09 Works, Today, July 9th, is Sir Adrian Fortescue’s day, his story in art #190
1 min readJul 9, 2020
Blessed Adrian
Oil on canvas
St. John’s Co-Cathedral, Valletta, Malta
Sir Adrian Fortescue (1476–9 July 1539), Knight of St. John, justice of the peace for Oxford, martyr, belonged to the Salden branch of the great Devonshire family of Fortescue, he was a descendant of Richard the Strong, shield bearer of William the Conqueror, who gave to his family his surname — le Fort-Escu: “the Strong Shield” — and his devise: “Forte scutum salus ducum”. His father, who had followed Richmond to Paris and had landed and fought with him, became the king’s stewart when Henry VII succeeded to the throne…