Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester (1391-1447) [Hundred Years' War: Humphrey Plantagenet, 'Good Duke Humphrey'; Humfrey Plantagenet]

Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester from the Receuil D'Arras

HUMPHREY, DUKE OF GLOUCESTER (1391-1447), was the 4th son of Henry IV.

He was created Duke of Gloucester in 1414, and took part in the French wars of Henry V's reign, being wounded in the battle of Agincourt. On his death-bed Henry appointed him regent of England during his son's minority, but Parliament refused to allow this, and a council of regency was appointed with Bedford as Protector, and in his absence from England, Gloucester. By his reckless folly in marrying Jacqueline of Hainault, and prosecuting her claims in Hainault and Zealand, Gloucester did much to alienate the Duke of Burgundy from the English, while his attempts to gain a foreign principality for himself were fruitless.

In 1425, Gloucester's quarrel with Beaufort commenced, which continued with temporary reconciliation during the whole of his lifetime. The bright spot in Gloucester's character was his affection for his brother Bedford, who was frequently able to restrain his folly and recklessness. After Bedford's death, his opposition to Beaufort became more and more violent, Gloucester representing the war party, popular in Parliament and the nation, while Beaufort was the leader of the peace party, which was strongly represented in the Council. It was the old struggle of the court and constitutional parties in another form.

The trial of Eleanor Cobham, his second wife, was a great blow to Gloucester's influence, and this was still further injured when, in 1442, Henry VI came of age, and the protectorate was at an end. Suffolk supplanted Gloucester as the chief adviser of the crown, and in 1447 Gloucester was accused of treason. The merits of the case it is impossible to decide upon; it is not improbable that Gloucester may have entertained the idea of making himself king, but on this point there is no evidence.

At all events, Gloucester was suddenly arrested on Feb. 18, 1447, at Bury St. Edmund's, and placed under arrest, and five days after was found dead in his bed. It is impossible to decide on the cause of his death; it may have arisen from chagrin, or have been the work of some person who hoped thereby to ingratiate himself with the court party, or it may (as popular legend asserted), have been caused by the orders of the Duke of Suffolk. It is certain that there is nothing to connect it with Cardinal Beaufort, and there is a strong reason for believing that it arose from natural causes.

As a patron of learning, and a benefactor to the University of Oxford, Gloucester deserves high praise, but his public and private career alike are stained with grievous errors, and his influence on English politics was only mischievous. Still, he was popular with the literary men for his patronage of learning, and with the people for his advocacy of a spirited foreign policy. From these causes he was known as the "good Duke Humphrey."

The Dictionary of English History. Sidney J. Low and F. S. Pulling, eds.
London: Cassell and Company, Ltd., 1910. 553.

Other Local Resources:

Books for further study:

Millard, Frank. Humphrey Duke of Gloucester: Politics and Reputation.
           VDM Verlag, 2009.

Saygin, Susanne. Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, and the Italian Humanists.
           Brill Academic Publishers, 2001.

Shakespeare, William. Henry VI (Parts I, II and III).
           Signet Classics, 2005.

Watts, John. Henry VI and the Politics of Kingship.
           Cambridge University Press, 1999.

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