“Torment me not long, strike off my head in one blow”
-supposed last words of Richard Fitzalan, Earl of Arundel, to his executioner
On this date in 1397, the Earl of Arundel was condemned and immediately beheaded in London’s Cheapside.
Not to be confused with his grandfather, the Earl of Arundel* beheaded 71 years earlier for loyalty to his deposed king, our man Richard FitzAlan earned the chop for being a thorn in his king’s backside.
As one of England’s great magnates, Arundel had played a principal role for many years in the bloody struggle with King Richard II over power and prerogatives; he was one of the three original Lords Appellant whose rebellion against Richard brought about their “Merciless Parliament” in 1388, and its cruel purge of royal loyalists.
Powerless at that time to impede the Lords Appellant, then-21-year-old King Richard quietly nurtured hatred of his foes for many years until he was in a position to really strike them. This was a delicate and a long-term business, but Richard’s bitterness proved equal to the revenge. In 1397, Richard finally — per Froissart — “decided upon a bold and daring move. He had reflected that it was better to destroy than to be destroyed and that speedy action could prevent his uncle from ever being a threat to him again.”
Said uncle was the Duke of Gloucester, another one (the senior one) of those difficult Lords Appellant. To conquer Gloucester required daring indeed: Richard lured him away from the considerable protection of his own retinue on the pretext of a hunting trip, and led him into an ambush where the Earl Marshal could arrest him undefended.
Needing now to stay ahead of the news, Richard flew for London to complete his counter-coup and the next day had Arundel arrested along with the other of the three original Lords Appellant, the Earl of Warwick. Mighty Gloucester had been spirited secretly to Calais to be murdered in prison; a more formal version of the same fate awaited Arundel.**
It may be said that the Duchess of Gloucester, with her son Humphrey and her two daughters, were naturally deeply distressed when their husband and father was brought home dead, and the Duchess had to suffer another blow when the King had her uncle. Earl Richard of Arundel, publicly beheaded in Cheapside, London. None of the great barons dared to thwart the King or dissuade him from doing this. King Richard was present at the execution and it was carried out by the Earl Marshal, who was married to Lord Arundel’s daughter and who himself blindfolded him. (Froissart, again)
* The Earl of Arundel rank still exists today as a courtesy title held by the Duke of Norfolk’s heir; it has existed nearly continuously since it was created in 1138 for a Norman nobleman.
** Warwick got enough political pull on his behalf to survive in captivity; he’d eventually be released when one of his Lords Appellant allies deposed Richard II and made himself King Henry IV … a feat that he accomplished with the aid of our Arundel’s younger brother, who also happened to be the Archbishop of Canterbury.
On this day..
- 1829: David Evans, in Carmarthen
- 1943: Amos Pampaloni, Captain Corelli's Mandolin inspiration
- 2011: Alireza Molla-Soltani, killer of Rouhollah Dadashi
- 1716: Five Mug House rioters
- 1774: John Reid, James Boswell's first client
- 2006: Sheikh Zana, Erbil terrorist
- 1939: Six assassins of Armand Calinescu
- 1783: Mutinous prisoners of the Swift
- 2011: Troy Davis, doubts aside
- 1761: Gabriel Malagrida, Jesuit nutter
- 1950: Col. Choi Chang-Shik, military engineer
- 1822: Four Sergeants of La Rochelle
The cruel purge of Richard II’s lovers you mean. England was at war with France and all Richard could think about were his boy lovers whom he showered with jewels. He was a typical spoiled brat who thought he was equal to the Virgin Mary, etc. and had himself painted in heaven as it were. However it was the Earls appellant who had to go and fight for the likes of Richard.
He did however get his comeuppance . . . a little late for the Earls appellant.