Henry Percy
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Henry Percy was the name of several nobles in the line that produced the earls of Northumberland.
- Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland
- Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland
- Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland
- Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland
- Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland
Sir Henry Percy, also called Harry Hotspur (1364 (? - see bottom of page) - 1403) was the eldest son of the 1st Earl of Northumberland and 4th Lord Percy of Alnwick. His nickname is suggestive of his impulsive nature.
Harry acquired a great reputation as a warrior, fighting against the Scots and the French. He fought against the Scots at the Battle of Otterburn in 1388.
With his father he helped depose Richard II of England, but later with his uncle Thomas Percy, Earl of Worcester he led a rebellion against King Henry IV in 1403, forming an alliance with the Welsh rebel, Owain Glyndwr. Before they could join forces, Hotspur was defeated and killed at the Battle of Shrewsbury. He is a major character in Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1.
He married Lady Elizabeth Mortimer, daughter of Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March, and Phillipa, daughter of Lionel of Antwerp and granddaughter of Edward III of England.
It is accepted that Henry Percy was born on May 20th, but whether this was 1364 or 1366 is unknown, and probably always will be.
