Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York by a French chronicler to have betrayed to the king a conspiracy at the end of 1399 by a group of Richard II's former favourites who planned to murder Henry IV and his sons at a jousting tournament at Windsor Castle on 6 January 1400. But according to James Tait, contemporary English sources that describe the conspiracy make no mention of Edward, and his role in it is open to question. In October 1400, the king made Edward Keeper of North Wales, and on 5 July 1401, his lieutenant in Aquitaine. On 1 August 1402, Edward's father died, and he
Pontefract Castle was succeeded by his eldest son, John. However, the King took possession of Castle Donington and Pontefract Castle. The de Lacys lived in the castle until the early 14th century. It was under the tenure of the de Lacys that the magnificent multilobate donjon was built. In 1311 the castle passed by marriage to the estates of the House of Lancaster. Thomas, Earl of Lancaster (1278–1322) was beheaded outside the castle walls six days after his defeat at the Battle of Boroughbridge, a sentence placed on him by King Edward II himself in the great hall. This resulted in the