Henry Stafford, 1st Earl of Wiltshire
Encyclopedia
Henry Stafford, 1st Earl of Wiltshire (c. 1479 – 6 April 1523) was an English
nobleman.
Henry, born in Brecknock Castle, Wales, was the younger son of Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham
and of Catherine Woodville, Duchess of Buckingham and Bedford, and thus a nephew of King Edward IV of England
. His father was attainted
and executed for rebelling against King Richard III
in 1483, when Stafford was 4. Two years later, when King Henry VII
ascended the throne, the attainder was reversed and the wardship of Henry, along with his brother Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham
, was given to the King's mother, the Countess of Richmond and Derby. (A reason for the reverse of the attainder may be that the brothers were first cousins of Queen Elizabeth
, the King's wife.)
Henry was dependent on his brother for funding and spent time assisting in managing the Stafford estates. He headed up a survey of properties in the Welsh Marches, Thornbury
and Bedminster in 1500, audited the estates in Gloucestershire in 1502. He was steward of the Welsh Lordships of Newport, Brecon, Caus, Hay and Huntingdon between 1500 and 1521.
In April 1505 he was made a Knight of the Garter and served in court with Henry VII but on the accession of Henry VIII he was imprisoned in the tower on suspicion of treason, possibly due to his brother's claim to the throne. However, he was soon released, and on 27 January 1510 he was created Earl of Wiltshire. An earlier creation of the earldom had been held by his great-uncle and cousin, but had gone extinct a decade before. Stafford was a close friend of the King, and Henry VIII was involved around this time with Anne Stafford, Countess of Huntingdon, Stafford's sister. Henry became a favourite of the King. He went with Henry VIII to France in 1513, captaining 651 men, was part of the entourage when Thomas Wolsey was made Cardinal on 18 November 1515 and was present at the Field of Cloth of Gold in 1520. Despite being under suspicion in the same plot that led to the execution of his brother, Henry survived, apparently retaining the King's favour.
Some sources say he first married Margaret (Grey), Countess of Wiltshire, the widow of the previous Earl, his cousin. All agree that he married Cecily, Marchioness of Dorset (1460-12 May 1529), daughter of William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington
, and widow of Wiltshire's first cousin Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset
(c. 1456–1501). It is thought that financial considerations were behind the match, as she was about nineteen years older and had had fifteen children from her first marriage. Even so, he owed £4407 4s to the crown by 1521
Henry died without children on 6 April 1523. The earldom expired on his death. After the death of his wife, the title was given to Thomas Boleyn, whose daughter Anne
was betrothed to the King.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
nobleman.
Henry, born in Brecknock Castle, Wales, was the younger son of Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham
Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham
Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, KG played a major role in Richard III of England's rise and fall. He is also one of the primary suspects in the disappearance of the Princes in the Tower...
and of Catherine Woodville, Duchess of Buckingham and Bedford, and thus a nephew of King Edward IV of England
Edward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
. His father was attainted
Attainder
In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura is the metaphorical 'stain' or 'corruption of blood' which arises from being condemned for a serious capital crime . It entails losing not only one's property and hereditary titles, but typically also the right to pass them on to one's heirs...
and executed for rebelling against King Richard III
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
in 1483, when Stafford was 4. Two years later, when King Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
ascended the throne, the attainder was reversed and the wardship of Henry, along with his brother Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham
Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham
Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, KG was an English nobleman. He was the son of Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and the former Lady Catherine Woodville, daughter of the 1st Earl Rivers and sister-in-law of King Edward IV.-Early life:Stafford was born at Brecknock Castle in Wales...
, was given to the King's mother, the Countess of Richmond and Derby. (A reason for the reverse of the attainder may be that the brothers were first cousins of Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth of York
Elizabeth of York was Queen consort of England as spouse of King Henry VII from 1486 until 1503, and mother of King Henry VIII of England....
, the King's wife.)
Henry was dependent on his brother for funding and spent time assisting in managing the Stafford estates. He headed up a survey of properties in the Welsh Marches, Thornbury
Thornbury, South Gloucestershire
Thornbury is a market town in South Gloucestershire, England, approximately 12 miles north of the city of Bristol, with a population of 12,342 at the 2001 UK census. The town hosts South Gloucestershire Council headquarters and is twinned with Bockenem in Germany. Thornbury is a Britain in Bloom...
and Bedminster in 1500, audited the estates in Gloucestershire in 1502. He was steward of the Welsh Lordships of Newport, Brecon, Caus, Hay and Huntingdon between 1500 and 1521.
In April 1505 he was made a Knight of the Garter and served in court with Henry VII but on the accession of Henry VIII he was imprisoned in the tower on suspicion of treason, possibly due to his brother's claim to the throne. However, he was soon released, and on 27 January 1510 he was created Earl of Wiltshire. An earlier creation of the earldom had been held by his great-uncle and cousin, but had gone extinct a decade before. Stafford was a close friend of the King, and Henry VIII was involved around this time with Anne Stafford, Countess of Huntingdon, Stafford's sister. Henry became a favourite of the King. He went with Henry VIII to France in 1513, captaining 651 men, was part of the entourage when Thomas Wolsey was made Cardinal on 18 November 1515 and was present at the Field of Cloth of Gold in 1520. Despite being under suspicion in the same plot that led to the execution of his brother, Henry survived, apparently retaining the King's favour.
Some sources say he first married Margaret (Grey), Countess of Wiltshire, the widow of the previous Earl, his cousin. All agree that he married Cecily, Marchioness of Dorset (1460-12 May 1529), daughter of William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington
William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington
William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington was an English nobleman who was a loyal adherent of the House of York during the dynastic conflict in England in the 15th century known as the Wars of the Roses...
, and widow of Wiltshire's first cousin Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset
Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset
Thomas Grey, 7th Baron Ferrers of Groby, 1st Earl of Huntingdon and 1st Marquess of Dorset, KG , was an English nobleman, courtier and a man of mediocre abilities pushed into prominence by his mother Elizabeth Woodville's second marriage to the king, Edward IV.-Family:Thomas was born about 1455,...
(c. 1456–1501). It is thought that financial considerations were behind the match, as she was about nineteen years older and had had fifteen children from her first marriage. Even so, he owed £4407 4s to the crown by 1521
Henry died without children on 6 April 1523. The earldom expired on his death. After the death of his wife, the title was given to Thomas Boleyn, whose daughter Anne
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
was betrothed to the King.