'Richard of Conisburgh, 3rd Earl of Cambridge' (c.
1375 –
5 August 1415) was the younger son of
Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York and
Isabella of Castile, Duchess of York.
His paternal grandparents were
Edward III of England and
Philippa of Hainault. His maternal grandparents were
Pedro of Castile and
María de Padilla who was of Jewish descent. (Peggy K. Liss, "Isabel the Queen," New York: Oxford University Press, 1992, p. 165; James Reston, Jr. "Dogs of God," New York: Doubleday, p. 18.)
He was born at
Conisburgh Castle in
Yorkshire, and was confirmed in the
Earldom of Cambridge, which had been resigned by his brother, in
1414. In about
1406, he married his cousin,
Anne Mortimer, also a descendant of Edward III (his great great granddaughter), through his son
Lionel of Antwerp. A papal dispensation was dated for 28 May 1406, making it most likely that the marriage took place in May or June. It was through her that the
Yorkist faction in the
Wars of the Roses claimed the throne. Their marriage produced a daughter,
Isabel Plantagenet, and a son,
Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York. He later laid claim on the throne, beginning the Wars of the Roses.
It is believed that Anne died giving birth to Richard. Following Anne's death, Cambridge married
Matilda Clifford.
He was discovered to be one of the fomentors of the
Southampton Plot against
King Henry V immediately prior to departure on the French campaign. (His elder brother,
Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York, would die at the
Battle of Agincourt, less than three months later.) He was stripped of all his titles and estates and was executed on 5 August 1415 at
Southampton Green, Hampshire, England; before the fleet set sail on 11 August 1415.