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Birth:          1346 Arundel, Sussex, England
Death:          21 Sep 1397 London, England
Cause of Death: executed by beheading
Burial:         Augustine Friars, London, England

Notes
ancestry.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_FitzAlan,_11th_Earl_of_Arundel
Richard FitzAlan, 5th or 11th Earl of Arundel and 9th Earl of Surrey, KG (1346 – 21 
September 1397) was an English medieval nobleman and military commander.
Lineage[edit]

Born in 1346, he was the son of Richard FitzAlan, 10th Earl of Arundel and Eleanor of 
Lancaster.[2] He succeeded his father to the title of Earl of Arundel on 24 January 
1376.

His brother was Thomas Arundel, the Bishop of Ely from 1374 to 1388, Archbishop of 
York from 1388 to 1397, and Archbishop of Canterbury in 1397 and from 1399 until his 
death in 1414.[3]

At the coronation of Richard II, Richard FitzAlan carried the crown.[2]

Admiral[edit]

In 1377, Richard FitzAlan held the title of Admiral of the West and South.[2] In this 
capacity, he attacked Harfleur at Whitsun 1378, but was forced to return to his ships 
by the defenders. Later, he and John of Gaunt attempted to seize Saint-Malo but were 
unsuccessful.[4]

Power Struggle[edit]

FitzAlan was closely aligned with Thomas, Duke of Gloucester, who was uncle of King 
Richard II. Thomas was opposed to Richard II's desire for peace with France in the 
Hundred Years War and a power struggle ensued between him and Gloucester. In late 
1386, Gloucester forced King Richard II to name himself and Richard FitzAlan to the 
King's Council.[5] This Council was to all intents and purposes a Regency Council for 
Richard II. However, Richard limited the duration of the Council's powers to one year.
[6]

Knight of the Garter[edit]

In 1386, Richard II named Richard FitzAlan Admiral of England, as well as being made 
a Knight of the Garter.[2] As Admiral of England, he defeated a Franco-Spanish-
Flemish fleet off Margate in March 1387, along with Thomas de Mowbray, Earl of 
Nottingham.[6]

New favourites[edit]

In August 1387, the King dismissed Gloucester and FitzAlan from the Council and 
replaced them with his favourites - including the Archbishop of York, Alexander 
Neville; the Duke of Ireland, Robert de Vere; Michael de la Pole; the Earl of Suffolk, 
Sir Robert Tresilian, who was the Chief Justice; and the former Mayor of London 
Nicholas Brembre.[7]

Radcot Bridge[edit]

The King summoned Gloucester and FitzAlan to a meeting. However, instead of 
coming, they raised troops and defeated the new Council at Radcot Bridge on 22 
December 1387. During that battle, they took the favourites prisoner. The next year, 
the Merciless Parliament condemned the favourites.

FitzAlan was one of the Lords Appellant who accused and condemned Richard II's 
favorites.[5] He made himself particularly odious to the King by refusing, along with 
Gloucester, to spare the life of Sir Simon de Burley who had been condemned by the 
Merciless Parliament. This was even after the queen, Anne of Bohemia, went down on 
her knees before them to beg for mercy. King Richard never forgave this humiliation 
and planned and waited for his moment of revenge.

In 1394, FitzAlan further antagonized the King by arriving late for the queen's funeral. 
Richard II, in a rage, snatched a wand and struck FitzAlan in the face and drew 
blood. Shortly after that, the King feigned a reconciliation but he was only biding his 
time for the right moment to strike. Arundel was named Governor of Brest in 1388.[2]

Opposed to peace[edit]

Peace was concluded with France in 1389. However, Richard FitzAlan followed 
Gloucester's lead and stated that he would never agree with the peace that had been 
concluded.[5]

Marriage and children[edit]

Arundel married twice.

His first wife was Elizabeth de Bohun, daughter of William de Bohun, 1st Earl of 
Northampton and Elizabeth de Badlesmere. They married around 28 September 1359 
and had seven children:[2][8]
Thomas FitzAlan, 12th Earl of Arundel[2]
Lady Eleanor FitzAlan (c.1365 – 1375), on 28 October 1371, at the age of about six, 
married Robert de Ufford. Died childless.
Elizabeth FitzAlan (c.1366 – 8 July 1425), married first William Montacute (before 
December 1378); no issue. Married second, in 1384, Thomas Mowbray, 1st Duke of 
Norfolk; had issue. Married third, before August 1401, Sir Robert Goushill of 
Hoveringham; had issue. Married fourth, before 1411, Sir Gerard Afflete; no issue.[2]
[9]
Joan FitzAlan (1375 – 14 November 1435), who married William Beauchamp, 1st Baron 
Bergavenny;[2]
Alice FitzAlan (1378 – before October 1415), married before March 1392, John 
Charleton, 4th Baron Cherleton. (not mentioned as an heir of Thomas in the Complete 
Peerage). Had an affair with Cardinal Henry Beaufort, by whom she had an illegitimate 
daughter, Jane Beaufort.
Margaret FitzAlan, who married Sir Rowland Lenthall;[2] by whom she had two sons.
William (or Richard) FitzAlan

After the death of his first wife in 1385, Arundel married Philippa Mortimer, daughter of 
Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March. Her mother was Philippa Plantagenet, the only 
daughter of Lionel of Antwerp and thus a granddaughter of Edward III. They had no 
children.[2]

Death and succession[edit]

On 12 July 1397, Richard FitzAlan was arrested for his opposition to Richard II,[2] as 
well as plotting with Gloucester to imprison the king.[10] He stood trial at Westminster 
and was attainted.[11] He was beheaded on 21 September 1397 and was buried in the 
church of the Augustin Friars, Bread Street, London.[2] Tradition holds that his final 
words were said to the executioner, "Torment me not long, strike off my head in one 
blow".[12]

In October 1400, the attainder was reversed, and Richard's son Thomas succeeded to 
his father's estates and honors.[2]

Parents
FITZ ALAN Richard "Cropped Hat" (ABT 1313 - 24 Jan 1376)
PLANTAGENET Eleanor (ABT 1311 - 11 Jan 1372)

Siblings
FITZ ALAN Richard II (1346 - 21 Sep 1397)
FITZ ALAN John (ABT 1347 - 16 Dec 1379)
FITZ ALAN Alice (ABT 1348 - 17 Mar 1416)

Marriage To DE BOHUN Elizabeth (ABT 1350 - 3 Apr 1385)
    m. 28 Sep 1359 

Notes

Parents
DE BOHUN William (ABT 1312 - 16 Sep 1360)
DE BADLESMERE Elizabeth (1313 - 8 Jun 1356)

Children by DE BOHUN Elizabeth ABT 1350 - 3 Apr 1385
FITZ ALAN Margaret (ABT 1365 - )

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