Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury (1400 – December 31, 1460) was a Yorkist leader during the early parts of the Wars of the Roses.
He was the son of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland, by his second wife, Joan Beaufort, a daughter of John of Gaunt. Despite being a younger son, he was able to make a great marriage, to Alice Montagu, Countess of Salisbury, probably due to his royal descent on his mother's side.
After his marriage (1420) Salisbury was given high posts in the north of England, including Warden of the Western March of Scotland 1420 - 1435. He was also Constable at the coronation of his cousin Henry VI.
However Salisbury turned to the cause of Richard, Duke of York, who made him Lord Chancellor in 1455. When King Henry tried to assert his independence and dismiss Richard as Protector, Salisbury joined him in fighting at the First Battle of St Albans, claiming that he was acting in self-defence. After the Battle of Blore Heath, in which he was notably successful, Salisbury escaped to Calais, having been specifically excluded from a royal pardon. He was beheaded the day after the Battle of Wakefield.
Amongst Salisbury's children were Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick and John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu.
