
John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk.
'John Howard' (mid-
1420s–1485) was the son of Sir
Robert Howard (?1385-1436) and
Margaret Mowbray (?1391-1459), the eldest daughter of
Thomas Mowbray (1366-1399) and
Elizabeth FitzAlan (1366-1425). He was created 1st
Duke of Norfolk (of the 3rd creation) on June 28,
1483. The title had become extinct, firstly upon the death of
John de Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk (
1444–
1476), who had been 4th Duke of Norfolk (of the 1st creation) from
1461 until 1476, and again upon the illegitimisation on June 25, 1483 of
Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York, who had been created Duke of Norfolk after marrying Anne Mowbray, the daughter of the late Norfolk.
John Howard was known as "Jack (or "Jock," hence: "Jockey") of Norfolk". He had the support of
Edward IV of England who made him Constable of
Norwich Castle, Sheriff of
Norfolk and
Suffolk, Treasurer of the Royal Household. For his support of
Richard III during the desposition of
Edward V in
1483, he was created Duke of Norfolk,
Earl Marshal of England, and
Lord Admiral of all England,
Ireland, and
Aquitaine.
He was married first to
Katherine Moleyns (1424-1465), the daughter of William de Moleyns and Margery Whalesborough; and then to
Margaret Chedworth (1436-1494), the daughter of Sir John Chedworth and Margaret Bowett. Ms. Bowett's maiden name is sometimes thought to have been Wyfold, but this is an error of confusion since it was her daughter, Margaret Chedworth, who had originally married Nicholas Wyfold (1420-1456), the
Lord Mayor of London, in 1455. Ms. Bowett's parents were Nicholas Bowett of
Rippingale,
Lincolnshire, England and Elizabeth La Zouche of
Harringworth,
Northampton, England.
He died on
August 22,
1485 in the
Battle of Bosworth Field. The night before, someone had left him a note warning him that
King Richard III, his "master," was going to be double-crossed (which he was):
: ''“Jockey of Norfolk, be not too bold,''
::''For Dickon, thy master, is bought and sold.” ''
He was buried in
Thetford Priory, but his body seems to have been moved at the
Reformation, possibly to the tomb of
Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk at
Framlingham Church. The
monumental brass of his first wife
Katherine Moleyns can, however, still be seen in
Suffolk.
He was the great-grandfather of
Anne Boleyn and
Catherine Howard, the second and fifth
Queen consorts, respectively, of
Henry VIII of England. His daughter, Margaret, by
Katherine Moleyns, married Sir John Wyndham.