Henry Clifford, 10th Baron de Clifford

Henry Clifford, 10th Baron de Clifford, also 10th Lord of Skipton (ca. 1454 – 23 April 1523)^[1] was a member of the Clifford family which held the seat of Skipton from 1310 to 1676. He was one of the chief commanders in the Battle of Flodden against the Scots in 1513.

As a boy of seven he was spirited away from his home in Skipton Castle, after his father, John Clifford, 9th Baron de Clifford (also known as "Black-faced Clifford"), was killed in battle against the Yorkists in 1461 and an attainder was placed against Henry for his father's killing of Edmund, the king's brother. For his own protection he was sent to live in Londesborough on the property of a trusted family nurse where he tended sheep with the family. Later, when his mother feared he would be discovered, she moved him to Threlkeld in Cumberland.

After nearly 25 years in hiding, good news came to Henry Clifford. King Richard III of England had lost the battle of Bosworth and the attainder against his family was lifted. Henry moved back to his family home in Skipton Castle where he became Lord of the castle. Because of his years in the countryside and his peaceful demeanor, he was affectionately known as the Shepherd Lord. He was the hereditary High Sheriff of Westmorland from his restoration until his death.

However, at the age of sixty, once again his family was called into service by Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey who intended to repel the attacking Scots. Henry Clifford led thousands of men north and met the Scots on Flodden Field where the }English won a crushing victory, killing the king, James IV of Scotland..^[2]

He married bef. 1493 Anne St John, daughter of Sir John St John of Bletsoe (1426–1488) and Alice Bradshaigh, and granddaughter of Margaret Beauchamp of Bletso, and had issue. He was succeeded by his son Henry.

Clifford is the subject of the opera Henry Clifford by Isaac Albéniz.

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