Andrew Trollope (abt. 1400 - 1461)

Born about 1400 in Durham, County Durham, England

Died 29 Mar 1461 at about age 61 in Battle of Towton, Towton, Yorkshire, England

Biography

Andrew Trollope is Notable.

About Andrew Trollope's origins the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography merely says that he "was probably related to the Trollope family of Thornley in County Durham, some of whom were dyers." Andrew was a soldier, serving as a mounted man-at-arms during the Hundred Years War.^[1] On 11 February 1423 the English seized Tombelaine a small tidal island near Mont St Michel in Normandy ^[2] and by the late 1420s Andrew was serving there under Thomas Burgh. By March 1440 he was mustering in the personal retinue of John Beaufort, Earl of Somerset and in 1442 was a lieutenant at Fresnay-sur-Sarthe in the Pays-de-la-Loire, under Sir Richard Woodville and by 1449 under Osbert Mondeford. He surrendered the fortress to the French in 1450. ^[1]

Andrew married Elizabeth Mondeford, daughter of Osbert Mondeford of Hockwold in Norfolk, and his wife, Mary Barrett, and sister of his erstwhile commander,^[3] around 1450. ^[1]

He was master porter at Calais by 1455 and was later sent to England by Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick to the aid of Richard Duke of York then engaged in rebellion against the King, Henry VI. However Andrew proved his loyalty to the Crown, defecting before Ludford Bridge on 12 October 1459.^[1] After the Lancastrian victory the Yorkist faction disintegrated. The Earls of Warwick and Salisbury together with York's son, Edmund, Earl of March fled to Calais.^[4] Andrew was in the unsuccessful force under Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset that was sent to take Calais. ^[1] Otherwise occupied Andrew was not present at the Battle of Northampton on 10 July 1460 when the King was captured by the Yorkists. ^[4]

Caltrop

Back in England he fought at the Battle of Wakefield in December, a victory for the Lancastrians during which York was killed as was his son, Edmund Earl of Rutland, but the engagement was not decisive. ^[5] Andrew fought at the Battle of St Albans on 17 February 1461 when the Yorkists were again defeated and the King was liberated. ^[6] Andrew limped from the field having been wounded in the foot by a Caltrop ^[1] The King knighted his own son, Edward of Westminster,^[7] then aged only 7. The child prince then conferred the dignity upon the Earl of Shewsbury and some thirty others. Andrew Trollope was the first that he made. ^[7]

Andrew was killed on 29 March 1461 at the Battle of Towton. ^[1]

Research notes

Wikipedia credits him, unsourced, with a son, Sir David Trollope who is also said to have died at the Battle of Towton. ^[8]Since Andrew was not himself knighted until 1461^[7] this seems highly unlikely. Sir David Trollope's name has not been not found in knights list.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6} Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: Trollope, Sir Andrew (d. 1461)
2. ↑ Wikipedia: Tomberlaine
3. ↑ The Visitations of Norfolk 1563, 1589 and 1613 Page 203: Mondeford
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Wikipedia: Battle of Northampton
5. ↑ Wikipedia: Battle of Wakefield
6. ↑ Wikipedia: Second Battle of St Albans
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} List of English knights with dates. Wm A Shaw Litt D
8. ↑ Wikipedia: Andrew Trollope