Biography of John Felton 1595-1628
Around 1595 John Felton was born.
The Cádiz expedition of 1625 was a naval expedition against Spain by English and Dutch forces led by George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham (age 33).
The expedition left Plymouth, Devon [Map] on 06 Oct 1625.
In Nov 1625 the fleet attempted, unsuccessfully, to capture Cádiz.
In Dec 1625 the English returned home having achieved nothing other than spending £250,000, losing 62 out of 105 ships and 7000 English troops.
John Felton (age 30) served.
In 1626 John Felton (age 31) served as a lieutenant in Ireland.
Around May 1627 John Felton (age 32) petitioned to be appointed a captain on
On 12 Jul 1627 George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham (age 34) led an English force of 100 ships and 6,000 soldiers to capture the city of Saint-Martin-de-Ré on the Île de Ré.
In Aug 1627 more troops, including the newly promoted Lieutenant John Felton (age 32), arrived.
On 03 Sep 1627 two thousand Irish troops arrived under Ralph Bingley (age 57)
On 27 Oct 1627 a final assault was attempted; it failed because the attackers' siege ladders were shorter than the walls of the fortress.
In Nov 1627 George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham (age 35) retreasted and returned to England having lost thousands of his men.
On 23 Aug 1628 George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham (age 35) was murdered at Greyhound Pub, Portsmouth by a disgruntled soldier John Felton (age 33). He was buried at Westminster Abbey [Map]. His son George Villiers 2nd Duke of Buckingham succeeded 2nd Duke of Buckingham, 2nd Marquess of Buckingham, 2nd Earl Buckingham.
Felton was considered a hero by many who blamed Buckingham for the failures of the 1625 Cádiz Expedition and 1627 Siege of Saint-Martin-de-Ré. Felton was subsequently hanged.
On 29 Nov 1628 John Felton (age 33) was hanged at Tyburn [Map] for having murdered the Duke of Buckingham.