Royal: Thomas of Brotherton, Earl of Norfolk, 1300-1338

King Edward I had many children by his two successive wives, but like most parents, he suffered a great deal of bereavement.  Several of his children by his first wife, Eleanor of Castile died either of infant mortality or even of plague.  Years after Eleanor's death, Edward married again, Margaret of France, having two sons and a daughter to comfort his old age.  Thomas of Brotherton was the first of these boys, the younger half-brothers of Edward II.

Thomas, 1300-1338, as his name suggests, was born in Brotherton, Yorkshire.  Margaret had intended to have her baby at Cawood, but went into labor early in Brotherton, after following a hunt.  Even in those days, women rode along with the men as they hunted.  The delivery was hard and Margaret attributed her and the child's survival to St. Thomas Becket and honored him with the baby's name.  Edward I was overjoyed that he'd had another son.  His only son by Eleanor to survive was the future Edward II, with whom the King often didn't get along.  Edward was a careful father to Thomas and Edmund, the little brother who came a year after.  Their education consisted of learning how to be men in the Plantagenet family, which meant learning early the skills leading to knighthood and later combat.  Edward died in 1307 and Thomas was heir presumptive to his older brother until the birth of Edward II's son, Edward III in 1312.  Edward II intended to give his younger brother the Earldom of Cornwall, then as now often a perk of a royal heir.  However, he decided to give this earldom to his favorite, Piers Gaveston.  Roger Bigod, the last of the Bigod Earls of Norfolk had recently passed without heirs, so his earldom reverted to the Crown.  Edward gave Thomas the Earldom instead, in 1312.

The young Earl of Norfolk was given an additional honor in 1316, that of Earl Marshal.  This title made him the premier earl of England.  The Earl Marshal was one of the Great Officers of State, historically in charge of the King's horses and bodyguard, as well as ceremonial events like coronations, weddings and funerals.  While Edward II was away in Scotland, Thomas was made Keeper of the Realm, but his own fiery lion's temper got the better of him.  He was soon at odds with both the Despenser family and Queen Isabella.  However, he sided with Isabella and Mortimer when they invaded England and overthrew Edward II in 1327.  Thomas presided over the trials of the Despensers, and was young Edward III's most trusted advisor.  Thomas commanded the English right wing at Halidon Hill, 1333.

Thomas married twice, but had only one daughter, Margaret.  After his death at Framlingham Castle in Suffolk, he was buried in Bury St. Edmunds.  Margaret was made Countess of Norfolk and later Duchess of Norfolk for life, but as a woman couldn't transmit her title to her own children.  The title passed to the Mowbray family and later to the Howards, who are both Dukes of Norfolk, the Premier Duke of England, and Earls of Arundel, the Premier Earl of England, as well as being Earl Marshal.