Francis, Lord Lovel
Francis was aged about eight when his father died and he became the ward of Richard Neville, the Earl of Warwick . Francis was sent to live with Richard, duke of Gloucester at Middleham, the family seat of the Nevilles. Despite a four-year age difference, it is likely that this is when they formed a close bond which lasted till the end of Richard’s life. In due course they married women who were cousins, such were the kinship ties in the nobility.
Francis was knighted by Richard in 1481 during the expedition to Scotland and two years later created 1st Viscount Lovell by Edward IV shortly before the latter’s death. He succeeded William Lord Hastings as Lord Chamberlain under Richard III and was given a place of honour at Richard’s coronation.
Unlike many Yorkist supporters after Bosworth, he was not captured and went on to organize attempts to overthrow Henry VII. He was a key person at the Battle of Stoke in support of the claimant Lambert Simnel. After the failure of that rebellion he was given a safe conduct to Scotland, but is then lost to history.
Past issues of the Ricardian include a variety of articles about Lovel including this: Francis Lovel and the Rebels of Furness Fells [PDF] about Lovel after Bosworth.
After signing in, Society members have access to a research paper about what may have happened to Francis Lovel after the Battle of Stoke in 1487.
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