On the division of England, in 1016, between Canute and Edmund
Ironside, Canute gained possession of Mercia, in which were included
Chester and Northumbria. Chester remained as a city of Mercia, governed
by its earl, till the Norman Conquest. William then bestowed it with the
earldom on his nephew Hugh Lupus. He was, in view of the proximity of
Wales, invested with sovereign or palatine authority over the tract of
country now represented by the county of Cheshire and the coast-line of
Flintshire as far as Rhuddlan. Chester was made the seat of his
government.
At that time it is described in "Doomsday Book" as Cestre, and as
possessing four hundred and thirty-one houses within its walls. For over
two centuries after the Conquest this city formed an important military
station for the defence of the English border against the Welsh. The
Norman Earl Ranulph I. granted the first charter, though its purport
proves that Chester already enjoyed certain municipal rights. On account
of its garrison it was frequently visited by reigning monarchs.
Chester was captured by the Earl of Derby, who held it for the Crown
during the war between Henry III. and the barons. The contest was ended
with the defeat of the barons at the battle of Evesham, close to
Worcester. Here, in 1300, it was that the Welsh chieftains paid homage
to the first English Prince of Wales, the infant son of Edward I.
Richard II., by Act of Parliament, erected the earldom of Chester into a
principality to be held only by the eldest son of the King. This was
rescinded in the next reign. In fact, Richard II. was made captive by
Henry of Lancaster, and was imprisoned in a tower over the gateway of
the Castle. The city suffered greatly during the Wars of the Roses. It
was visited by Queen Margaret of Anjou, the wife of Henry VI. This queen
played a prominent part with regard to the claim to the English throne.
She was daughter to Rene, who was a relation of the King of France. He
was titular king of Sicily, but without territories. Though Margaret
brought to Henry a rich dower, he was persuaded to consent to the
deduction of a large portion of Maine and Anjou to her father Rene.
During the Duke of Gloucester's life, who had strongly opposed the royal
marriage, Margaret and her coadjutor, the Duke of Suffolk, had not dared
to carry into effect the agreement they had extracted from Henry. The
Duke of York, who was regent in France, through his integrity, was also
a serious obstacle. She and Suffolk had him recalled, and the regency
given to Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, nephew to Cardinal Beaufort. York
felt injured, and took revenge by asserting his claim to the Crown.
By his father he was descended from Edward III.'s fourth son. From his
mother, the last of the Mortimers, he inherited that family's claim from
Lionel, the second son of the same king. On the other hand, John of
Gaunt, from whom Henry VI. was descended, was Edward's third son. Thus
York, through his mother, had a prior claim. These rival claims caused
confusion and tumult throughout England. In the meantime the English
possessions in France were lost one after the other, till in 1451 only
Calais remained. The misgovernment of the regency in France under
Somerset contrasted most unfavourably with that of York.
In these troublous times England looked towards York as the only one to
be trusted, who then became Protector during the King's mental weakness.
He imprisoned the Duke of Somerset. The latter as soon as he was free
assembled an army, and was killed at the battle of St. Albans, the first
War of the Roses. His followers, the Lancastrians, were defeated by the
Duke of York, and the King made prisoner. Eventually York declared
himself. By Act of Parliament he and his heirs were constituted
successors to the throne of England after the death of Henry VI.
Margaret, however, defeated the Yorkists in battle, in which York was
slain. He left behind him three sons,--Edward, George, and Richard,--the
first of whom later on deposed Henry VI. and became Edward IV. We have
ventured to give this brief sketch of the origin of these rival claims,
in that most of the cathedral cities were affected by the fortunes or
misfortunes of their favoured party.
Chester, in the years 1507, 1517, and 1550, suffered from a terrible
visitation of the sweating sickness. From 1602 to 1605 the plague made
it necessary to suspend all the city fairs, and to hold the assizes at
Nantwich. This epidemic occurred again with great loss of life to the
inhabitants, between 1647-48. During the Civil War this city of Chester
endured great sacrifices for its loyalty to Charles I.
The King came there in 1642, when the citizens gave him great pecuniary
assistance. Not till after a memorable siege, lasting from 1643 to 1646,
did the citizens agree to surrender. The garrison were allowed to march
out with all the honours of war, the safety of the persons and property
of the citizens with liberty of trade were secured, and the sanctity of
the sacred buildings and their title-deeds preserved.
[Illustration: CHESTER