The Skaggs-Files

John de Beaumont, 1st Viscount Beaumont, the first ever of the rank of peerage in England, so created 12 Feb 1439/40, as also previously 27 July 1436 Count of Boulogne (a policy pursued by Henry V and Henry VI of granting fiefs and titles to leading Enlgish nobles in English-occupied France to consolidate their hold on the area), KG (1441), KB (1426), PC (1434), Great Chamberlain 1450 and Constable 1445-50 of England, feudal Viscomte of Beaumont in Maine (conferred on him by Henry VI 18 Jan 1440/1)...killed fighting on the Lancastrian side at the Yorkist victory of Northampton. [Burke's Peerage}

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VISCOUNTCY of BEAUMONT (I)

BARONY of BEAUMONT (VI)

JOHN (BEAUMONT), LORD BEAUMONT, son and heir, aged four years at the death of his father. He was of Folkingham Castle, co. Lincoln. He was summoned to Parliament as a Baron 25 February 1431/2 to 26 September 1439. K.B. 19 May 1426. P.C., 1434. Having greatly distinguished himself both in war and at court, he was, by letters patent dated at Canterbury, 27 July 1436, created COUNT OF BOULOGNE in France, and shortly afterwards, on 12 February 1439/40, was created VISCOUNT BEAUMONT, being the first person advanced to the dignity of Viscount in England. Within a year of this creation the King 18 January 1440/ 1, bestowed on him and the heirs male of his body "the feudal Viscountcy of Beaumont in France," which on the death of the Duke of Bedford, in 1435, had reverted to the Crown. K.G. 1441; CONSTABLE OF ENGLAND, 1445-50; GREAT CIIAMBERLAIN, 8 July 1450.

He married, between 24 July 1425 and 3 July 1436, Elizabeth, daughter and sole heir of Sir William PHELIP, K.G., recognised as LORD BARDOLF, by Joan, 2nd daughter and coheir of Thomas (BARDOLF), LORD BARDOLF. She died before 30 October 1441. He married 2ndly, after 1442, Katharine, widow of Sir Thomas STRANGWAYS, and before that of JOHN (DE MOWBRAY), DUKE OF NORFOLK) and daughter of Ralph (NEVILL), EARL OF WESTMORLAND, by his 2nd wife, Joan DE BEAUFORT, daughter of John of Gaunt, DUKE OF LANCASTER. He died 10 July 1460, being slain under the Lancastrian banner, at the battle of Northampton. His widow married, 4thly, shortly after 1464, Sir John WIDVILLE) who was beheaded (with his father, EARL RIVERS) at Kenilworth) 12 August 1469. [Complete Peerage II:62, (transcribed by Dave Utzinger)]

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Some corrections and additions to the Complete Peerage: Volume 2: Beaumont

Volume 2, page 62:
JOHN (BEAUMONT), LORD BEAUMONT, [d.1460] s. and h., aged four years at the death of his father.

John's father died in June 1413 [Complete Peerage, vol.2, p.61]. The date of John's birth (as "domini de beaumont") is given as 16 August 1410 ("in crastino assumptionis beate virginis") in the Chronicle of John Somer [Camden 5th ser. vol.10, p.278 (1997)].

[From Douglas Richardson, November 2001]