Conde de Worcester es un título que se ha creado cinco veces en la Nobleza de Inglaterra . La primera creación llegó en 1138 a favor del noble normando Waleran de Beaumont . Era hijo de Robert de Beaumont, primer conde de Leicester , de Isabel de Vermandois , y hermano gemelo de Robert de Beaumont, segundo conde de Leicester . Al igual que su padre y su hermano, también ostentaba el título de Conde de Meulan en la nobleza francesa. El condado de Worcester aparentemente se extinguió a su muerte en 1166.
La segunda creación vino en 1397 a favor del comandante militar y gobernador Thomas Percy . Era un hijo menor de Henry de Percy, tercer barón Percy y Mary de Lancaster , y hermano de Henry Percy, primer conde de Northumberland . Luchó en la Guerra de los Cien Años por Ricardo II , contra quien más tarde se rebeló. Después de la Batalla de Shrewsbury , fue decapitado por traición y sus honores perdidos, aunque de todos modos no tenía problemas.
The third creation came in 1420 in favour of Richard Beauchamp, 2nd Baron Bergavenny. He was the son of William de Beauchamp, younger son of Thomas de Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick and Katherine Mortimer. William de Beauchamp was summoned to Parliament as "Willilmo Beauchamp de Bergavenny" on 23 July 1392, by which he is held to have become Baron Bergavenny. The earldom of Worcester became extinct on the death of its first holder in 1422, while the barony was passed on to his daughter and only child, Elizabeth. See Baron Bergavenny for further history of this title.
The fourth creation came in 1449 in favour of John Tiptoft, 2nd Baron Tiptoft, a noted scholar and sometime favourite of Edward IV. After the Lancastrians were restored to power under Henry VI, Worcester was captured and beheaded, with his titles forfeited. However, they were restored the following year in favour of his second and only surviving son Edward. Edward died at an early age in 1486. On his death the earldom became extinct while the barony became either extinct or fell into abeyance between his aunts. The barony of Tiptoft had been created on 7 January 1426 when the first Earl's father, John Tiptoft, was summoned to Parliament. He had previously served as Speaker of the House of Commons and Lord High Treasurer.
The fifth creation came in 1514 in favour of Charles Somerset, the legitimised son of Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset. The fifth Earl was made Marquess of Worcester in 1643 and the third Marquess Duke of Beaufort in 1682. See the latter title for more information on this creation.
Earls of Worcester; First creation (1138)
- Waleran de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Worcester (1104–1166)
Earls of Worcester; Second creation (1397)
- Thomas Percy, 1st Earl of Worcester (1343–1403) (forfeit)
Earls of Worcester; Third creation (1421)
- Richard Beauchamp, 1st Earl of Worcester (c. 1397–1422)
Earls of Worcester; Fourth creation (1449)
- John Tiptoft, 1st Earl of Worcester (c. 1427–1470) (attainted 1470)
- Edward Tiptoft, 2nd Earl of Worcester (c. 1469–1485) (restored 1471)
Earls of Worcester; Fifth creation (1514)
- see Duke of Beaufort
References
- Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages [self-published source][better source needed]