William Catesby (1450[1] – 25 August 1485) was a principal councillor toRichard III of England. He also served asChancellor of the Exchequer andSpeaker of the House of Commons during Richard's reign. The Catesbys’ medieval wealth derived fromlivestock and the zenith of their political achievement came during his career.
He was born to Sir William Catesby ofAshby St Ledgers, Northamptonshire (died 1478) and Philippa Bishopston, the daughter and heiress of Sir William Bishopston.[2] He trained for law in theInner Temple and began his career as a lawyer in the service ofWilliam, 1st Lord Hastings.[2] He married Margaret, daughter of William La Zouche, 6th Baron Zouche of Harringworth with whom he had three sons. He inherited many estates in the English Midlands upon his father's death and managed additional lands. He was a member of the Council during the reign ofEdward V. After Richard was enthroned, Catesby became a King Richard's trusted councillor. He served asChancellor of the Exchequer, and asSpeaker of the English House of Commons during the Parliament of 1484, in which he sat asknight of the shire forNorthamptonshire. He also received a substantial grant of land from the king, making him wealthy.[3]
In July 1484,William Collingbourne, aTudor agent, tacked up a lampooning poem toSt. Paul's Cathedral, which mentions Catesby among the three aides to King Richard, whose emblem was a white boar:
The Catte, theRatte andLovell our dogge rulyth all Englande under a hogge.
(The dog here refers to Lovell'sheraldic symbol, a wolf.)[4][5] The poem was interpolated intoLaurence Olivier's filmRichard III, a screen adaptation ofWilliam Shakespeare's play. Collingbourne was hanged, drawn and quartered for this and other alleged treasonable activities.
William Catesby was one of the two councillors (the other beingRichard Ratcliffe) who are reputed to have told the king that marryingElizabeth of York would cause rebellions in the north.[6] He fought alongside Richard at theBattle of Bosworth Field and was captured. Alone of those of importance, he was executed three days later atLeicester. The suggestion that he might have made a deal with the Stanleys before the battle comes from his will when he asked them "to pray for my soul as ye have not for my body, as I trusted in you."[7]
Henry VII confiscated most of his estates after his death. His son George regained the family seat of Ashby St Ledgers.Robert Catesby, leader of theGunpowder Plot, was a descendant.[8]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Chancellor of the Exchequer of England 1483–?1484 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Speaker of the House of Commons 1483–1484 | Succeeded by |
Chancellors of the exchequer under theHouse of York (1461–1470; 1471–1485) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Edward IV (1461–1470) (1471–April 1483) |
|  |
| Edward V (April–June 1483) |
| |
| Richard III (June 1483–1485) |
| |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
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