William de la Pole, Marquess of Suffolk: Diplomat, Soldier, and Courtier (1415–1444)

William de la Pole, second son of Michael de la Pole, 2nd Earl of Suffolk, and Katherine de Stafford, had been deeply involved in England’s military campaigns in France since his youth. During the siege of Harfleur in 1415, William was gravely wounded, and his father was killed. Later that same year, his elder brother, Michael, the 3rd Earl of Suffolk, died at the Battle of Agincourt, leaving William to inherit the earldom as the 4th Earl of Suffolk.

In 1429, William de la Pole became co-commander of the English forces at the critical siege of Orléans following the death of Thomas Montacute, Earl of Salisbury. After Joan of Arc famously relieved the siege, Suffolk retreated to Jargeau, where he was compelled to surrender to French forces on June 12. Captured, he remained a prisoner of King Charles VII for three years before being ransomed in 1431.

Upon returning to England in 1434, Suffolk’s political career flourished through his alliance with the influential Cardinal Henry Beaufort, and he was appointed Constable of Wallingford Castle. His most significant diplomatic achievement came in 1444 when he successfully negotiated the marriage between King Henry VI of England and Margaret of Anjou, niece of King Charles VII and daughter of René d’Anjou. This diplomatic success earned Suffolk the elevated title of Marquess of Suffolk.

However, a secret clause in the marriage treaty—requiring England to return the strategically vital provinces of Maine and Anjou to France—later became a major source of controversy and was instrumental in undermining Suffolk’s political standing. Ultimately, this agreement contributed significantly to his political downfall, marking a turning point in English fortunes in France and foreshadowing future instability in the English monarchy.