John Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Knayth

John Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Knayth (c. 1290 – 30 May 1347) was an English peer. He was created 1st Baron Darcy in 1317.^[1]

The son of Roger Darcy and Isabel d’Aton, he may have been born at Knaith, Lincolnshire circa 1280. Darcy became one of the most trusted advisors to King Edward III and was appointed High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and the Royal Forests in 1319, High Sheriff of Lancashire in 1323 and High Sheriff of Yorkshire in 1327. He served as Member of Parliament for Nottinghamshire in 1320. He was summoned to Parliament in 1331, 1333 and 1341 as "Johanni Darcy le Cosin".

In 1323 (until 1326), 1332 (until 1333) and again in 1340 (until 1344) he was appointed Lord Justice of Ireland. He was steward to the king (1337–1340) and then chamberlain (1342–1346).^[2]

In 1342 he joined the Earl of Northampton on an expedition to Flanders and on his return was made Constable of Nottingham Castle (1343–1344) and of the Tower of London (1345–1346). He took part in a number of wars against the Scots and French and fought at the Battle of Crecy in 1346, being sent home by the king to announce the victory in Parliament. He was created the first Lord Darcy of Knayth.^[3]

Marriage and issue

Darcy married twice. He had one son with his first wife, Emmeline. She was the daughter of Sir Walter Heron of Silkston and Alice de Hastings. Darcy's second wife was Joan, widow of Thomas FitzJohn, Earl of Kildare. Her parents were Richard Óg de Burgh, 2nd Earl of Ulster and his cousin Margaret de Burgh. Darcy and Joan de Burgh had a daughter, Elizabeth.^[4]

Death

After Darcy died in 1347, his son John by Emmeline, succeeded to the barony. Darcy was buried at Gisborough Priory.

References

1. "Lady Darcy de Knayth" (2008, March 12). The Telegraph. Retrieved October 18, 2014 from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1581433/Lady-Darcy-de-Knayth.html
2. O'Mahony, Charles (1912). The Viceroys of Ireland. pp. 27–30.
3. "High Sheriffs of Lancashire 1272-1327 by Colin Penny PhD". Retrieved 12 February 2011.
4. Richardson, Douglas, Everingham, Kimball G. (2005). Magna Carta Ancestry: A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc. p.161

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages