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29. Sir John BELASYSE (William BELASYSE
, John BELASISE
, John BELASISE
, Robert DE BELASISE
, Thomas DE BELASISE
, Roger DE BELASISE
, Rowland BELASISE
, William BELASIS
, Robert BELASIS
, William DE BELASIS
, Ralph DE BELASYSE
, Rowland DE BELASYSE
, John
) was born in 1341.
Fought in a battle in 1394
Sir John Belasyse, whose birth date is estimated, was commanded by the King in 1379 to lead a Crusade, he sold all the lands in Belasis (stretching from Tyneside to Teeside) and Wolveston to raise funds. There is a stained glass window, somewhere in Co. Durham, which reads, "Belasyse, Belasyse daft was thy sowle when thou exchanged Belasyse for Henknoll". Henknoll was a relatively small holding in Bishop Auckland. The window in question was thought to be at the west end of the north isle of the nave in the cathedral but was not there in the last search. It may be in the church in Bishop Auckland (viewing by appointment only).
The reality of the situation was that Richard II was only 10 years old when he came to the throne in 1377, and John of Gaunt, the new King's uncle and head of the House of Lancaster, was Steward of England. He was the most powerful noble in the land and would have been responsible for the Bellasis' misfortune.
Besides, this was the age of chivalry. Richard II was never a soldier and English forces had played a key role in the defense of Christendom. It was upon these foreign exploits that the future of England was founded and the family deserved recognition for it.
Such recognition should have come from the King in his mature years, but Richard was too self-centred and fearful of the nobility. Richard II was concerned with only two things when he started to rule at the age of 22: pumping up his own image as a divine ruler; and building up private armies to reap revenge upon dissident nobles. Had he honoured and encouraged support from those who were most loyal to him, he might not have ended his days in a Lancastrian prison (Pontefract was then a Lancastrian stronghold).
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