Henry (Harry Hotspur) Percy

Warkworth Castle, Northumberland

Henry, known as Harry Hotspur, was born about May 20th, 1364.  Harry Hotspur's father was Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland and his mother was Margaret Neville.  His paternal grandparents were Henry de Percy 3rd Lord Percy and Lady Mary Plantagenet; his maternal grandparents were Ralph Neville and Alice Audley.  He was an only child.  He died on July 21st, 1403.

• General Notes

  Sir Henry Percy, also called Harry Hotspur (20 May 1364/1366 – 21 July 1403) was the eldest son of Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland, 4th Lord Percy of Alnwick. His mother was Margaret Neville, daughter of Ralph Neville, 2nd Baron Neville de Raby and Alice de Audley. His nickname, 'Hotspur', is suggestive of his impulsive nature. His date of death is known but not the exact year of birth.
  
  There are rumours that Harry was born at Spofforth Castle in Yorkshire, Alnwick Castle in Alnwick, Northumberland, and Warkworth Castle in Warkworth, Northumberland.[1] and early acquired a great reputation as a warrior, fighting against the Scots and the French. He fought against the Scottish forces of James Douglas, 2nd Earl of Douglas at the midnight Battle of Otterburn in August, 1388 and was captured, but later ransomed. He went to Calais in 1391 and served as Governor of Bordeaux from 1393 to 1395.
  
  After his return from Valois Dynasty France, Harry joined with his father and helped depose King Richard II in favour of Henry of Bolingbroke, who later became King Henry IV. He also was the co-commander with his father in the Battle of Humbleton Hill.
  
  Later, with his paternal uncle Thomas Percy, Earl of Worcester, he led a rebellion against Henry IV in 1403, forming an alliance with the Welsh rebel, Owain Glyndŵr. Before they could join forces, Hotspur was defeated and killed at the Battle of Shrewsbury when he raised his visor to get some air (as he was wearing plate armour which restricted air circulation) and was immediately hit in the mouth with an arrow and killed instantly.
  
  Henry IV, upon being brought the body after the battle, was said to have wept and ordered the body buried. Hotspur was buried in Whitchurch, Shropshire, but was later exhumed, by order of the same king, when rumours circulated that he was still alive. His body was first displayed in Shrewsbury, impaled on a spear, but was later cut up into four quarters and sent around all of England. His head was stuck on a pole at York's gates.
  
  He married Lady Elizabeth Mortimer, daughter of Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March and Philippa. Philippa was daughter of Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence and Elizabeth de Burgh, 4th Countess of Ulster. Lionel was son of Edward III of England and his consort Philippa of Hainault. Harry and Elizabeth had three children:
  
      * Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland (3 February 1392/1393 – 22 May 1455).
      * Lady Elizabeth Percy (d. 26 October 1437). She married John Clifford, 7th Baron de Clifford in 1404. They were great-great-grandparents of Jane Seymour, third Queen consort of Henry VIII of England.
      * Matilda Percy. Believed to have died young.
  

Details of Harry Hotspur's family with Elizabeth de Mortimer