Sir John Sutton VI, K. G.

     Sir John Sutton VI, K. G. was born on 25 December 1400 in Dudley Castle, Barton-under-Needwood, Staffordshire, England. He was the 1st Lord Dudley, 4th Baron Dudley.^1,2

Dudley Castle was built by the Normans around 1071. The infamous John Dudley rebuilt it in the Renaissance style only to be beheaded by Queen Mary for tyring to put Lady Jane Grey on the thorne of England.

John married Elizabeth BERKELEY, daughter of Sir John BERKELEY and Elizabeth Betteshorne, in 1421. They had 5 sons (Sir Edmund; John, Esq; Humphrey; William, Bishop of Durham, Chancellor of Oxford University; and Oliver) and 3 daughters (Margaret, wife of Sir George Longueville; Jane, wife of Thomas Mainwaring; and Eleanor.)^3,4

John served in France under King Henry V and on 7 November 1422 as Lord Stewart brought home the king's body and was chief mourner and standard bearer at Henry's funeral. He was named Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1428 and constable of Clun Castle 3 Nov 1435.²

On 15 February 1439 John was summoned to Parliament where he was named Lord Dudley.²

In 1451, during the War of the Roses, on returning from Ireland John was captured by Richard, Duke of York, in Gloucester and sent to prison at Ludlow Castle, Shropshire.²

Early on in the Wars of the Roses he was a resolute defender of the House of Lancaster, but changed his allegiance to York. At the Battle of St Albans 1455 John Lord Dudley of Worcestershire took part with his son Edmund, where he was taken prisoner along with Henry VI. Despite previous loyalty to the Lancasterian cause he was soon on diplomatic missions for Yorkists acting as ambassador in negotiations with Burgundy and Brittany. At the Battle of Blore Heath he was present on 23 Sep1459 along with his son Edmund Sutton. Dudley was wounded and again captured. At the Battle of Towton 29 Mar1461 he was rewarded after the battle for his participation on the side of Edward, Earl of March, son of Richard, Duke of York. On June 28 of that year, Edward IV was proclaimed King in London. Following the Battle of Bosworth Field 22 Aug 1485, Dudley was created Sheriff of Sussex by the new King Henry VII.^2,3,5

Sir John Sutton VI, K. G. was made a Knight of the Garter in 1460. He received the title Stewart of the Lordship of Montgomery 2 Feb 1459/60, Constable of Wigmore Castle 20 May 1460 and Constable of the Tower 1470-1483.²

Sir John Sutton VI, K. G. died on 30 September 1487 at Dudley Castle in Staffordshire, England, at age 86.¹ He was buried in St. James' Priory, Dudley, England.