Knights of the Garter
The Order of the Garter was the most prestigious order of chivalry at the English court. It was limited in number – there could only be the Sovereign, the Prince of Wales and twenty-four companions at any time. In earlier periods, there were Ladies of the Garter, but Lady Margaret Beaufort, installed in 1488 was the last lady to be so honoured until Queen Alexandra. Mary I and Elizabeth I were Sovereigns of the Order. Queen Mary appointed her husband, Philip of Spain, as Joint Sovereign.
When a vacancy arose, the members could put forward their nominations, and the King, as head of the Order, would make the appointment. Doubtless, the nominations were made with the King’s pleasure in mind and the nomination of Nicholas Carew, in 1536 was seen as a snub to Anne Boleyn – a supporter of her rival, Jane Seymour, he took the only vacant stall, despite Queen Anne’s brother, George Boleyn, having been nominated.
The new knight, following the appropriate ceremonies, would be installed at a ceremony in Windsor, where the Chapel of the Order was (and still is) situated. It was called installation, as each Knight has his own stall in the chapel, with his banner and arms. If a Knight were found guilty of treason or other unknightly behaviour, he would be “degraded”. Frequently, the order was bestowed on foreign rulers, who were not actually “installed”, other than the few who happened to visit England.
Listed below are the Knights of the Garter during the whole period, including those, appointed by earlier sovereigns, who were still alive in 1485.
Henry VI
|
Number |
Knights Installed by Henry VI |
Installation |
Dates |
|
|
168 |
Casimir IV, King of Poland |
1450 |
1427-1492 |
|
|
176 |
Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor |
1457 |
1415-1493 |
|
|
178 |
John Sutton, 1st Baron Dudley |
1459 |
1400 - 1487 |
|
|
180 |
Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke, |
1459 1486 |
c. 1430 - 1495 |
Edward IV
|
Number |
Knights Installed by Edward IV |
Installation |
Dates |
|
|
192 |
Ferdinand I, King of Naples |
1463 |
d. 1494 |
|
|
193 |
Galeard de Durefort, Sieur de Duras |
1463 |
1430 - 1487 |
|
|
194 |
John Scrope, 5th Baron Scrope of Bolton |
1463 |
1435 - 1498 |
|
|
202 |
William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel |
1472 |
1417–1488 |
|
|
208 |
John de la Pole, 2nd Duke of Suffolk |
1472 |
1442–1491 |
|
|
206 |
Thomas FitzAlan, Baron Maltravers |
1472 |
d. 1524 |
|
|
213 |
Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland |
1474 |
c. 1449 - 1489 |
|
|
216 |
Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset |
1476 1485 |
1451–1501 |
|
|
217 |
Thomas Montgomery |
1476 |
d. 1495 |
|
|
218 |
Ferdinand II, King of Aragon and Castile |
1480 |
1452 - 1516 |
|
|
219 |
Hercules d'Este, Duke of Modena and Ferrara |
1480 |
1431 - 1505 |
|
|
220 |
John II, King of Portugal |
1482 1488 |
1455 - 1495 |
Richard III
|
Number |
Knights Installed by Richard III |
Installation |
Dates |
|
|
221 |
Francis Lovell, 1st Viscount Lovell |
1483 (degraded 1485 by Henry VII) |
1456–1487 |
|
|
222 |
Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Surrey (later Duke of Norfolk) |
1483 (degraded 1485 by Henry VII) 1489 (restored) |
c. 1443 - 1524 |
|
|
224 |
Thomas Stanley, 2nd Baron Stanley (later Earl of Derby |
1483 |
c. 1435 - 1504 |
|
|
225 |
Thomas Burgh (later Lord Burgh) |
1483 |
d. 1493 |
|
|
226 |
Edward Brampton (Real name, Duarte Brandao, from Portugal) |
1484 |
d. 1508 |
|
|
227 |
Richard Tunstall |
1483 |
1427 - 1491 |
Henry VII
|
Number |
Knights Installed by Henry VII |
Installation |
Dates |
||
|
228 |
John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford |
c.1486 |
1443–1513 |
||
|
229 |
John Cheney (Later Baron Cheney |
c.1486 |
d. 1499 |
||
|
230 |
c.1487 |
c.1432–1501 |
|||
|
231 |
Giles Daubeny, 1st Baron Daubeny |
c.1487 |
d. 1508 |
||
|
232 |
William Stanley |
c. 1487 |
d. 1495 |
||
|
233 |
George Stanley, 9th Baron Strange |
c. 1487 |
d. 1503 |
||
|
234 |
George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury |
1488 |
1468–1538 |
||
|
235 |
Edward Woodville, Lord Scales |
1488 |
d. 1488 |
||
|
236 |
John Welles, 1st Viscount Welles |
1488 |
d. 1488 |
||
|
237 |
John Savage |
1488 |
C. 1491 |
||
|
238 |
Robert Willoughby, 9th Baron Latymer |
c. 1489 |
c.1452–1502 |
||
|
239 |
Maximilian, King of the Romans (later Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I) |
c.1489 |
1459–1520 |
||
|
240 |
Arthur, Prince of Wales |
1491 |
1486–1502 |
||
|
241 |
Edward Courtenay, 1st Earl of Devon |
c.1494 |
d. 1509 |
||
|
242 |
Alfonso, Duke of Calabria,later King of Naples |
1493 |
d. 1495 |
||
|
243 |
Edward Poynings |
c. 1499 |
1459–1521 |
||
|
244 |
John, King of Denmark, Sweden and Norway |
c. 1499 |
1455–1513 |
||
|
245 |
Gilbert Talbot |
c.1495 |
d. 1517 |
||
|
246 |
Henry, Duke of York (later Henry VIII) |
1495 |
1491–1547 |
||
|
247 |
Henry Percy, 5th Earl of Northumberland |
c.1499 |
1478–1527 |
||
|
248 |
Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham |
c.1499 |
1478–1521 |
||
|
249 |
Charles Somerset (later Earl of Worcester) |
c.1490 |
c.1460–1526 |
||
|
250 |
Edmund de la Pole, 3rd Duke of Suffolk |
c.1499 |
c. 1471–1513 |
||
|
251 |
Henry Bourchier, 2nd Earl of Essex |
c.1499 |
1472–1540 |
||
|
252 |
Thomas Lovell |
c.1503 |
d. 1524 |
||
|
253 |
Richard Pole |
1499 |
d. 1504 |
||
|
254 |
Richard Guildford |
c.1503 |
d. 1506 |
||
|
255 |
Reginald Bray |
1501–1503 |
d. 1503 |
||
|
256 |
Thomas Grey (later 2nd Marquess of Dorset) |
1501–1503 |
1477–1530 |
||
|
257 |
Philip, Archduke of Austria and Duke of Burgundy |
c.1503 |
d. 1506 |
||
|
258 |
Gerald Mór FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare |
c.1504 |
c. 1456–1513 |
||
|
259 |
Guidobaldo da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino |
c.1504 |
d. 1508 |
||
|
260 |
Richard Grey, 3rd Earl of Kent |
1505 |
1481–1524 |
||
|
261 |
Lord Henry Stafford (later Earl of Wiltshire) |
1505 |
c. 1479–1523 |
||
|
262 |
Rhys ap Thomas |
1505 |
d. 1525 |
||
|
263 |
Sir Thomas Brandon |
1507 |
d. 1510 |
||
|
264 |
Charles, Archduke of Austria, Duke of Burgundy (Holy Roman Emperor Charles V) |
1508 |
1500–1558 |
Henry VIII
|
Number |
Knights Installed by Henry VIII |
Installation |
Dates |
|
|
265 |
Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Darcy |
1509 |
d. 1537 |
|
|
266 |
Edward Sutton, 2nd Baron Dudley |
1509 |
1459–1532 |
|
|
267 |
Manuel I, King of Portugal |
1510 |
1469–1521 |
|
|
268 |
Thomas Howard later 2nd Duke of Norfolk |
1510 1553 |
1473–1554 |
|
|
269 |
Henry Marney |
1510 |
c.1457–1523 |
|
|
270 |
Thomas West, 8th Baron De La Warr |
1510 |
c.1457–1525 |
|
|
271 |
George Nevill, 5th Baron Bergavenny |
1513 |
d. 1535 |
|
|
272 |
Edward Howard |
1513 |
d. 1513 |
|
|
273 |
Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk |
1513 |
c.1484–1545 |
|
|
274 |
Giuliano de Medici, Duc de Nemours |
1514 |
d. 1516 |
|
|
275 |
Edward Stanley (later Lord Monteagle) |
1514 |
d. 1523 |
|
|
276 |
Thomas Dacre, 2nd Baron Dacre |
1518 |
1467–1525 |
|
|
277 |
William Sandys (later Baron Sandys of the Vyne) |
1518 |
c.1470–1542 |
|
|
278 |
Henry Courtenay, 10th Earl of Devon (later Marquis of Exeter) |
1521 |
c.1498–1539 |
|
|
279 |
Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria |
1522 |
1503–1564 |
|
|
280 |
Richard Wingfield |
1522 |
d. 1525 |
|
|
281 |
Thomas Boleyn (later Earl of Wiltshire) |
1523 |
1477–1539 |
|
|
282 |
Walter Devereux, 9th Baron Ferrers (later Viscount Hereford) |
1523 |
1491–1558 |
|
|
283 |
Arthur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle |
1524 |
c. 1470–1542 |
|
|
284 |
Robert Radcliffe, 10th Baron FitzWalter (later Earl of Sussex) |
1524 |
d. 1542 |
|
|
285 |
William FitzAlan, 18th Earl of Arundel |
1525 |
c. 1484–1544 |
|
|
286 |
Thomas Manners, 14th Baron de Ros (later Earl of Rultand) |
1525 |
d. 1543 |
|
|
287 |
Henry Fitzroy (later Duke of Richmond) |
1525 |
1519–1536 |
|
|
288 |
Ralph Neville, 4th Earl of Westmorland |
1525 |
1498–1549 |
|
|
289 |
William Blount, 4th Baron Mountjoy |
1526 |
1478–1534 |
|
|
290 |
William Fitzwilliam |
1526 |
c. 1490–1542 |
|
|
291 |
Henry Guildford |
1526 |
1489–c.1532 |
|
|
292 |
Francis I, King of France |
1527 |
1494–1547 |
|
|
293 |
John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford |
1527 |
d. 1540 |
|
|
294 |
Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland |
1531 |
c. 1502–1537 |
|
|
295 |
Anne de Montmorency, Duc de Montmorency |
1532 |
c. 1492–1567 |
|
|
296 |
Philip de Chabot, Comte de Neublanche |
1532 |
d. 1543 |
|
|
297 |
James V, King of Scotland |
1535 |
1512–1542 |
|
|
298 |
Nicholas Carew |
1536 |
d. 1539 |
|
|
299 |
Henry Clifford, 1st Earl of Cumberland |
1537 |
1493–1542 |
|
|
300 |
Thomas Cromwell, 1st Baron Cromwell (later Earl of Essex) |
1537 |
1485–1540 |
|
|
301 |
John Russell, 1st Baron Russell (later Earl of Bedford) |
1539 |
1485–1555 |
|
|
302 |
Thomas Cheney |
1539 |
d. 1558 |
|
|
303 |
William Kingston |
1539 |
d. 1540 |
|
|
304 |
Thomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden |
1540 |
1488–1544 |
|
|
305 |
Anthony Browne |
1540 |
c. 1500–1548 |
|
|
306 |
Edward Seymour, 1st Earl of Hertford (later Duke of Somerset) |
1541 |
c. 1500–1552 |
|
|
307 |
Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey |
1541 |
c. 1517–1547 |
|
|
308 |
Sir John Gage |
1541 |
d. 1556 |
|
|
309 |
Anthony Wingfield |
1541 |
d. 1552 |
|
|
310 |
John Dudley, 7th Viscount Lisle (later Duke of Northumberland) |
1543 |
1502–1553 |
|
|
311 |
William Paulet, 1st Baron St John (later Marquess of Winchester) |
1543 |
c. 1483–1572 |
|
|
312 |
William Parr, 1st Baron Parr (later Marquess of Northampton) |
1543 1559 |
c. 1512–1571 |
|
|
313 |
John Wallop |
1543 |
d. 1551 |
|
|
314 |
Henry FitzAlan, 19th Earl of Arundel |
1544 |
c. 1513–1580 |
|
|
315 |
Anthony St Leger |
1544 |
d. 1559 |
|
|
316 |
Francis Talbot, 5th Earl of Shrewsbury |
1545 |
1500–1560 |
|
|
317 |
Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Baron Wriothesley (later Earl of Southampton) |
1545 |
1505–1550 |
Edward VI
|
Number |
Knights Installed by Edward VI |
Installation |
Dates |
|
|
318 |
Henry Grey, 3rd Marquess of Dorset (later Duke of Suffolk) |
1547 |
d. 1554 |
|
|
319 |
Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby |
1547 |
c. 1508–1572 |
|
|
320 |
Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley |
1547 |
c. 1508–1549 |
|
|
321 |
William Paget (later Baron Paget) |
1547 1554 |
1506–1563 |
|
|
322 |
Francis Hastings, 2nd Earl of Huntingdon |
1549 |
c. 1514–1561 |
|
|
323 |
George Brooke, 9th Baron Cobham |
1549 |
c. 1497–1558 |
|
|
324 |
Thomas West, 9th Baron De La Warr |
1549 |
d. 1554 |
|
|
325 |
William Herbert (later Earl of Pembroke) |
1549 |
1506–1570 |
|
|
326 |
Henry II, King of France |
1551 |
1519–1559 |
|
|
327 |
Edward Clinton, 9th Baron Clinton (later Earl of Lincoln) |
1551 |
1512–1585 |
|
|
328 |
Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy of Chiche |
1551 |
1506–1558 |
|
|
329 |
Henry Neville, 5th Earl of Westmorland |
1552 |
c. 1525–1563 |
|
|
330 |
Andrew Dudley |
1552 |
d. 1559 |
Mary I
|
Number |
Knights installed by Mary I |
Installation |
Dates |
|
|
331 |
Prince Philip of Spain (later Philip II of Spain) |
1554 |
1527–1598 |
|
|
332 |
Henry Radclyffe, 2nd Earl of Sussex |
1554 |
c. 1507–1557 |
|
|
333 |
Emmanuel Philibert, Duke of Savoy |
1554 |
1528–1580 |
|
|
334 |
William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham |
1554 |
c. 1510–1573 |
|
|
335 |
Edward Hastings (later Baron Hastings of Loughborough) |
1555 |
c. 1520–1572 |
|
|
336 |
Anthony Browne, 1st Viscount Montagu |
1555 |
c. 1528–1592 |
|
|
337 |
Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex |
1557 |
c. 1525–1583 |
|
|
338 |
William Grey, 13th Baron Grey de Wilton |
1557 |
d. 1562 |
|
|
339 |
Robert Rochester |
1557 |
c. 1500–1557 |
Elizabeth I
|
Number |
Knights installed by Elizabeth I |
Installation |
Dates |
|
|
340 |
Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk |
1559 |
1536–1572 |
|
|
341 |
Henry Manners, 2nd Earl of Rutland |
1559 |
1526–1563 |
|
|
342 |
Robert Dudley (later Earl of Leicester) |
1559 |
1532–1588 |
|
|
343 |
Adolf, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp |
1560 |
d. 1586 |
|
|
344 |
George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury |
1561 |
1528–1590 |
|
|
345 |
Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon |
1561 |
1526–1596 |
|
|
346 |
Thomas Percy, 7th Earl of Northumberland |
1563 |
1528–1572 |
|
|
347 |
Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick |
1563 |
c.1528–1590 |
|
|
348 |
Charles IX, King of France |
1564 |
1550–1574 |
|
|
349 |
Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford |
1564 |
1527–1585 |
|
|
350 |
Henry Sidney |
1564 |
1529–1586 |
|
|
351 |
Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor |
1567 |
1527–1576 |
|
|
352 |
Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon |
1570 |
c.1536–1595 |
|
|
353 |
William Somerset, 3rd Earl of Worcester |
1570 |
c.1527–1589 |
|
|
354 |
Francis, Duc de Montmorency |
1572 |
d. 1579 |
|
|
355 |
Walter Devereux, 2nd Viscount Hereford (later Earl of Essex) |
1572 |
1541–1576 |
|
|
356 |
1572 |
1521–1598 |
||
|
357 |
Arthur Grey, 14th Baron Grey de Wilton |
1572 |
1536–1593 |
|
|
358 |
Edmund Brydges, 2nd Baron Chandos |
1572 |
d. 1573 |
|
|
359 |
Henry Stanley, 4th Earl of Derby |
1574 |
1531–1593 |
|
|
360 |
Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke |
1574 |
c.1534–1601 |
|
|
361 |
Henri III, King of France |
1575 |
1551–1589 |
|
|
362 |
Charles Howard, 2nd Baron Howard of Effingham |
1575 |
c.1536–1624 |
|
|
363 |
Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor |
1578 |
1552–1612 |
|
|
364 |
Frederick II, King of Denmark and Norway |
1578 |
1534–1588 |
|
|
365 |
Johann Casimir of the Palatinate-Simmern |
1579 |
d. 1593 |
|
|
366 |
Edward Manners, 3rd Earl of Rutland |
1584 |
1548–1587 |
|
|
367 |
William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham |
1584 |
1527–1597 |
|
|
368 |
Henry le Scrope, 9th Baron Scrope of Bolton |
1584 |
c. 1534–1591 |
|
|
369 |
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex |
1588 |
1567–1601 |
|
|
370 |
Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond |
1588 |
1532–1614 |
|
|
371 |
Christopher Hatton |
1588 |
d. 1591 |
|
|
372 |
Henry Radclyffe, 4th Earl of Sussex |
1589 |
c. 1532–1593 |
|
|
373 |
Thomas Sackville, 1st Baron Buckhurst (later Earl of Dorset) |
1589 |
1527–1608 |
|
|
374 |
Henry IV, King of France |
1590 |
1553–1610 |
|
|
375 |
James VI, King of Scots |
1590 |
1566–1625 |
|
|
376 |
Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury |
1592 |
1552–1616 |
|
|
377 |
George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland |
1592 |
1558–1605 |
|
|
378 |
Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland |
1593 |
1564–1632 |
|
|
379 |
Edward Somerset, 4th Earl of Worcester |
1593 |
c. 1550–1628 |
|
|
380 |
Thomas Burgh, 7th Baron Strabolgi |
1593 |
c. 1555–1597 |
|
|
381 |
Edmund Sheffield, 3rd Baron Sheffield |
1593 |
c. 1564–1646 |
|
|
382 |
Francis Knollys |
1593 |
d. 1596 |
|
|
383 |
Frederick I, Duke of Württemberg |
1597 |
d. 1608 |
|
|
384 |
Thomas Howard, 1st Baron Howard de Walden (later Earl of Suffolk) |
1597 |
1561–1626 |
|
|
385 |
George Carey, 2nd Baron Hunsdon |
1597 |
c. 1556–1603 |
|
|
386 |
Charles Blount, 8th Baron Mountjoy (later Earl of Devonshire) |
1597 |
1563–1606 |
|
|
387 |
Henry Lee |
1597 |
d. 1611 |
|
|
388 |
Robert Radclyffe, 5th Earl of Sussex |
1599 |
1573–1629 |
|
|
389 |
Henry Brooke, 11th Baron Cobham |
1599 |
1564–1619 |
|
|
390 |
Thomas Scrope, 10th Baron Scrope of Bolton |
1599 |
c. 1567–1609 |
|
|
391 |
William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby |
1601 |
c. 1561–1642 |
|
|
392 |
Thomas Cecil, 2nd Baron Burghley (later Earl of Exeter) |
1601 |
1542–1623 |
No Ladies of the Garter were appointed after 1488. Below is a list of those who were appointed before 1488 and who lived into the Tudor period, or who may have done, if their dates are unknown.
|
Ladies of the Garter |
Appointed |
Dates |
|
Margaret Byron, Lady Harcourt |
c. 1468 |
Dates unknown |
|
Elizabeth Woodville, Queen of England |
1477 |
1437 - 1492 |
|
Princess Elizabeth of York, later Queen of England |
1477 |
1466 - 1503 |
|
Lady Elizabeth of York, Duchess of Suffolk |
1477 |
1444 – c.1503 |
|
Princess Cicely of York, later Viscountess Welles |
1480 |
1469 - 1507 |
|
1488 |
c. 1452 - 1509 |
