Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Question from Karen - Richard Guildford

Who is Richard Guildford in and around Henry the Seventh?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

From Sean Cunnighma's article on Richard Guildford in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: "He became master of the ordnance and armoury in the Tower of London (an appointment renewed in 1493), a chamberlain of the exchequer, and keeper of Kennington in Surrey, where Henry VII stayed before his coronation. He was master of horse and a privy councillor by 1487, a knight of the king's body by 1488, and he also received wardships and other lands in reward. Guildford's links to the crown were underlined by Henry VII's presence at his second marriage, to Joan Vaux, which had occurred by 1489. By 1494 Guildford was controller of the household. He was present in 1494 when the king's second son, Henry, was created duke of York, and shortly afterwards was one of six commissioners appointed to arrange the marriage of Prince Arthur and Katherine of Aragon. He was sheriff of Kent in 1494–5, and was sent to thank the commons of Kent for resisting Perkin Warbeck's landing at Deal in 1495. Guildford was MP for Kent in the parliament held that year, and probably also in the other parliaments of the reign. In 1496 he became steward of the lands of Cecily, duchess of York, in the south-east, and was made a banneret after the defeat of the Cornish rising at Blackheath in 1497. He accompanied Henry VII to his meeting with Archduke Philip outside Calais in 1500, and was elected a knight of the Garter that same year. In 1501 he was involved in the preparations for Katherine of Aragon's arrival in England." For the full article, the ODNB is available in the reference section of most university libraries.