Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham (4 September 1455 – 2 November 1483) played a major role in
Richard III of EnglandRichard III was King of England from 1483 until his death. He was the last king of the House of York and the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat at the Battle of Bosworth Field was the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, and is sometimes regarded as the end of the Middle Ages in England...
's rise and fall. He is also one of the primary suspects in the disappearance (and presumed murder) of the
Princes in the TowerThe Princes in the Tower, Edward V of England and his brother, Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York , were the only sons of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville...
. Buckingham was related to the royal family of England so many different ways that he was his own cousin many times over, but his connections were all through daughters of younger sons. His chances of inheriting the throne would have seemed remote, but eventually the internecine conflicts among the descendants of
Edward III of EnglandEdward III was one of the most successful English monarchs of the Middle Ages. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into the most efficient military power in Europe...
and within the Houses of Lancaster and York brought Buckingham within striking distance of the crown. Some historians claim Buckingham's deliberate plotting to seize the throne started as early as the reign of Edward IV, and if they are correct then his elaborate and lengthy plan very nearly succeeded.
Early life
His father,
Humphrey Stafford, Earl of StaffordHumphrey Stafford , generally known by his courtesy title of Earl of Stafford was the son of Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Anne Neville ....
, supported the
House of LancasterThe House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
in the initial phase of the
Wars of the RosesThe Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars between supporters of the rival houses of Lancaster and York, for the throne of England. They are generally accepted to have been fought in several spasmodic episodes between 1455 and 1487...
. He died in 1458 of wounds after
First Battle of St AlbansThe First Battle of St Albans was the first battle of the Wars of the Roses and was fought on 22 May 1455 in the town of St Albans, 22 miles north of London. Richard, Duke of York and his ally, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, defeated the Lancastrians under Edmund, Duke of Somerset, who was...
, and his paternal grandfather,
Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of BuckinghamHumphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG , an English nobleman, great grandson of King Edward III on his mother's side, was best-known as a military commander in the Hundred Years' War and in the Wars of the Roses....
, another leading Lancastrian, was killed at the
Battle of NorthamptonThe Battle of Northampton was a battle in the Wars of the Roses, which took place on 10 July, 1460.-Background:The Yorkist cause seemed finished after the previous disaster at Ludford Bridge. Some of the Yorkist commanders, Warwick, Salisbury and York's son Edward, Earl of March reached Calais on 2...
(10 July, 1460). His mother was
Margaret BeaufortMargaret Beaufort was a daughter of Edmund Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset and Lady Eleanor Beauchamp.Her maternal grandparents were Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick and his first wife Elizabeth Beauchamp, 4th Baroness Lisle...
, daughter of
John Beaufort, 1st Duke of SomersetJohn Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset, 3rd Earl of Somerset was an English noble and military commander.Baptised on 25 March 1404, he was the second son of John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset and Margaret Holland, and succeeded his elder brother Henry Beaufort, 2nd Earl of Somerset to become the 3rd...
. Through her, Henry was a potential Lancastrian claimant to the English throne.
After his grandfather's death, Henry was recognized as
Duke of BuckinghamThe titles Marquess and Duke of Buckingham, referring to Buckingham, have been created several times in the peerages of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. There have also been Earls of Buckingham.-1444 creation:...
. The new Duke eventually became a ward of Queen
Elizabeth WoodvilleElizabeth Woodville or Wydeville was the Queen consort of Edward IV, King of England, from 1464 until his death in 1483.-Early life and first marriage:...
,
consortA queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles...
of
Edward IV of EnglandEdward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 2 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
. Sometime before the time of her coronation in May 1465 he was married to her sister Catherine Woodville. Both parties were children at the time; they were carried on squires' shoulders at the coronation ceremony and were reared in the queen's household together.
According to
Dominic ManciniDominic Mancini was an Italian who visited England in 1482, left in 1483 and left behind an account of the events he witnessed. He called it: De Occupatione Regni Anglie per Riccardum Tercium ....
, Buckingham resented his wife and the other Woodvilles as well because of his marriage to a woman of a lower status. When Edward IV died in 1483, and the Woodvilles struggled with Edward's brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester, over the guardianship of the young
Edward VEdward V was King of England from 9 April 1483 until his deposition two months later. His reign was dominated by the influence of his uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who succeeded him as Richard III...
, Buckingham first sided with Richard.
Accession of Richard III
ParliamentA parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French parlement, the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at...
subsequently
declared Edward V illegitimateTitulus Regius is a statute of the Parliament of England, issued in 1483, by which the title of King of England was given to Richard III of England....
, offering Richard the throne, and he accepted it, becoming
Richard IIIRichard III was King of England from 1483 until his death. He was the last king of the House of York and the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat at the Battle of Bosworth Field was the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, and is sometimes regarded as the end of the Middle Ages in England...
. Buckingham moved quickly to support Richard's claim. He was with Richard when they took possession of the young King Edward V at
Stony StratfordStony Stratford is a constituent town of Milton Keynes and is a civil parish operating as a town council within the Borough of Milton Keynes. It is in the north west corner of Milton Keynes, bordering Northamptonshire and separated from it by the river Great Ouse...
in April 1483 and played a major role in the
coup d'etatA coup d'état , or coup for short, is the sudden unconstitutional deposition of a legitimate government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another, either civil or military...
which followed.
After initially supporting Richard, Buckingham subsequently started working with John Morton,
Bishop of ElyThe Bishop of Ely is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Ely in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese roughly covers the county of Cambridgeshire , together with a section of north-west Norfolk and has its see in the City of Ely, Cambridgeshire, where the seat is located at the...
, in support of Buckingham's second-cousin
Henry TudorHenry VII was the 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 Tudor dynasty.Henry was successful in restoring the power and stability of the English monarchy after the political upheavals of the Wars...
against the King, even though this placed him on the same side as his despised Woodville in-laws.
Rebellion of 1483
In 1483, a
conspiracyIn a political sense, conspiracy refers to a group of persons united in the goal of usurping or overthrowing an established political power. Typically, the final goal is to gain power through a revolutionary coup d'état or through assassination....
arose among a number of disaffected gentry, supporters of Edward IV. They originally planned to depose Richard III and place Edward V back on the throne. When rumours arose that Edward and his brother (the
Princes in the TowerThe Princes in the Tower, Edward V of England and his brother, Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York , were the only sons of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville...
) were dead, Buckingham intervened, proposing instead that
Henry TudorHenry VII was the 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 Tudor dynasty.Henry was successful in restoring the power and stability of the English monarchy after the political upheavals of the Wars...
return from exile, take the throne and marry
Elizabeth of YorkElizabeth of York was the daughter, sister, niece, mother and wife of Kings of England. She was Queen of England as spouse of King Henry VII, whom she married in 1486.-Princess of England:...
. For his part, Buckingham would raise a substantial force from his estates in
WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom, bordered by England to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It is also an elective region of the European Union...
and the Marches.
Richard eventually put down the rebellion; Henry's ships ran into a storm and had to go back to
BrittanyBrittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Brittany was previously a kingdom and then as a duchy it was a fief of the Kingdom of France. It was at one time called Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, and Buckingham's army was greatly troubled by the same storm and deserted when Richard's forces came against them. Buckingham tried to escape in disguise but was turned in for the
bountyBounty may refer to:* Bounty , an amount of money or other reward offered by an organization for the capture of a person or thingIn transportation:, an 18th century British Royal Navy ship, and its replicasIn geography:...
Richard had put on his head, and he was convicted of
treasonIn law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more serious acts of disloyalty to one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife...
and
beheadedDecapitation is the separation of the head of an animal from its body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by means of a guillotine...
in
SalisburySalisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England. It has also been called New Sarum to distinguish it from the original site of settlement to the north of the city at Old Sarum, but this alternative name is not in common use. Similarly, a native of Salisbury may be known as a "Sarumite", but...
on 2 November.
Following Buckingham's execution, his widow, Catherine, married
Jasper TudorJasper Tudor : c. 1431 – December 21/26, 1495, Earl of Pembroke and 1st Duke of Bedford, was the uncle of King Henry VII of England and the architect of his successful conquest of England and Wales in 1485....
.
The Bohun Estate
Buckingham's motives in these events are disputed. His antipathy to Edward IV and his children probably arose from two causes. One was his dislike for their mutual Woodville in-laws, whom Edward greatly favoured. Another was his interest in the
BohunBohun can refer to:* Henry de Bohun, 1st Earl of Hereford , a Norman-English nobleman* Humphrey de Bohun, the name of a number of men in medieval England, all members of a prominent noble family* Mary de Bohun Bohun can refer to:* Henry de Bohun, 1st Earl of Hereford (1176–1220), a Norman-English...
estate. Buckingham had inherited a great deal of property from his great-great-grandmother, Eleanor de Bohun, wife of Thomas of Woodstock and daughter of
Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford, Essex and NorthamptonHumphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford, 6th Earl of Essex and 2nd Earl of Northampton was an important medieval English noble during the reign of King Edward III of England.- Lineage :...
.
Eleanor's younger sister and co-heir
Mary de BohunMary de Bohun , was the first wife of King Henry IV of England and the mother of King Henry V, but was never queen, as she died before her husband came to the throne.-Early life:...
married Henry Bolingbroke, who eventually became
Henry IVHenry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . Like other kings of England, at that time, he also claimed the title of King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence the other name by which he was known, Henry Bolingbroke...
, and her share of the de Bohun estates became incorporated into the holdings of the
House of LancasterThe House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
, being eventually inherited by
Henry VIHenry VI was King of England 1422–1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realms were governed by regents. Contemporaneously, he was described as a peaceful and pious man, not suited for the harsh nature of the struggles facing him...
. When Henry VI was deposed by Edward IV, Edward appropriated that half into the Crown property under the
House of YorkThe House of York was a branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet, three of whom became English kings in the late 15th century. The House of York was descended in the paternal line from Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, the fourth surviving son of Edward III, but also represented Edward's...
.
Buckingham claimed those lands should have been devolved to him instead, and it is likely that Richard III promised to settle the estate on Buckingham in return for his help seizing the throne. Indeed, after Richard's
coronationThe Coronation of the British Monarch is a ceremony in which the monarch of the United Kingdom is formally crowned and invested with regalia...
he did award the other half of the Bohun estate to Buckingham, but it was conditional on the approval of Parliament. Historians disagree on whether this condition was in fact a way for Richard to appear to keep his promise while actually breaking it, but this may have been a motivation for Buckingham to turn against Richard.
The Princes in the Tower
Richard III is alleged to have consolidated his power by eliminating his brother's children, who preceded him in
successionSuccession is the act or process of following in order or sequence.Succession may further refer to, within the context of "order" and "sequence":...
to the throne. However, there is some question about Buckingham's relationship to the disappearance of the
Princes in the TowerThe Princes in the Tower, Edward V of England and his brother, Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York , were the only sons of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville...
. According to a manuscript discovered in the early 1980s in the
College of ArmsThe College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
collection, the Princes were murdered "be [by] the vise" of the Duke of Buckingham. There is some argument over whether "vise" means "advice" or "devise," and, if the former, in what sense.
If Richard was responsible for killing the Princes in the Tower, the murders may have caused Buckingham to change sides. On the other hand, Buckingham himself had motivation to kill the Princes, being a Lancastrian contender for the throne with a viable claim potentially equivalent to that of Henry Tudor, depending on one's view of the legitimacy of the Tudor branch of the House of Lancaster. According to this perspective, if Buckingham killed the Princes and blamed Richard, he could foment a Lancastrian rebellion, putting the throne into play with only Henry Tudor as a rival. Indeed, a Lancastrian rebellion followed, but it was Henry Tudor who succeeded in deposing Richard III.
Relationship to Edward III
Three of Buckingham's four grandparents were descended from
Edward III of EnglandEdward III was one of the most successful English monarchs of the Middle Ages. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into the most efficient military power in Europe...
:
- Buckingham's paternal grandfather was Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham
Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG , an English nobleman, great grandson of King Edward III on his mother's side, was best-known as a military commander in the Hundred Years' War and in the Wars of the Roses....
, who was the grandson and senior descendant of Thomas of Woodstock, youngest son of Edward III.
- Buckingham's paternal grandmother Anne Neville was a granddaughter of John of Gaunt through his daughter Joan Beaufort
Joan Beaufort may refer to:* Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland , daughter of John of Gaunt and his mistress, Katherine Swynford, later proclaimed legitimate...
, making her a great-granddaughter of Edward IIIEdward III was one of the most successful English monarchs of the Middle Ages. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into the most efficient military power in Europe...
.
- Buckingham's maternal grandfather Edmund Beaufort
Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset , sometimes styled 1st Duke of Somerset, was an English nobleman and an important figure in the Wars of the Roses and in the Hundred Years' War.-Life:...
was a grandson of John of Gaunt, the youngest son of his son John Beaufort, 1st Earl of SomersetJohn Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset was the first of the four illegitimate children of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and his mistress Katherine Swynford, later his wife...
.
- Buckingham's maternal grandmother Eleanor Beauchamp was descended from a daughter of William Marshal but not from Edward III.
- Buckingham's grandparents Anne Neville and Edmund Beaufort were also first cousins for their respective parents Joan Beaufort
Joan Beaufort may refer to:* Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland , daughter of John of Gaunt and his mistress, Katherine Swynford, later proclaimed legitimate...
and John BeaufortJohn Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset was the first of the four illegitimate children of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and his mistress Katherine Swynford, later his wife...
were sister and brother.
Important relatives
Buckingham was the son of
Humphrey Stafford, Earl of StaffordHumphrey Stafford , generally known by his courtesy title of Earl of Stafford was the son of Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Anne Neville ....
and
Margaret Beaufort, Countess of StaffordMargaret Beaufort was a daughter of Edmund Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset and Lady Eleanor Beauchamp.Her maternal grandparents were Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick and his first wife Elizabeth Beauchamp, 4th Baroness Lisle...
.
Four of Buckingham's first and second cousins became King of England, and two of his second cousins became Queen:
- Edward IV
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 2 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
and his brother Richard IIIRichard III was King of England from 1483 until his death. He was the last king of the House of York and the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat at the Battle of Bosworth Field was the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, and is sometimes regarded as the end of the Middle Ages in England...
were Buckingham's first cousins once removed. Buckingham's father Humphrey, Earl Stafford, was son of Anne Neville (~1411-1480). Anne's sister Cecily, Duchess of YorkCecily Neville, Duchess of York was the wife of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, and the mother of two Kings of England: Edward IV and Richard III....
was the mother of Edward IV and Richard III. Edward's son Edward VEdward V was King of England from 9 April 1483 until his deposition two months later. His reign was dominated by the influence of his uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who succeeded him as Richard III...
was thus Buckingham's second cousin, as was the younger Edward's sister Elizabeth of YorkElizabeth of York was the daughter, sister, niece, mother and wife of Kings of England. She was Queen of England as spouse of King Henry VII, whom she married in 1486.-Princess of England:...
, later wife and Queen Consort of Henry VII of EnglandHenry VII was the 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 Tudor dynasty.Henry was successful in restoring the power and stability of the English monarchy after the political upheavals of the Wars...
.
- Henry Tudor
Henry VII was the 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 Tudor dynasty.Henry was successful in restoring the power and stability of the English monarchy after the political upheavals of the Wars...
, later King Henry VIIHenry VII was the 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 Tudor dynasty.Henry was successful in restoring the power and stability of the English monarchy after the political upheavals of the Wars...
was Buckingham's second cousin. Buckingham's mother was Margaret Beaufort (~1427-1474), daughter of Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of SomersetEdmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset , sometimes styled 1st Duke of Somerset, was an English nobleman and an important figure in the Wars of the Roses and in the Hundred Years' War.-Life:...
. Margaret's first cousin, also named Margaret Beaufort (1443-1509) was the mother of Henry VIIHenry VII was the 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 Tudor dynasty.Henry was successful in restoring the power and stability of the English monarchy after the political upheavals of the Wars...
, the latter Margaret being the daughter of the 1st Duke of SomersetJohn Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset, 3rd Earl of Somerset was an English noble and military commander.Baptised on 25 March 1404, he was the second son of John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset and Margaret Holland, and succeeded his elder brother Henry Beaufort, 2nd Earl of Somerset to become the 3rd...
.
- Anne Neville
Anne Neville was Princess of Wales as spouse of Edward of Westminster and Queen of England as spouse of King Richard III.-Early life:...
, in line to become Queen as the wife of Lancastrian Edward of WestminsterEdward of Westminster, also known as Edward of Lancaster , was the only son of King Henry VI of England and Margaret of Anjou...
, Prince of Wales, eventually did become Queen as the wife of Richard III of EnglandRichard III was King of England from 1483 until his death. He was the last king of the House of York and the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat at the Battle of Bosworth Field was the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, and is sometimes regarded as the end of the Middle Ages in England...
. Her paternal grandfather Richard Neville, 5th Earl of SalisburyRichard Neville, jure uxoris 5th Earl of Salisbury, KG, PC was a Yorkist leader during the early parts of the Wars of the Roses.-Neville and Neville:Richard Neville was born in 1400 at Raby Castle in County Durham...
was the brother of Buckingham's paternal grandmother (also named Anne Neville) making Buckingham the Queen's second cousin.
One can see from the ancestral chart below that two of his great-grandparents were brother and sister (John Beaufort and Joan Beaufort). This made Buckingham's parents second cousins.
The Ancestry of Henry Stafford
Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham (4 September 1455 – 2 November 1483) played a major role in
Richard III of EnglandRichard III was King of England from 1483 until his death. He was the last king of the House of York and the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat at the Battle of Bosworth Field was the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, and is sometimes regarded as the end of the Middle Ages in England...
's rise and fall. He is also one of the primary suspects in the disappearance (and presumed murder) of the
Princes in the TowerThe Princes in the Tower, Edward V of England and his brother, Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York , were the only sons of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville...
. Buckingham was related to the royal family of England so many different ways that he was his own cousin many times over, but his connections were all through daughters of younger sons. His chances of inheriting the throne would have seemed remote, but eventually the internecine conflicts among the descendants of
Edward III of EnglandEdward III was one of the most successful English monarchs of the Middle Ages. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into the most efficient military power in Europe...
and within the Houses of Lancaster and York brought Buckingham within striking distance of the crown. Some historians claim Buckingham's deliberate plotting to seize the throne started as early as the reign of Edward IV, and if they are correct then his elaborate and lengthy plan very nearly succeeded.
Early life
His father,
Humphrey Stafford, Earl of StaffordHumphrey Stafford , generally known by his courtesy title of Earl of Stafford was the son of Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Anne Neville ....
, supported the
House of LancasterThe House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
in the initial phase of the
Wars of the RosesThe Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars between supporters of the rival houses of Lancaster and York, for the throne of England. They are generally accepted to have been fought in several spasmodic episodes between 1455 and 1487...
. He died in 1458 of wounds after
First Battle of St AlbansThe First Battle of St Albans was the first battle of the Wars of the Roses and was fought on 22 May 1455 in the town of St Albans, 22 miles north of London. Richard, Duke of York and his ally, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, defeated the Lancastrians under Edmund, Duke of Somerset, who was...
, and his paternal grandfather,
Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of BuckinghamHumphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG , an English nobleman, great grandson of King Edward III on his mother's side, was best-known as a military commander in the Hundred Years' War and in the Wars of the Roses....
, another leading Lancastrian, was killed at the
Battle of NorthamptonThe Battle of Northampton was a battle in the Wars of the Roses, which took place on 10 July, 1460.-Background:The Yorkist cause seemed finished after the previous disaster at Ludford Bridge. Some of the Yorkist commanders, Warwick, Salisbury and York's son Edward, Earl of March reached Calais on 2...
(10 July, 1460). His mother was
Margaret BeaufortMargaret Beaufort was a daughter of Edmund Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset and Lady Eleanor Beauchamp.Her maternal grandparents were Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick and his first wife Elizabeth Beauchamp, 4th Baroness Lisle...
, daughter of
John Beaufort, 1st Duke of SomersetJohn Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset, 3rd Earl of Somerset was an English noble and military commander.Baptised on 25 March 1404, he was the second son of John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset and Margaret Holland, and succeeded his elder brother Henry Beaufort, 2nd Earl of Somerset to become the 3rd...
. Through her, Henry was a potential Lancastrian claimant to the English throne.
After his grandfather's death, Henry was recognized as
Duke of BuckinghamThe titles Marquess and Duke of Buckingham, referring to Buckingham, have been created several times in the peerages of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. There have also been Earls of Buckingham.-1444 creation:...
. The new Duke eventually became a ward of Queen
Elizabeth WoodvilleElizabeth Woodville or Wydeville was the Queen consort of Edward IV, King of England, from 1464 until his death in 1483.-Early life and first marriage:...
,
consortA queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles...
of
Edward IV of EnglandEdward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 2 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
. Sometime before the time of her coronation in May 1465 he was married to her sister Catherine Woodville. Both parties were children at the time; they were carried on squires' shoulders at the coronation ceremony and were reared in the queen's household together.
According to
Dominic ManciniDominic Mancini was an Italian who visited England in 1482, left in 1483 and left behind an account of the events he witnessed. He called it: De Occupatione Regni Anglie per Riccardum Tercium ....
, Buckingham resented his wife and the other Woodvilles as well because of his marriage to a woman of a lower status. When Edward IV died in 1483, and the Woodvilles struggled with Edward's brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester, over the guardianship of the young
Edward VEdward V was King of England from 9 April 1483 until his deposition two months later. His reign was dominated by the influence of his uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who succeeded him as Richard III...
, Buckingham first sided with Richard.
Accession of Richard III
ParliamentA parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French parlement, the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at...
subsequently
declared Edward V illegitimateTitulus Regius is a statute of the Parliament of England, issued in 1483, by which the title of King of England was given to Richard III of England....
, offering Richard the throne, and he accepted it, becoming
Richard IIIRichard III was King of England from 1483 until his death. He was the last king of the House of York and the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat at the Battle of Bosworth Field was the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, and is sometimes regarded as the end of the Middle Ages in England...
. Buckingham moved quickly to support Richard's claim. He was with Richard when they took possession of the young King Edward V at
Stony StratfordStony Stratford is a constituent town of Milton Keynes and is a civil parish operating as a town council within the Borough of Milton Keynes. It is in the north west corner of Milton Keynes, bordering Northamptonshire and separated from it by the river Great Ouse...
in April 1483 and played a major role in the
coup d'etatA coup d'état , or coup for short, is the sudden unconstitutional deposition of a legitimate government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another, either civil or military...
which followed.
After initially supporting Richard, Buckingham subsequently started working with John Morton,
Bishop of ElyThe Bishop of Ely is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Ely in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese roughly covers the county of Cambridgeshire , together with a section of north-west Norfolk and has its see in the City of Ely, Cambridgeshire, where the seat is located at the...
, in support of Buckingham's second-cousin
Henry TudorHenry VII was the 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 Tudor dynasty.Henry was successful in restoring the power and stability of the English monarchy after the political upheavals of the Wars...
against the King, even though this placed him on the same side as his despised Woodville in-laws.
Rebellion of 1483
In 1483, a
conspiracyIn a political sense, conspiracy refers to a group of persons united in the goal of usurping or overthrowing an established political power. Typically, the final goal is to gain power through a revolutionary coup d'état or through assassination....
arose among a number of disaffected gentry, supporters of Edward IV. They originally planned to depose Richard III and place Edward V back on the throne. When rumours arose that Edward and his brother (the
Princes in the TowerThe Princes in the Tower, Edward V of England and his brother, Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York , were the only sons of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville...
) were dead, Buckingham intervened, proposing instead that
Henry TudorHenry VII was the 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 Tudor dynasty.Henry was successful in restoring the power and stability of the English monarchy after the political upheavals of the Wars...
return from exile, take the throne and marry
Elizabeth of YorkElizabeth of York was the daughter, sister, niece, mother and wife of Kings of England. She was Queen of England as spouse of King Henry VII, whom she married in 1486.-Princess of England:...
. For his part, Buckingham would raise a substantial force from his estates in
WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom, bordered by England to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It is also an elective region of the European Union...
and the Marches.
Richard eventually put down the rebellion; Henry's ships ran into a storm and had to go back to
BrittanyBrittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Brittany was previously a kingdom and then as a duchy it was a fief of the Kingdom of France. It was at one time called Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, and Buckingham's army was greatly troubled by the same storm and deserted when Richard's forces came against them. Buckingham tried to escape in disguise but was turned in for the
bountyBounty may refer to:* Bounty , an amount of money or other reward offered by an organization for the capture of a person or thingIn transportation:, an 18th century British Royal Navy ship, and its replicasIn geography:...
Richard had put on his head, and he was convicted of
treasonIn law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more serious acts of disloyalty to one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife...
and
beheadedDecapitation is the separation of the head of an animal from its body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by means of a guillotine...
in
SalisburySalisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England. It has also been called New Sarum to distinguish it from the original site of settlement to the north of the city at Old Sarum, but this alternative name is not in common use. Similarly, a native of Salisbury may be known as a "Sarumite", but...
on 2 November.
Following Buckingham's execution, his widow, Catherine, married
Jasper TudorJasper Tudor : c. 1431 – December 21/26, 1495, Earl of Pembroke and 1st Duke of Bedford, was the uncle of King Henry VII of England and the architect of his successful conquest of England and Wales in 1485....
.
The Bohun Estate
Buckingham's motives in these events are disputed. His antipathy to Edward IV and his children probably arose from two causes. One was his dislike for their mutual Woodville in-laws, whom Edward greatly favoured. Another was his interest in the
BohunBohun can refer to:* Henry de Bohun, 1st Earl of Hereford , a Norman-English nobleman* Humphrey de Bohun, the name of a number of men in medieval England, all members of a prominent noble family* Mary de Bohun Bohun can refer to:* Henry de Bohun, 1st Earl of Hereford (1176–1220), a Norman-English...
estate. Buckingham had inherited a great deal of property from his great-great-grandmother, Eleanor de Bohun, wife of Thomas of Woodstock and daughter of
Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford, Essex and NorthamptonHumphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford, 6th Earl of Essex and 2nd Earl of Northampton was an important medieval English noble during the reign of King Edward III of England.- Lineage :...
.
Eleanor's younger sister and co-heir
Mary de BohunMary de Bohun , was the first wife of King Henry IV of England and the mother of King Henry V, but was never queen, as she died before her husband came to the throne.-Early life:...
married Henry Bolingbroke, who eventually became
Henry IVHenry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . Like other kings of England, at that time, he also claimed the title of King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence the other name by which he was known, Henry Bolingbroke...
, and her share of the de Bohun estates became incorporated into the holdings of the
House of LancasterThe House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
, being eventually inherited by
Henry VIHenry VI was King of England 1422–1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realms were governed by regents. Contemporaneously, he was described as a peaceful and pious man, not suited for the harsh nature of the struggles facing him...
. When Henry VI was deposed by Edward IV, Edward appropriated that half into the Crown property under the
House of YorkThe House of York was a branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet, three of whom became English kings in the late 15th century. The House of York was descended in the paternal line from Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, the fourth surviving son of Edward III, but also represented Edward's...
.
Buckingham claimed those lands should have been devolved to him instead, and it is likely that Richard III promised to settle the estate on Buckingham in return for his help seizing the throne. Indeed, after Richard's
coronationThe Coronation of the British Monarch is a ceremony in which the monarch of the United Kingdom is formally crowned and invested with regalia...
he did award the other half of the Bohun estate to Buckingham, but it was conditional on the approval of Parliament. Historians disagree on whether this condition was in fact a way for Richard to appear to keep his promise while actually breaking it, but this may have been a motivation for Buckingham to turn against Richard.
The Princes in the Tower
Richard III is alleged to have consolidated his power by eliminating his brother's children, who preceded him in
successionSuccession is the act or process of following in order or sequence.Succession may further refer to, within the context of "order" and "sequence":...
to the throne. However, there is some question about Buckingham's relationship to the disappearance of the
Princes in the TowerThe Princes in the Tower, Edward V of England and his brother, Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York , were the only sons of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville...
. According to a manuscript discovered in the early 1980s in the
College of ArmsThe College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
collection, the Princes were murdered "be [by] the vise" of the Duke of Buckingham. There is some argument over whether "vise" means "advice" or "devise," and, if the former, in what sense.
If Richard was responsible for killing the Princes in the Tower, the murders may have caused Buckingham to change sides. On the other hand, Buckingham himself had motivation to kill the Princes, being a Lancastrian contender for the throne with a viable claim potentially equivalent to that of Henry Tudor, depending on one's view of the legitimacy of the Tudor branch of the House of Lancaster. According to this perspective, if Buckingham killed the Princes and blamed Richard, he could foment a Lancastrian rebellion, putting the throne into play with only Henry Tudor as a rival. Indeed, a Lancastrian rebellion followed, but it was Henry Tudor who succeeded in deposing Richard III.
Relationship to Edward III
Three of Buckingham's four grandparents were descended from
Edward III of EnglandEdward III was one of the most successful English monarchs of the Middle Ages. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into the most efficient military power in Europe...
:
- Buckingham's paternal grandfather was Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham
Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG , an English nobleman, great grandson of King Edward III on his mother's side, was best-known as a military commander in the Hundred Years' War and in the Wars of the Roses....
, who was the grandson and senior descendant of Thomas of Woodstock, youngest son of Edward III.
- Buckingham's paternal grandmother Anne Neville was a granddaughter of John of Gaunt through his daughter Joan Beaufort
Joan Beaufort may refer to:* Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland , daughter of John of Gaunt and his mistress, Katherine Swynford, later proclaimed legitimate...
, making her a great-granddaughter of Edward IIIEdward III was one of the most successful English monarchs of the Middle Ages. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into the most efficient military power in Europe...
.
- Buckingham's maternal grandfather Edmund Beaufort
Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset , sometimes styled 1st Duke of Somerset, was an English nobleman and an important figure in the Wars of the Roses and in the Hundred Years' War.-Life:...
was a grandson of John of Gaunt, the youngest son of his son John Beaufort, 1st Earl of SomersetJohn Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset was the first of the four illegitimate children of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and his mistress Katherine Swynford, later his wife...
.
- Buckingham's maternal grandmother Eleanor Beauchamp was descended from a daughter of William Marshal but not from Edward III.
- Buckingham's grandparents Anne Neville and Edmund Beaufort were also first cousins for their respective parents Joan Beaufort
Joan Beaufort may refer to:* Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland , daughter of John of Gaunt and his mistress, Katherine Swynford, later proclaimed legitimate...
and John BeaufortJohn Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset was the first of the four illegitimate children of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and his mistress Katherine Swynford, later his wife...
were sister and brother.
Important relatives
Buckingham was the son of
Humphrey Stafford, Earl of StaffordHumphrey Stafford , generally known by his courtesy title of Earl of Stafford was the son of Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Anne Neville ....
and
Margaret Beaufort, Countess of StaffordMargaret Beaufort was a daughter of Edmund Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset and Lady Eleanor Beauchamp.Her maternal grandparents were Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick and his first wife Elizabeth Beauchamp, 4th Baroness Lisle...
.
Four of Buckingham's first and second cousins became King of England, and two of his second cousins became Queen:
- Edward IV
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 2 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
and his brother Richard IIIRichard III was King of England from 1483 until his death. He was the last king of the House of York and the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat at the Battle of Bosworth Field was the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, and is sometimes regarded as the end of the Middle Ages in England...
were Buckingham's first cousins once removed. Buckingham's father Humphrey, Earl Stafford, was son of Anne Neville (~1411-1480). Anne's sister Cecily, Duchess of YorkCecily Neville, Duchess of York was the wife of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, and the mother of two Kings of England: Edward IV and Richard III....
was the mother of Edward IV and Richard III. Edward's son Edward VEdward V was King of England from 9 April 1483 until his deposition two months later. His reign was dominated by the influence of his uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who succeeded him as Richard III...
was thus Buckingham's second cousin, as was the younger Edward's sister Elizabeth of YorkElizabeth of York was the daughter, sister, niece, mother and wife of Kings of England. She was Queen of England as spouse of King Henry VII, whom she married in 1486.-Princess of England:...
, later wife and Queen Consort of Henry VII of EnglandHenry VII was the 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 Tudor dynasty.Henry was successful in restoring the power and stability of the English monarchy after the political upheavals of the Wars...
.
- Henry Tudor
Henry VII was the 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 Tudor dynasty.Henry was successful in restoring the power and stability of the English monarchy after the political upheavals of the Wars...
, later King Henry VIIHenry VII was the 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 Tudor dynasty.Henry was successful in restoring the power and stability of the English monarchy after the political upheavals of the Wars...
was Buckingham's second cousin. Buckingham's mother was Margaret Beaufort (~1427-1474), daughter of Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of SomersetEdmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset , sometimes styled 1st Duke of Somerset, was an English nobleman and an important figure in the Wars of the Roses and in the Hundred Years' War.-Life:...
. Margaret's first cousin, also named Margaret Beaufort (1443-1509) was the mother of Henry VIIHenry VII was the 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 Tudor dynasty.Henry was successful in restoring the power and stability of the English monarchy after the political upheavals of the Wars...
, the latter Margaret being the daughter of the 1st Duke of SomersetJohn Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset, 3rd Earl of Somerset was an English noble and military commander.Baptised on 25 March 1404, he was the second son of John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset and Margaret Holland, and succeeded his elder brother Henry Beaufort, 2nd Earl of Somerset to become the 3rd...
.
- Anne Neville
Anne Neville was Princess of Wales as spouse of Edward of Westminster and Queen of England as spouse of King Richard III.-Early life:...
, in line to become Queen as the wife of Lancastrian Edward of WestminsterEdward of Westminster, also known as Edward of Lancaster , was the only son of King Henry VI of England and Margaret of Anjou...
, Prince of Wales, eventually did become Queen as the wife of Richard III of EnglandRichard III was King of England from 1483 until his death. He was the last king of the House of York and the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat at the Battle of Bosworth Field was the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, and is sometimes regarded as the end of the Middle Ages in England...
. Her paternal grandfather Richard Neville, 5th Earl of SalisburyRichard Neville, jure uxoris 5th Earl of Salisbury, KG, PC was a Yorkist leader during the early parts of the Wars of the Roses.-Neville and Neville:Richard Neville was born in 1400 at Raby Castle in County Durham...
was the brother of Buckingham's paternal grandmother (also named Anne Neville) making Buckingham the Queen's second cousin.
One can see from the ancestral chart below that two of his great-grandparents were brother and sister (John Beaufort and Joan Beaufort). This made Buckingham's parents second cousins.
The Ancestry of Henry Stafford
Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham (4 September 1455 – 2 November 1483) played a major role in
Richard III of EnglandRichard III was King of England from 1483 until his death. He was the last king of the House of York and the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat at the Battle of Bosworth Field was the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, and is sometimes regarded as the end of the Middle Ages in England...
's rise and fall. He is also one of the primary suspects in the disappearance (and presumed murder) of the
Princes in the TowerThe Princes in the Tower, Edward V of England and his brother, Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York , were the only sons of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville...
. Buckingham was related to the royal family of England so many different ways that he was his own cousin many times over, but his connections were all through daughters of younger sons. His chances of inheriting the throne would have seemed remote, but eventually the internecine conflicts among the descendants of
Edward III of EnglandEdward III was one of the most successful English monarchs of the Middle Ages. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into the most efficient military power in Europe...
and within the Houses of Lancaster and York brought Buckingham within striking distance of the crown. Some historians claim Buckingham's deliberate plotting to seize the throne started as early as the reign of Edward IV, and if they are correct then his elaborate and lengthy plan very nearly succeeded.
Early life
His father,
Humphrey Stafford, Earl of StaffordHumphrey Stafford , generally known by his courtesy title of Earl of Stafford was the son of Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Anne Neville ....
, supported the
House of LancasterThe House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
in the initial phase of the
Wars of the RosesThe Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars between supporters of the rival houses of Lancaster and York, for the throne of England. They are generally accepted to have been fought in several spasmodic episodes between 1455 and 1487...
. He died in 1458 of wounds after
First Battle of St AlbansThe First Battle of St Albans was the first battle of the Wars of the Roses and was fought on 22 May 1455 in the town of St Albans, 22 miles north of London. Richard, Duke of York and his ally, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, defeated the Lancastrians under Edmund, Duke of Somerset, who was...
, and his paternal grandfather,
Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of BuckinghamHumphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG , an English nobleman, great grandson of King Edward III on his mother's side, was best-known as a military commander in the Hundred Years' War and in the Wars of the Roses....
, another leading Lancastrian, was killed at the
Battle of NorthamptonThe Battle of Northampton was a battle in the Wars of the Roses, which took place on 10 July, 1460.-Background:The Yorkist cause seemed finished after the previous disaster at Ludford Bridge. Some of the Yorkist commanders, Warwick, Salisbury and York's son Edward, Earl of March reached Calais on 2...
(10 July, 1460). His mother was
Margaret BeaufortMargaret Beaufort was a daughter of Edmund Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset and Lady Eleanor Beauchamp.Her maternal grandparents were Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick and his first wife Elizabeth Beauchamp, 4th Baroness Lisle...
, daughter of
John Beaufort, 1st Duke of SomersetJohn Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset, 3rd Earl of Somerset was an English noble and military commander.Baptised on 25 March 1404, he was the second son of John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset and Margaret Holland, and succeeded his elder brother Henry Beaufort, 2nd Earl of Somerset to become the 3rd...
. Through her, Henry was a potential Lancastrian claimant to the English throne.
After his grandfather's death, Henry was recognized as
Duke of BuckinghamThe titles Marquess and Duke of Buckingham, referring to Buckingham, have been created several times in the peerages of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. There have also been Earls of Buckingham.-1444 creation:...
. The new Duke eventually became a ward of Queen
Elizabeth WoodvilleElizabeth Woodville or Wydeville was the Queen consort of Edward IV, King of England, from 1464 until his death in 1483.-Early life and first marriage:...
,
consortA queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. A queen consort usually shares her husband's rank and holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles...
of
Edward IV of EnglandEdward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 2 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
. Sometime before the time of her coronation in May 1465 he was married to her sister Catherine Woodville. Both parties were children at the time; they were carried on squires' shoulders at the coronation ceremony and were reared in the queen's household together.
According to
Dominic ManciniDominic Mancini was an Italian who visited England in 1482, left in 1483 and left behind an account of the events he witnessed. He called it: De Occupatione Regni Anglie per Riccardum Tercium ....
, Buckingham resented his wife and the other Woodvilles as well because of his marriage to a woman of a lower status. When Edward IV died in 1483, and the Woodvilles struggled with Edward's brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester, over the guardianship of the young
Edward VEdward V was King of England from 9 April 1483 until his deposition two months later. His reign was dominated by the influence of his uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who succeeded him as Richard III...
, Buckingham first sided with Richard.
Accession of Richard III
ParliamentA parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French parlement, the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at...
subsequently
declared Edward V illegitimateTitulus Regius is a statute of the Parliament of England, issued in 1483, by which the title of King of England was given to Richard III of England....
, offering Richard the throne, and he accepted it, becoming
Richard IIIRichard III was King of England from 1483 until his death. He was the last king of the House of York and the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat at the Battle of Bosworth Field was the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, and is sometimes regarded as the end of the Middle Ages in England...
. Buckingham moved quickly to support Richard's claim. He was with Richard when they took possession of the young King Edward V at
Stony StratfordStony Stratford is a constituent town of Milton Keynes and is a civil parish operating as a town council within the Borough of Milton Keynes. It is in the north west corner of Milton Keynes, bordering Northamptonshire and separated from it by the river Great Ouse...
in April 1483 and played a major role in the
coup d'etatA coup d'état , or coup for short, is the sudden unconstitutional deposition of a legitimate government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another, either civil or military...
which followed.
After initially supporting Richard, Buckingham subsequently started working with John Morton,
Bishop of ElyThe Bishop of Ely is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Ely in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese roughly covers the county of Cambridgeshire , together with a section of north-west Norfolk and has its see in the City of Ely, Cambridgeshire, where the seat is located at the...
, in support of Buckingham's second-cousin
Henry TudorHenry VII was the 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 Tudor dynasty.Henry was successful in restoring the power and stability of the English monarchy after the political upheavals of the Wars...
against the King, even though this placed him on the same side as his despised Woodville in-laws.
Rebellion of 1483
In 1483, a
conspiracyIn a political sense, conspiracy refers to a group of persons united in the goal of usurping or overthrowing an established political power. Typically, the final goal is to gain power through a revolutionary coup d'état or through assassination....
arose among a number of disaffected gentry, supporters of Edward IV. They originally planned to depose Richard III and place Edward V back on the throne. When rumours arose that Edward and his brother (the
Princes in the TowerThe Princes in the Tower, Edward V of England and his brother, Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York , were the only sons of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville...
) were dead, Buckingham intervened, proposing instead that
Henry TudorHenry VII was the 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 Tudor dynasty.Henry was successful in restoring the power and stability of the English monarchy after the political upheavals of the Wars...
return from exile, take the throne and marry
Elizabeth of YorkElizabeth of York was the daughter, sister, niece, mother and wife of Kings of England. She was Queen of England as spouse of King Henry VII, whom she married in 1486.-Princess of England:...
. For his part, Buckingham would raise a substantial force from his estates in
WalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom, bordered by England to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It is also an elective region of the European Union...
and the Marches.
Richard eventually put down the rebellion; Henry's ships ran into a storm and had to go back to
BrittanyBrittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Brittany was previously a kingdom and then as a duchy it was a fief of the Kingdom of France. It was at one time called Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, and Buckingham's army was greatly troubled by the same storm and deserted when Richard's forces came against them. Buckingham tried to escape in disguise but was turned in for the
bountyBounty may refer to:* Bounty , an amount of money or other reward offered by an organization for the capture of a person or thingIn transportation:, an 18th century British Royal Navy ship, and its replicasIn geography:...
Richard had put on his head, and he was convicted of
treasonIn law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more serious acts of disloyalty to one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife...
and
beheadedDecapitation is the separation of the head of an animal from its body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by means of a guillotine...
in
SalisburySalisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England. It has also been called New Sarum to distinguish it from the original site of settlement to the north of the city at Old Sarum, but this alternative name is not in common use. Similarly, a native of Salisbury may be known as a "Sarumite", but...
on 2 November.
Following Buckingham's execution, his widow, Catherine, married
Jasper TudorJasper Tudor : c. 1431 – December 21/26, 1495, Earl of Pembroke and 1st Duke of Bedford, was the uncle of King Henry VII of England and the architect of his successful conquest of England and Wales in 1485....
.
The Bohun Estate
Buckingham's motives in these events are disputed. His antipathy to Edward IV and his children probably arose from two causes. One was his dislike for their mutual Woodville in-laws, whom Edward greatly favoured. Another was his interest in the
BohunBohun can refer to:* Henry de Bohun, 1st Earl of Hereford , a Norman-English nobleman* Humphrey de Bohun, the name of a number of men in medieval England, all members of a prominent noble family* Mary de Bohun Bohun can refer to:* Henry de Bohun, 1st Earl of Hereford (1176–1220), a Norman-English...
estate. Buckingham had inherited a great deal of property from his great-great-grandmother, Eleanor de Bohun, wife of Thomas of Woodstock and daughter of
Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford, Essex and NorthamptonHumphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford, 6th Earl of Essex and 2nd Earl of Northampton was an important medieval English noble during the reign of King Edward III of England.- Lineage :...
.
Eleanor's younger sister and co-heir
Mary de BohunMary de Bohun , was the first wife of King Henry IV of England and the mother of King Henry V, but was never queen, as she died before her husband came to the throne.-Early life:...
married Henry Bolingbroke, who eventually became
Henry IVHenry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . Like other kings of England, at that time, he also claimed the title of King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence the other name by which he was known, Henry Bolingbroke...
, and her share of the de Bohun estates became incorporated into the holdings of the
House of LancasterThe House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
, being eventually inherited by
Henry VIHenry VI was King of England 1422–1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realms were governed by regents. Contemporaneously, he was described as a peaceful and pious man, not suited for the harsh nature of the struggles facing him...
. When Henry VI was deposed by Edward IV, Edward appropriated that half into the Crown property under the
House of YorkThe House of York was a branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet, three of whom became English kings in the late 15th century. The House of York was descended in the paternal line from Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, the fourth surviving son of Edward III, but also represented Edward's...
.
Buckingham claimed those lands should have been devolved to him instead, and it is likely that Richard III promised to settle the estate on Buckingham in return for his help seizing the throne. Indeed, after Richard's
coronationThe Coronation of the British Monarch is a ceremony in which the monarch of the United Kingdom is formally crowned and invested with regalia...
he did award the other half of the Bohun estate to Buckingham, but it was conditional on the approval of Parliament. Historians disagree on whether this condition was in fact a way for Richard to appear to keep his promise while actually breaking it, but this may have been a motivation for Buckingham to turn against Richard.
The Princes in the Tower
Richard III is alleged to have consolidated his power by eliminating his brother's children, who preceded him in
successionSuccession is the act or process of following in order or sequence.Succession may further refer to, within the context of "order" and "sequence":...
to the throne. However, there is some question about Buckingham's relationship to the disappearance of the
Princes in the TowerThe Princes in the Tower, Edward V of England and his brother, Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York , were the only sons of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville...
. According to a manuscript discovered in the early 1980s in the
College of ArmsThe College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
collection, the Princes were murdered "be [by] the vise" of the Duke of Buckingham. There is some argument over whether "vise" means "advice" or "devise," and, if the former, in what sense.
If Richard was responsible for killing the Princes in the Tower, the murders may have caused Buckingham to change sides. On the other hand, Buckingham himself had motivation to kill the Princes, being a Lancastrian contender for the throne with a viable claim potentially equivalent to that of Henry Tudor, depending on one's view of the legitimacy of the Tudor branch of the House of Lancaster. According to this perspective, if Buckingham killed the Princes and blamed Richard, he could foment a Lancastrian rebellion, putting the throne into play with only Henry Tudor as a rival. Indeed, a Lancastrian rebellion followed, but it was Henry Tudor who succeeded in deposing Richard III.
Relationship to Edward III
Three of Buckingham's four grandparents were descended from
Edward III of EnglandEdward III was one of the most successful English monarchs of the Middle Ages. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into the most efficient military power in Europe...
:
- Buckingham's paternal grandfather was Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham
Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG , an English nobleman, great grandson of King Edward III on his mother's side, was best-known as a military commander in the Hundred Years' War and in the Wars of the Roses....
, who was the grandson and senior descendant of Thomas of Woodstock, youngest son of Edward III.
- Buckingham's paternal grandmother Anne Neville was a granddaughter of John of Gaunt through his daughter Joan Beaufort
Joan Beaufort may refer to:* Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland , daughter of John of Gaunt and his mistress, Katherine Swynford, later proclaimed legitimate...
, making her a great-granddaughter of Edward IIIEdward III was one of the most successful English monarchs of the Middle Ages. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into the most efficient military power in Europe...
.
- Buckingham's maternal grandfather Edmund Beaufort
Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset , sometimes styled 1st Duke of Somerset, was an English nobleman and an important figure in the Wars of the Roses and in the Hundred Years' War.-Life:...
was a grandson of John of Gaunt, the youngest son of his son John Beaufort, 1st Earl of SomersetJohn Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset was the first of the four illegitimate children of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and his mistress Katherine Swynford, later his wife...
.
- Buckingham's maternal grandmother Eleanor Beauchamp was descended from a daughter of William Marshal but not from Edward III.
- Buckingham's grandparents Anne Neville and Edmund Beaufort were also first cousins for their respective parents Joan Beaufort
Joan Beaufort may refer to:* Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland , daughter of John of Gaunt and his mistress, Katherine Swynford, later proclaimed legitimate...
and John BeaufortJohn Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset was the first of the four illegitimate children of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster, and his mistress Katherine Swynford, later his wife...
were sister and brother.
Important relatives
Buckingham was the son of
Humphrey Stafford, Earl of StaffordHumphrey Stafford , generally known by his courtesy title of Earl of Stafford was the son of Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Anne Neville ....
and
Margaret Beaufort, Countess of StaffordMargaret Beaufort was a daughter of Edmund Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset and Lady Eleanor Beauchamp.Her maternal grandparents were Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick and his first wife Elizabeth Beauchamp, 4th Baroness Lisle...
.
Four of Buckingham's first and second cousins became King of England, and two of his second cousins became Queen:
- Edward IV
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 2 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
and his brother Richard IIIRichard III was King of England from 1483 until his death. He was the last king of the House of York and the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat at the Battle of Bosworth Field was the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, and is sometimes regarded as the end of the Middle Ages in England...
were Buckingham's first cousins once removed. Buckingham's father Humphrey, Earl Stafford, was son of Anne Neville (~1411-1480). Anne's sister Cecily, Duchess of YorkCecily Neville, Duchess of York was the wife of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, and the mother of two Kings of England: Edward IV and Richard III....
was the mother of Edward IV and Richard III. Edward's son Edward VEdward V was King of England from 9 April 1483 until his deposition two months later. His reign was dominated by the influence of his uncle Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who succeeded him as Richard III...
was thus Buckingham's second cousin, as was the younger Edward's sister Elizabeth of YorkElizabeth of York was the daughter, sister, niece, mother and wife of Kings of England. She was Queen of England as spouse of King Henry VII, whom she married in 1486.-Princess of England:...
, later wife and Queen Consort of Henry VII of EnglandHenry VII was the 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 Tudor dynasty.Henry was successful in restoring the power and stability of the English monarchy after the political upheavals of the Wars...
.
- Henry Tudor
Henry VII was the 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 Tudor dynasty.Henry was successful in restoring the power and stability of the English monarchy after the political upheavals of the Wars...
, later King Henry VIIHenry VII was the 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 Tudor dynasty.Henry was successful in restoring the power and stability of the English monarchy after the political upheavals of the Wars...
was Buckingham's second cousin. Buckingham's mother was Margaret Beaufort (~1427-1474), daughter of Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of SomersetEdmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset , sometimes styled 1st Duke of Somerset, was an English nobleman and an important figure in the Wars of the Roses and in the Hundred Years' War.-Life:...
. Margaret's first cousin, also named Margaret Beaufort (1443-1509) was the mother of Henry VIIHenry VII was the 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 Tudor dynasty.Henry was successful in restoring the power and stability of the English monarchy after the political upheavals of the Wars...
, the latter Margaret being the daughter of the 1st Duke of SomersetJohn Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset, 3rd Earl of Somerset was an English noble and military commander.Baptised on 25 March 1404, he was the second son of John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset and Margaret Holland, and succeeded his elder brother Henry Beaufort, 2nd Earl of Somerset to become the 3rd...
.
- Anne Neville
Anne Neville was Princess of Wales as spouse of Edward of Westminster and Queen of England as spouse of King Richard III.-Early life:...
, in line to become Queen as the wife of Lancastrian Edward of WestminsterEdward of Westminster, also known as Edward of Lancaster , was the only son of King Henry VI of England and Margaret of Anjou...
, Prince of Wales, eventually did become Queen as the wife of Richard III of EnglandRichard III was King of England from 1483 until his death. He was the last king of the House of York and the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat at the Battle of Bosworth Field was the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, and is sometimes regarded as the end of the Middle Ages in England...
. Her paternal grandfather Richard Neville, 5th Earl of SalisburyRichard Neville, jure uxoris 5th Earl of Salisbury, KG, PC was a Yorkist leader during the early parts of the Wars of the Roses.-Neville and Neville:Richard Neville was born in 1400 at Raby Castle in County Durham...
was the brother of Buckingham's paternal grandmother (also named Anne Neville) making Buckingham the Queen's second cousin.
One can see from the ancestral chart below that two of his great-grandparents were brother and sister (John Beaufort and Joan Beaufort). This made Buckingham's parents second cousins.
The Ancestry of Henry Stafford
Ancestors of Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham
Children
Buckingham and his wife Catherine Woodville were parents to four children:
- Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham
Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham was an English nobleman. He was the son of the 2nd Duke of Buckingham and the former Lady Catherine Woodville, daughter of the 1st Earl Rivers and sister-in-law of King Edward IV....
(3 February, 1478 - 17 May, 1521). Executed by order of Henry VIII of EnglandHenry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was also Lord of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of France. Henry was the second monarch of the House of Tudor, succeeding his father, Henry VII.Henry VIII was a significant figure in the history of the English monarchy...
.
- Elizabeth Stafford, Countess of Sussex
Elizabeth Stafford was a daughter of Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and his wife Catherine Woodville. She was a sister of Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Henry Stafford, 1st Earl of Wiltshire....
. Married Robert Radclyffe, 1st Earl of Sussex and was mother to Henry Radclyffe, 2nd Earl of SussexHenry Radclyffe, 2nd Earl of Sussex was a son of Robert Radclyffe, 1st Earl of Sussex and his wife Elizabeth Stafford, Countess of Sussex....
and grandmother of Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of SussexThomas Radclyffe 3rd Earl of Sussex was Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland during the Tudor period of English history, and a leading courtier during the reign of Elizabeth I.- Family:...
.
- Henry Stafford, 1st Earl of Wiltshire
Henry Stafford, 1st Earl of Wiltshire was an English nobleman.He was the younger son of Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and of Catherine Woodville, and thus a nephew of King Edward IV of England....
(c. 1479 - March, 1522/1523).
- Anne Stafford, Countess of Huntingdon. Married George Hastings, 1st Earl of Huntingdon
George Hastings, 1st Earl of Huntingdon was the son of Edward Hastings, 2nd Baron Hastings and Mary Hungerford, 5th Baroness Botreaux. George Hastings was created the first Earl of Huntingdon by Henry VIII of England on 3 November, 1529. On the same day his son Francis gained a seat at the...
and was mother to Francis Hastings, 2nd Earl of HuntingdonFrancis Hastings, 2nd Earl of Huntingdon was the eldest son of George Hastings, 1st Earl of Huntingdon and Anne Stafford, Countess of Huntingdon, the ex-mistress of Henry VIII....
and grandmother to both Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of HuntingdonHenry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon was the eldest son of Francis Hastings, 2nd Earl of Huntingdon and Catherine Pole.-Ancestry:...
and George Hastings, 4th Earl of HuntingdonGeorge Hastings, 4th Earl of Huntingdon was an English nobleman.He was a son of Francis Hastings, 2nd Earl of Huntingdon and Catherine Pole. He was a younger brother of Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon.-Ancestry:...
.
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