John Cornwall, 1st Baron Fanhope - Family

Family

In 1400, Sir John married the widowed Elizabeth of Lancaster, Duchess of Exeter. Elizabeth was the daughter of John of Gaunt, the third surviving son of King Edward III of England, and the younger sister of Henry IV of England. She had previously been married to John Holland, 1st Duke of Exeter, with whom she had five children. John Holland was executed for conspiring to assassinate Henry IV during the Epiphany Rising. Sir John’s marriage to Elizabeth caused some scandal as he failed to ask Henry IV for permission to marry his sister Elizabeth, which resulted in Sir John being arrested. However the marriage is said to have been a happy and loving one, and they went on to have two children.

Sir John and Elizabeth had two children together, John Cornewaille, who was born c. 1403 and died in December 1421. Young John Cornwall was only seventeen when he was killed at the Siege of Meaux. He died next to his father, who witnessed his son’s head being blown off by a gun-stone. Sir John was deeply affected by witnessing the death of his son and heir, and vowed never to wage war on Christian princes. Sir John and Elizabeth's daughter was Constance Cornwall who married John FitzAlan, 14th Earl of Arundel, and died in 1427. Neither of Sir John’s children had any children of their own. Additionally, Sir John fathered two illegitimate sons, John and Thomas, whom he recognized in his will. Elizabeth predeceased Sir John in death; she died on November 24, 1425, and was buried at Burford Church, Burford, Shropshire, England.