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Percy
Percy A family of marcher lords of medieval England with lands in Northumberland. Henry de Percy (1341–1408), 1st Earl of Northumberland, was the first of the family to be of major importance in the defence of England's northern frontier. The earl's son, Sir Henry Percy (‘Hotspur’) (1364–1403), was a hero of the Battle of Otterburn. When Henry of Bolingbroke landed in the north of England in 1399, the earl and Hotspur helped assure him of the crown; they were well rewarded, but within four years their greed for more offices or money led them into open rebellion. Hotspur and his uncle Thomas, Earl of Worcester, were killed at Shrewsbury in 1403. Five years later Earl Henry invaded England from Scotland, but he too was killed and his estates were forfeited.
Subsequently restored to their estates, later generations of the family resumed their role as guardians of the northern frontier and rivals of the Nevilles. The male line ended in 1670, but the earldom passed in the female line to Sir Hugh Smithson (1715–86) who took the name of Percy and in 1766 was created Duke of Northumberland. |
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Cite this article
"Percy." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Percy." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-Percy.html "Percy." A Dictionary of World History. 2000. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O48-Percy.html |
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Percy
Percy ♂ Originally a transferred use of a famous surname, but long established as a given name. From medieval times it was often used as a pet form of Piers, and now often as a pet form of Percival. The surname originated as a Norman baronial name, borne by a family who had held a fief in Normandy called Perci (from Late Latin Persiacum, composed of the Gallo-Roman personal name Persius and the local suffix -acum). As a given name it was taken up in the early 18th century in the Seymour family, which had intermarried with the Percy family. The poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822) was also distantly connected with this family, and it was partly due to his influence that the given name became more widespread. It is out of fashion at present.
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Cite this article
PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Percy." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Percy." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Percy.html PATRICK HANKS, KATE HARDCASTLE, and FLAVIA HODGES. "Percy." A Dictionary of First Names. 2006. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O41-Percy.html |
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Percy
Percy family name of dukes and earls of Northumberland . See Northumberland, Algernon Percy, 10th earl of ; Northumberland, Henry Percy, 1st earl of ; Northumberland, Henry Percy, 4th earl of ; Northumberland, Hugh Percy, 2d duke of ; Northumberland, Thomas Percy, 7th earl of . |
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Cite this article
"Percy." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Percy." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-Percy.html "Percy." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-X-Percy.html |
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Percy
Percy •arsy-versy, Circe, mercy, Percy, pursy
•colonelcy • verdancy • conversancy
•conservancy, fervency
•curtsy • controversy
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Cite this article
"Percy." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Percy." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Percy.html "Percy." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Percy.html |
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