Why did Sir John Beauchamp die in the Tower of London April 1412 did he fall afoul of Henry IV?

Answer 1

William 5th Baron Beauchamp had already given Holt to his son John (b. c1245, d. c1298), in the mid-thirteenth century. Richard succeeded his father John. His son John, who was only eight years old when he received the manor on his father's death in 1327, followed Richard. John served as the Member of Parliament for Worcestershire on six occasions between 1352 and 1380. At that time the county returned two members or shire knights. The county had less than thirty electors, but each of these represented the views of a larger number of landowners and yeoman. Parliament met irregularly and not always in London, to discuss affairs of state.

Knights on horseback were the elite troops of medieval European warfare. At a time when peasants travelled on foot and merchants on the backs of mules, owning a horse made a knight a person of higher social standing. Accompanied by equerries, attendants who carried shields and took care of the animals, knights had expensive equipment: a sword and lance, a helmet, and a coat of mail. The mounted knights formed the elite of medieval armies. At that time, 100 knights were considered to be worth 1,000 infantrymen. The lives of mounted knights were often spared in battle. They were captured and held to ransom. This fulfilled one of the main purposes of medieval warfare - making money.

Shire knights earned the favours of the crown by serving as knights in the king's army. Thus John Beauchamp took part in several battles associated with Edward III's campaigns in France during the Hundred Years War. He fought in all Edward III's campaigns in France. Battles he fought in included Sluys in 1340, Crecy in 1346 where the French mounted knights were routed by English archers, and the siege of Calais in 1347. He fought alongside the Black Prince when the French king was taken prisoner at the battle of Poitiers in 1356. He served as Captain of Calais in 1348 and 1349, and then later in the latter year as Admiral of the fleet to protect Calais approaches.

The war campaigns did not all go favourably for Beauchamp for in 1351 the king had to pay a ransom to have him released from captivity in France. That Sir John was captured for ransom reflects his status in the eyes of his French adversaries on the battlefield. That the king paid his ransom reflects his status in the eyes of the English royal household. For his services the king granted Beauchamp the income from various estates, priories (including Astley) and customs (taxes). Throughout the 1350's, 60's and 70's Beauchamp attended at the Royal Court as a personal adviser to the king, gaining ever-greater favours, rewards, responsibilities and incomes.

No doubt using his influence with the King, John Beauchamp obtained a grant to hold a fair at 'Le Rode' in Holt. The fair was to be held every 22 July, St Mary Magdalene's feast day. Beauchamp served as a Justice of the Peace for long periods in both Worcestershire and Warwickshire, and later also in Gloucestershire. He sat on various Worcestershire commissions.

John Beauchamp retained and increased his trusted position in the Royal Court when the Black Princes' son, Richard II, succeeded to his uncles throne in 1377. Eight years later Beauchamp accompanied the king on his military expedition in to Scotland, for which he became a 'kings knight' or sir. The king was particularly impressed by the 'fine company of men-at-arms and archers' that were contributed by Beauchamp 'at very great expense'. In further recognition of his services, on 10 October 1387 Sir John was granted a peerage and barony - Lord of Beauchamp and Baron of Kidderminster. He was the first baron with remainder to his heirs male created 'by patent' , but baronies by writ also continued to be created long after this date.

These were turbulent times for having survived the Peasant's Revolt of 1381, provoked by the imposition of a poll tax, Richard II's desire to strengthen his power as monarch brought him into conflict with the leading nobles of England. This culminated in 1399 when Henry Bolingbroke (1366-1413) led an armed revolt against the king. Richard was dethroned and later murdered. Bolingbroke became king as Henry IV, ending Plantagenet rule and founding the rule of the House of Lancaster.

Beauchamp's fall from grace was dramatic, for within weeks of being granted his peerage and barony, the Kings forces were defeated in a skirmish at Radcot Bridge. As a result the kings favourites, including Sir John, were purged. Following imprisonment in Dover Castle then the Tower of London, Sir John was impeached by 'the Merciless Parliament' on 12 March 1388. Having survived numerous military campaigns and the Black Death that was ravaging England at the time, he was executed on Tower Hill on 12 May the same year.