Biography.guide
Home › People › William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel
Portrait of William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel

William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel

1417 – 1487

English Earl

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel

Lived 1417 – 1487 (aged 69–70).

William Fitzalan, 9th Earl of Arundel, 6th Baron Maltravers (23 November 1417 – 1487) was an English nobleman.

Born on 23 November 1417, William was the second son of John Fitzalan, 6th Earl of Arundel (1385–1421), and Eleanor Berkeley (d. 1455), daughter of John Berkeley of Beverston.

His elder brother John Fitzalan, 7th Earl of Arundel, died on 12 June 1435. The title passed to William's nephew Humphrey Fitzalan, 8th Earl of Arundel, who was only a six-year-old with no descendants. William thus became the heir presumptive and, when Humphrey died three years later on 24 April 1438, he succeeded to the title.

Marriage and issue He married Joan Neville, eldest daughter of Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury, and Alice Montagu, suo jure Countess of Salisbury. Alice was a daughter of Thomas Montacute, 4th Earl of Salisbury, and Eleanor Holland. Eleanor was a daughter of Thomas Holland, 2nd Earl of Kent, and Alice FitzAlan. Alice was a daughter of Richard FitzAlan, 4th Earl of Arundel, and Eleanor of Lancaster.

William and Joan had five children: Thomas Fitzalan, 10th Earl of Arundel (1450–1524). William Fitzalan, who had issue. George Fitzalan. John Fitzalan. Mary Fitzalan.

William was summoned to the Great Council of February 1458, (and indeed, he was instructed to stop foot-dragging and attend). He was one of the few nobles to fight first for the House of Lancaster, and then change to supporting the House of York. He fought at the Battle of Ludford Bridge in 1459 for Lancaster, and later fought in the Second Battle of St Albans (17 February 1461) as a supporter of the house of York. The Yorkists were commanded by his brother-in-law Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick.

Edward IV of England named him a Knight of the Garter in 1471, probably in honour of his support during the Wars of the Roses. He was Warden of the Cinque Ports in 1471 and from 1483 to 1487.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Birth century
Died
1487, Arundel
Positions held
Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports
Awards
Knight of the Garter
Also known as
William FitzAlan, Earl Keenam Belas Arundel, 9th Earl of Arundel

Family & relationships

Child
Thomas Fitzalan, 10th Earl of Arundel
Parent
John Fitzalan, 6th Earl of Arundel

People in William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel's

Frequently asked questions

Who was William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel?

English Earl

When was William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel born?

William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel was born on 23 November 1417 in Arundel.

When did William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel die?

William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel died in 1487 in Arundel.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel

· Wikidata: Q7606631

· DBpedia: William Fitzalan, 9th Earl of Arundel

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel. https://biography.guide/william-fitzalan-16th-earl-of-arundel/

MLA: "William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-fitzalan-16th-earl-of-arundel/.

Chicago: "William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-fitzalan-16th-earl-of-arundel/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-30 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

Page generated 2026-10-05 04:25 UTC