Michael de la Pole, 2nd Earl of Suffolk

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The Tomb of Michael de la Pole, 2nd Earl of Suffolk and his wife in Wingfield Church

Michael de la Pole, 2nd Earl of Suffolk (1367 – September 17, 1415) was an English nobleman who supported Henry IV against Richard II. He died during the Siege of Harfleur in 1415.

He was a son of Michael de la Pole, 1st Earl of Suffolk and Katherine Wingfield, daughter of Sir John Wingfield.

His father fled abroad before being appealed of treason during the Merciless Parliament in 1388, and forfeited the title of Earl of Suffolk and the family estates. Over the next decade, Michael made vigorous attempts to recover these lands, and obtained most of them piecemeal between 1389 and 1392, following his father's death. However, his close association with the Lords Appellant, particularly the Earl of Warwick and the Duke of Gloucester prejudiced Richard II against him. He finally obtained the restoration of the earldom in January 1398.

Michael married Katharine de Stafford, daughter of Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford. They were parents to at least eight children:

• Michael de la Pole, 3rd Earl of Suffolk (1394–1415)
• William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk (1396–1450)
• Alexander de la Pole (d. 1429), killed at the Battle of Jargeau
• Sir John de la Pole (d. 1429), died a prisoner in France
• Thomas de la Pole (d. 1433), a clerk, died in France while a hostage for his brother William
• Katherine de la Pole, abbess at Barking
• Isabel de la Pole (d. 1466), married Thomas Morley, 5th Lord Morley.
• Elizabeth de la Pole, married first Edward Burnell, son of Hugh Burnell, 2nd Lord Burnell, second Sir Thomas Kerdeston

While he obeyed the summons of the Duke of York to defend the kingdom against Henry Bolingbroke in July 1399, he did not object to the disbandment of York's army and consented to the deposition of Richard II. While the first Parliament of Henry IV technically upheld the forfeitures of the Merciless Parliament, his estates and title were immediately restored by Henry IV for his support. However, he would spend the remainder of his life trying to obtain possession of the remaining estates which had not been restored.

He played a relatively small role in national politics, although he regularly attended Parliament. He took part in the campaign in Scotland in 1400, naval operations around 1405, and was the senior English diplomat at the Council of Pisa. Suffolk was also a lieutenant of the Duke of Clarence during his campaign of 1412–1413. However, most of his energies were spent on re-establishing de la Pole influence in East Anglia. He was a justice of the peace in Norfolk and Suffolk from 1399, and assembled a considerable following among the local gentry. He completed his father's building plans at Wingfield, Suffolk and enlarged the local church.

Suffolk brought 40 men-at-arms and 120 archers with him on the 1415 campaign of Henry V. He died of dysentery before Harfleur, and was succeeded by his eldest son Michael, who was also present there.

[edit] References

• Walker, Simon (2004). "Pole, Michael de la, second earl of Suffolk (1367/8–1415)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford University Press. Retrieved on 2007-01-02.