Somerset, Edmund Beaufort, 2d duke of
Edmund Beaufort Somerset, 2d duke of, d. 1455, English statesman and general. He fought in France in the Hundred Years War, receiving his first command in 1431, recapturing Harfleur in 1440, and relieving Calais in 1442. For this last feat he was made (1442) earl of Dorset. In 1444 he succeeded his brother John as earl of Somerset. He became lieutenant of France in 1447 and was created duke of Somerset in 1448. After the war in France was resumed in 1449, Somerset's army was consistently defeated, and by 1453 all of England's French possessions except Calais had been lost. Since the murder (1450) of William de la Pole, 1st duke of Suffolk, Somerset had been the head of the court faction and was protected by Henry VI against popular resentment and the attacks of the Yorkists. He was imprisoned by Richard, duke of York, during Henry's first period of insanity (1453–55) but returned to power when the king recovered. Somerset was killed at St. Albans in the first battle of the Wars of the Roses.
Edmund Beaufort, Duke wa 2 wa Somerset, 1455 - 1455 Alishiriki katika vita vya miaka mia moja, akipata amri yake ya kwanza mnamo 1431, akichukua Harfleur mnamo 1440 na kuondoa Calais mnamo 1442. Kwa sababu ya tendo hilo la mwisho, aliteuliwa kuwa (1442) earl wa Dorset. Mwaka 1444 alirithi cheo cha ndugu yake John akiwa Earl wa Somerset. Alijulikana kama Luitenant wa Ufaransa mwaka 1447 na Duke wa Somerset mwaka 1448. Baada ya vita kuanza tena nchini Ufaransa mwaka 1449, jeshi la Somerset lilishindwa mara kwa mara, na kufikia mwaka 1453 milki zote za Ufaransa za Uingereza, isipokuwa Calais, zilikuwa zimepoteza. Tangu kuuawa kwa William de la Pole, Duke wa kwanza wa Suffolk, Somerset alikuwa kiongozi wa chama cha mahakama na alilindwa na Henry VI dhidi ya chuki ya watu na mashambulizi ya Yorkists. Richard, Duke wa York, alimufunga gerezani wakati wa kipindi cha kwanza cha wazimu wa Henry (1453-1455), lakini alirudi madarakani wakati mfalme alipopona. Somerset aliuawa huko St. Albans katika vita vya kwanza vya Vita vya Roses.