John Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk

John Mowbray, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal, was a notable English noble during the fifteenth century. Born into the influential Mowbray family as the heir to John de Mowbray, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, and Katherine Neville, he inherited a constellation of titles upon his father’s death in 1432. His upbringing was marred by misbehavior serious enough to warrant intervention by King Henry VI. Mowbray’s early adulthood was defined by his military roles, including the Earl Marshal during wartime and the Warden of the Eastern March. His marriage to Eleanor Bourchier entangled him in the complex political landscape of East Anglia, leading to a rivalry with William de la Pole and resulting in violent confrontations that sometimes escalated to the point of imprisonment. Despite these challenges, Mowbray defended King Henry VI during Richard, Duke of York’s rebellions but later allied with York against their mutual adversary, de la Pole. His final military engagement was at the Battle of Towton in 1461, after which he briefly enjoyed royal favor before his untimely death.