Fastolf, Sir John

Fastolf, Sir John

▪ English military officer
born c. 1378, , Caister, Norfolk, Eng.
died Nov. 5, 1459, Caister

      English career soldier who fought and made his fortune in the second phase of the Hundred Years' War between England and France (1337–1453). His name is immortalized through William Shakespeare's character Sir John Falstaff (Falstaff, Sir John), but the courageous Fastolf bears little resemblance to the cowardly, dissolute, clowning Falstaff of Henry IV, (Henry IV, Part 2) parts I and II, and The Merry Wives of Windsor.

      Fastolf served with distinction against the French at Agincourt (1415) and Verneuil (1424) and in the “Battle of the Herrings” at Rouvay in 1429, where he used barrels of herrings to shield his troops. Although accused of cowardice in the defeat of his forces at Patay in June 1429, he was later cleared of the charge. About 1440 he retired from military service. The papers left by his Norfolk neighbour and friend John Paston picture Fastolf as an irascible, acquisitive old man who was utterly ruthless in his business dealings. Childless, he intended to leave his possessions for pious works, but the Pastons got most of them. The bishop of Winchester, however, managed to salvage a portion for his new Magdalen College at the University of Oxford.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • FASTOLF, SIR JOHN —    a distinguished soldier of Henry V. s reign, who with Sir John Oldcastle shares the doubtful honour of being the prototype of Shakespeare s Falstaff, but unlike the dramatist s creation was a courageous soldier, and won distinction at… …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Sir John Oldcastle — is an Elizabethan play about John Oldcastle, a controversial 14th 15th century rebel and Lollard who was seen by some of Shakespeare s contemporaries as a proto Protestant martyr. The play was originally published anonymously in 1600 (Q1),… …   Wikipedia

  • FALSTAFF, SIR JOHN —    a character in Shakespeare s Henry IV. and the Merry Wives of Windsor ; a boon companion of Henry, Prince of Wales; a cowardly braggart, of sensual habits and great corpulency.    See FASTOLF, SIR JOHN …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Falstaff, Sir John — ▪ fictional character       one of the most famous comic characters in all English literature, who appears in four of Shakespeare s plays. Entirely the creation of Shakespeare, Falstaff is said to have been partly modeled on Sir John Oldcastle… …   Universalium

  • Fastolf — Fastolf, Sir John, engl. Feldherr, nahm an der Belagerung von Orléans bis zur Befreiung der Stadt durch Jeanne d Arc und demnächst an der Niederlage teil, die der englische Oberfeldherr Talbot bei Patay 18. Juni 1429 durch die Franzosen erlitt. F …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • John Fastolf — Sir John Fastolf (died 5 November 1459) was an English soldier during the Hundred Years War, who has enjoyed a more lasting reputation as in some part being the prototype of Shakespeare s Sir John Falstaff. Lineage Early Career He was son of a… …   Wikipedia

  • John Oldcastle — Sir John Oldcastle (d. December 14, 1417), English Lollard leader, was son of Sir Richard Oldcastle of Almeley in northwest Herefordshire and grandson of another Sir John Oldcastle. He was prosecuted for heresy against the Church, and escaped… …   Wikipedia

  • John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury — (1384/1390 ndash; 17 July 1453) was an important English military commander during the Hundred Years War, as well as the only Lancastrian Constable of France.FamilyHe was second son of Richard, 4th Baron Talbot, by Ankaret, heiress of the last… …   Wikipedia

  • John Fastolf — Sir John Fastolf est un militaire anglais issu d une famille noble du comté de Norfolk, né en 1378 et mort le 5 novembre 1459. On considère qu il inspira à Shakespeare son célèbre Falstaff, personnage important des pièces Henri IV et… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • John Fastolf — Die Drayton Old Lodge wurde 1432 von Sir John Fastolf in Drayton erbaut und 1465 vom Duke of Suffolk während des Rosenkrieges zerstört Sir John Fastolf († 5. November 1459 in Caister on Sea) war ein englischer Ritter und Heerführer während de …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”