Ralph Percy

This article is about the historical figure, Ralph Percy. For the current Duke of Northumberland, see Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland.

Sir Ralph Percy (died 1464) was a knight, a Governor of Bamburgh Castle and a supporter of the Lancastrian side in the Wars of the Roses. Percy was the son of Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland, and the grandson of Sir Harry (Hotspur) Percy.

Percy married, firstly, Eleanor Acton and they had six children:

1. Sir Ralph Percy
2. Peter Percy
3. Sir Henry Percy
4. George Percy
5. John Percy
6. Margaret Percy

Sir Ralph married, secondly Jane Teye. They had a child, Catherine Percy.

During 1462 and 1463, the Lancastrians attempted to destabilise the kingdom, ruled by their Yorkist enemy, Edward IV. These attempts were concentrated in the north of England and directed by the Lancastrian Queen, Margaret of Anjou (Henry VI's queen).

The Earl of Warwick led campaigns to neutralise the Lancastrians in the north in the early 1460s. As a result Sir Ralph Percy surrendered Bamburgh Castle to Edward IV, on Christmas Eve 1462 in return for a free pardon. Sir Ralph swore allegiance to Edward IV and, as part of Edward IV’s policy of conciliation, Percy’s lands were then returned to him. Sir Ralph took control of both Bamburgh and Dunstanburgh Castles, under his surrender agreement with Edward.

Fighting in the north continued, exacerbated by a Scottish invasion. When the Scots sued for peace, Lord Montague was sent to arrange terms. On 25 April 1464, Montague was on his way to Norham. The Duke of Somerset (who had surrendered and sworn allegiance with Percy) and Percy, forswearing their oaths, attacked Montague with 5,000 men. The site of that battle was Hedgeley Moor, seven miles south of Wooler. Percy led Somerset's vanguard and was killed.

Ancestry

Family of Ralph Percy

16. Henry de Percy, 3rd Baron Percy               8. Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland                       17. Mary of Lancaster               4. Henry Hotspur Percy                             18. Ralph Neville, 2nd Baron Neville de Raby               9. Lady Margaret Neville                       19. Alice Audley               2. Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland                                   20. Roger Mortimer, 2nd Earl of March               10. Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March                       21. Lady Philippa Montagu               5. Lady Elizabeth Mortimer                             22. Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence               11. Philippa Plantagenet, 5th Countess of Ulster                       23. Elizabeth de Burgh, 4th Countess of Ulster               1. Ralph Percy                                         24. Ralph Neville, 2nd Baron Neville de Raby = 18               12. John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby                       25. Alice Audley = 19               6. Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland                             26. Henry de Percy, 2nd Baron Percy               13. Lady Maud Percy                       27. Idoine de Clifford               3. Lady Eleanor Neville                                   28. Edward III of England               14. John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster                       29. Philippa of Hainault               7. Lady Joan Beaufort                             30. Payne de Roet               15. Katherine Swynford