Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk

Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk ( born March 10, 1538 Kenninghall (Norfolk ), † June 2, 1572 in London) was the eldest son of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey and Frances de Vere. He followed in 1554 by his grandfather, Thomas Howard as Duke of Norfolk, as his father had been executed in 1547.

Thanks to its heritage, he was highly regarded, but had only limited influence on the policy of Queen Elizabeth I.. This condition he considered inappropriate, since he was the highest-ranking nobles of the empire ( Premier Peer of the Realm ) and the only duke in England.

Life

With the death of Queen Mary Tudor, who left no heirs, England returned to Protestantism.

Thomas Howard confessed to the Anglican Church. However, he married several strict Catholic women and had his children educated Catholic. His son Philip Howard, 20th Earl of Arundel, was later recognized even as a Catholic martyr.

After he had survived three wives, he hit upon the plan, Mary Stuart, who was imprisoned in England to marry and return with her to England for very reasonable conditions to the Scottish throne. This plan came from Scottish politicians and was designed by Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, and other nobles supported. Elizabeth I, however, did not trust the thing, especially since Howard behaved towards her very clumsy.

However, rather than abandon his marriage plans, he allowed himself to be persuaded of Mary Stuart, proceed behind the backs of the British government in his plans. This resulted in 1569 with the approval of Pope Pius V and the Spanish King Philip II to an uprising nobleman from the north of England to overthrow Elizabeth and replace it with the remote Catholic Queen of Scotland, Mary Stuart. This had a cousin Elizabeth I have a right to the English throne, and was therefore regarded by some Catholics as the rightful Queen.

After this uprising was unsuccessful, the Duke at the Tower of London was jailed. With difficulty he was able to convince the queen of his innocence and was placed under house arrest. But about a year later Thomas Howard was involved in the Ridolfi conspiracy that had been hatched in his London palace, of which Howard wanted to have noticed anything. This time Elizabeth gave him no faith. He was again sent to the Tower, accused of treason and executed in 1572.

Family

Norfolk was the first son of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, and his wife Frances de Vere, daughter of the 15th Earl of Oxford.

In his first marriage he married Mary FitzAlan, 19th Earl of Arundel heiress of the house FitzAlan. She brought in 1557 Howards first son, Philip the world.

After Mary FitzAlan died after the birth of their son Philip, the Duke Margaret Audley took to wife, daughter of the 1st Baron Audley of Walden. From this connection come two other sons, Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk, and William Howard, and two daughters. Margaret Audley also died after giving birth to her fifth child.

A third marriage was to Elisabeth Howard A Leyburne. The widow of Thomas Dacre, 4th Baron Dacre, brought three daughters into the marriage, the married Howard with his own sons Philip, Thomas and William. Also, she died after the birth of their first child together after a year of marriage, what Howard plunged into depression.

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