John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury, 1st Earl of Waterford, 7th Baron Talbot, KG (c. 1387 – 17 July 1453), known as "Old Talbot" and "Terror of the French" was an English nobleman and a noted military commander during the Hundred Years' War. He was the most renowned in England and most feared in France of the English captains in the last stages of the conflict. Known as a tough, cruel, and quarrelsome man, Talbot distinguished himself militarily in a time of decline for the English. Called "the English Achilles", he is lavishly praised in the plays of Shakespeare. The manner of his death, leading an ill-advised charge against field artillery, has come to symbolize the passing of the age of chivalry. He also held the subsidiary titles of 10th Baron Strange of Blackmere and 6th Baron Furnivall.
He was descended from Richard Talbot, the son of William "Le Sire" Talbot, whose estate (wife and infant son Hugh) was a tenant in 1086 of Walter Giffard at Woburn and Battlesden in Bedfordshire. Hugh Talbot, Richard's son, made a grant to Beaubec Abbey, confirmed by his son Richard Talbot in 1153. This Richard (died 1175) is listed in 1166 as holding three fees of the Honour of Giffard in Buckinghamshire. He also held a fee at Linton in Herefordshire, for which his son Gilbert Talbot (died 1231) obtained a fresh charter in 1190. Gilbert's grandson Gilbert (died 1274) married Gwenllian ferch Rhys Mechyll, who was incorrectly assumed to be the sole heiress of the Welsh Prince Rhys Mechyll, whose armorials were of the House of Deheubarth, and which the Talbots thenceforth assumed in lieu of their own former arms. Their son Sir Richard Talbot, who signed the Barons' Letter of 1301, held the manor of Eccleswall in Herefordshire in right of his wife Sarah, sister of William de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick. In 1331 Richard's son Gilbert Talbot (1276–1346) was summoned to Parliament, which is considered evidence of his baronial status – see Baron Talbot. Gilbert's son Richard married Elizabeth Comyn, bringing with her the inheritance of Goodrich Castle.
John Talbot was born in about 1384 or more likely around 1387, the second son of Richard Talbot, 4th Baron Talbot of Goodrich Castle, by Ankaret, daughter and sole heiress of the 4th Baron Strange of Blackmere. His birthplace was Black Mere Castle (the caput of his mother's estates) near Whitchurch, Shropshire, which is now a scheduled monument listed as Blakemere Moat, site of the demolished fortified manor house. His younger brother Richard became Archbishop of Dublin and Lord Chancellor of Ireland: he was one of the most influential Irish statesmen of his time, and his brother's most loyal supporter during his often troubled years in Ireland. John also had an elder brother, Gilbert (born 1383), who was heir to their parents' baronies of Talbot and Strange.
His father died in 1396 when Talbot was around nine years old, and so it was Ankaret's second husband, Thomas Nevill, 5th Baron Furnivall, who became the major influence in his early life. The marriage (1401) also gave the opportunity of a title for her second son, as Neville had no sons, with the title Baron Furnivall going through his eldest daughter Maud (Talbot's stepsister), who would become John's first wife. Their marriage resulted in John styling himself as John Talbot, 6th Baron Furnivall.
Talbot was married before 12 March 1407 to Maud Neville, 6th Baroness Furnivall, daughter and heiress of his stepfather Thomas Nevill, 5th Baron Furnivall, the son of John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby. The couple are thought to have had six children:
John Talbot, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury (c. 1413 – 10 July 1460)
Thomas Talbot (19 June 1416, Finglas, Ireland – 10 August 1416)
Lady Katherine Talbot (c. 1418 – c. 1500) married Sir Nicholas Eyton (c. 1405 – c. 1450), Sheriff of Shropshire 1440 & 1449.
Sir Christopher Talbot (1419 – 10 August 1443)
Lady Joan Talbot (c. 1422), married James Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley
Lady Ann Talbot, married John Bottreaux, of Abbot's Salford.
By the death of his niece in 1421 he acquired the Baronies of Talbot and Strange. His first wife, Maud, died on 31 May 1422. It has been suggested that she died as an indirect result of giving birth to her daughter Joan, although there is a lack of evidence about Joan's life before her marriage to Lord Berkeley. There is even a theory that she was actually Talbot's daughter-in-law through marriage to Sir Christopher Talbot.
On 6 September 1425, in the chapel at Warwick Castle, he married Lady Margaret Beauchamp, eldest daughter of Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick and Elizabeth de Berkeley. They had five children:
John Talbot, 1st Baron Lisle and 1st Viscount Lisle, who was killed along with his father at Castillon on 17 July 1453.
Sir Louis Talbot (c. 1429 – 1458) of Penyard
Sir Humphrey Talbot (before 1434 – 1492, Mount Sinai), marshal of Calais. Married Mary, daughter and co-heiress of John Champernoun, no issue. Died probably at Saint Catherine's Monastery.
Lady Eleanor Talbot (c. February/March 1436 – 30 June 1468) married to Sir Thomas Butler, and mistress or wife of King Edward IV.
Lady Elizabeth Talbot (c. December 1442/January 1443 – 6 November 1506/10 May 1507). She married John de Mowbray, 4th Duke of Norfolk.