NORFOLK, THOMAS MOWBRAY, 1ST DUKE OF (c. 1366-1399), son of John de Mowbray, 4th Lord Mowbray, was created marshal of England for life in 1385. He was then Lord Mowbray and earl of Nottingham. In 1387 Nottingham began to act with Thomas of Woodstock, duke of Gloucester, his own brother-in-law, Richard Fitzalan, earl of Arundel, and the party of nobles who wished to deprive the king of his power. They routed the royal favourite Robert de Vere, earl of Oxford, at Radcot Bridge, and Richard was at their mercy. Owing partly to Nottingham's moderate counsels the suggestion to depose him was not carried out, but in the "merciless parliament" of 1388 his favourites were "appealed" of treason and were sentenced to death. For nearly two years the chief power was in the hands of the lords appellant, as Nottingham and his friends were called, but in 1389 the king regained his authority. He detached Notting ham from his colleagues and made him warden of the Scottish marches ; later he became captain of Calais and the royal lieu tenant in the. north-east of France. Richard took him to Ireland in 1394 and soon afterwards sent him to arrange a peace with France and his marriage with Isabella, daughter of King Charles VI. But the earl's supreme service to the king was in 1397 when Richard took a tardy but severe vengeance upon three of the appellants. In their turn these lords were "appealed" of treason before the parliament, and as on the former occasion Nottingham was one of the accusers. He was present when Glou
cester was arrested at Pleshey, and Froissart says that he ac tually beheaded Arundel himself. Gloucester was entrusted to his keeping at Calais, and in September 1397 he reported that his prisoner was dead. The duke had been murdered, and Notting ham was probably responsible, although the evidence against him is not conclusive. As a reward he received most of Arundel's lands in Surrey and Sussex, and was created duke of Norfolk. He now began to fear for his own safety, and took the duke of Hereford, afterwards King Henry IV., into his confidence. Here ford carried his words to the king, who summoned him to his presence, and at Oswestry Norfolk accused Hereford of speaking falsely. A court of chivalry decided that the dispute should be referred to the arbitrament of single combat at Coventry ; but when everything was ready (Sept. 16, 1398) for the fight Richard interposed and ordered both combatants into banishment. Norfolk was deprived of his offices, but not of his titles; he left England for Dordrecht, and after passing some months in wan derings he reached Venice, where he died on Sept. 2 2 or 27, 1399. The concluding scene of the duke's life in England forms the staple material of act i. of Shakespeare's Richard 11.