Profile - Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset, 1406-1455

Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset, enjoyed favouritism at the royal court despite his ineptness and created many enemies, the biggest of which was Richard, Duke of York.

RISE TO POWER

The Duke was born in 1406 to John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset and Margaret Holland and his paternal grandparents were John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and his mistress, Katherine Swyford. 

Somerset' rise to power owes credit to the actions of his uncle, Cardinal Beaufort, who wielded influence on the Privy Council and Somerset became Lieutenant of France in 1446. York was expecting a third term in office in France and was aggrieved to be replaced by Somerset.

Cardinal Beaufort - Somerset's powerful uncle

The French campaign of the late 1440s turned into a disaster for Somerset who was unprepared for France breaking truce and taking Normandy from the English. Somerset, stationed in Rouen, negotiated with the French to hand over the city if they allowed England to keep towns along the Norman coast. The French soon broke terms and captured the ports of Honfleur and Harfleur, famously won by Henry V almost 35 years previously.

DISCONTENT

England was now full of discontent following the capitulation in France and the south coast was fearful of a French invasion. Jack Cade led a rebellion against the king and he publicly named York as a successor to the throne. York's claim to the throne was a strong one with him being great-great-great grandson to Edward III's third son, Lionel of Antwerp and grandson to Edward III's fifth son, Edmund of Langley. Somerset also had royal blood as he descended from Edward III's fourth son, John of Gaunt, and the descending Beauforts were declared legitimate by Richard II on the provision that they wouldn't claim the throne. Many at court wondered whether Somerset would actually stake a claim to the throne after Cardinal Beaufort had died in 1447 and the king had yet borne an heir. 

Somerset's loss of Normandy was completed in July 1450 when he handed Caen over to the French and York demanded that Somerset be held to account. King Henry VI agreed to arrest Somerset but his wife, Margaret of Anjou, convinced the king to not only remove charges against Somerset, but to also appoint him as Constable of England. The 20-year-old queen had grown close to Somerset and rumours spread throughout court that Margaret was cuckolding the king with Somerset.

Margaret of Anjou - Somerset's confidant and rumoured lover

York returned to England from his lieutenancy of Ireland in September 1450 and implored the king to imprison Somerset for his failures. Parliament impeached Somerset three months later and was taken to the Tower of London but the queen intervened once again and ordered his releases. Londoners loyal to York were incensed and ransacked Somerset's home, much to the king's dismay.

Troops were rallied by York and marched to London to find the capital gates locked. York faced Henry VI's army at Dartford on March 2 1451 and the king agreed to York's demands of arresting Somerset and declaring York his heir in exchange for the duke's allegiance. The queen, unaware of the bargain, saw her beloved Somerset arrested the next day and argued with the king for his release. 

York entered the king's tent to continue negotiations and came across the queen, with Somerset by her side, arguing with the king. Margaret projected her anger towards York and demanded him to be arrested instead. The king once again bowed to his queen by releasing Somerset and had York swear an oath of allegiance at St. Paul's Cathedral. York was left dismayed when Somerset was appointed Captain of Calais and removed himself from court.

Somerset's rise to power also aggrieved other nobles as he was awarded wardship of Glamorgan in June 1453 on lands owned by Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick. This land dispute would result in Warwick crucially siding with his uncle, Duke of York, a decision that would later haunt Somerset.

A month later, English defeat at the Battle of Castillon resulted in the loss of Gascony and left Calais as the only English possession in mainland France. This sent Henry VI into a mental breakdown that would leave the king unable to recognise his new born son, Prince Edward. Henry VI's disregard of his son led many, including Warwick, to question whether the prince was actually the result of an adulterous affair between Somerset and the queen.

On 24 October 1453, Somerset, in the queen's name, summoned a Great Council to determine a possible regency and York was uninvited. Somerset relented to the nobles' protests and allowed York to attend. York flexed his muscles and, upon appointment as Protector of the Realm, placed Somerset in the Tower of London. The king regained his senses in late 1454 and would listen to his wife's demands once again by releasing Somerset and reinstated him as Captain of Calais.

BOSOM OF POWER

York once again removed himself from court and began arming himself for a potential conflict. Somerset was back in the bosom of power with the queen by his side and the two effectively ruled England. They summoned a Great Council meeting to be held in Leicester instead of London and York viewed his invitation as a possible ruse. Somerset and the queen convinced the king that York's refusal to attend was a declaration of war and Henry VI ordered York to attend.

On 22 May 1455, York's forces, along with Warwick and his father, Earl of Salisbury, met the royal army at the First Battle of St Albans. York had looked to avoid conflict with Henry VI and, like Dartford, sent word of negotiations to the king. Somerset goaded the king to send back words of aggression to York who attacked the town shortly thereafter.

York and Salisbury led the attack on the Lancastrian defences but Lord Thomas Clifford repulsed their efforts. Warwick came through the inn gardens and attacked Clifford from the rear. Lancastrians signalled the call to arms with a tolling of the abbey bell and Somerset joined the melee. He was in a desperate hand-to-hand combat by Castle Inn and became distracted when he saw the inn's sign. He recognised a soothsayer's prophecy to him that said to stay away from castles and his hesitancy allowed the Yorkist soldier to strike home. 

A plaque marking the spot of Somerset's death in modern St. Albans

York was victorious at St Albans and escorted the king back to London. Somerset was buried in St. Albans Abbey but his cause was taken up by his son, Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset, who avenged his father's death five years later at the Battle of Wakefield with the death of the Duke of York.