry Miles Fitzalan-Howard, Earl of Arundel (b.
1987)
Knights of the Garter

12th Duke of Norfolk shown wearing the star and sash of the Order of the Garter.
Many of the Dukes of Norfolk have also been knights of the
Order of the Garter. The following list is of those Dukes of Norfolk, along with their year of investiture, that were also Knights of the
Order of the Garter across all creations of the title.
★ 1383 -
Thomas Mowbray, 1st Duke of Norfolk
★ 1421 -
John Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk
★ 1451 -
John Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk
★ 1472 -
John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk
★ 1510 -
Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk
★ 1559 -
Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk; degraded 1572
★ 1685 -
Henry Howard, 7th Duke of Norfolk
★ 1834 -
Bernard Edward Howard, 12th Duke of Norfolk
★ 1848 -
Henry Howard, 13th Duke of Norfolk
★ 1886 -
Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk
★ 1937 -
Bernard Marmaduke Fitzalan-Howard, 16th Duke of Norfolk
★ 1983 -
Miles Francis Stapleton-Fitzalan-Howard, 17th Duke of Norfolk
See also
★
Norfolk Herald Extraordinary
★
Earl Marshal
★
Earl of Norfolk
★
Arundel Castle
★
Bungay Castle
★
Framlingham Castle
★
Carlton Towers
★
Glossop
★
Baron Howard of Glossop
★
Viscount Fitzalan of Derwent
Further reading
★ Robinson, John Martin. ''The Dukes of Norfolk: A Quincentennial History''. Oxford University Press, 1982.
External links
★
An Online Gotha - Norfolk