Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham
Encyclopedia
Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG
(15 August 1402 – 10 July 1460), 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
.
, Staffordshire
, England
, the son of Edmund Stafford, 5th Earl of Stafford
and Anne of Gloucester
, daughter of Edward III's youngest son Thomas of Woodstock.
When Humphrey was less than a year old, his father was killed fighting for the royalist forces at the Battle of Shrewsbury
in July 1403. He became 6th Earl of Stafford, inheriting a large estate with lands in more than a dozen counties, although over two-thirds of his estate was still occupied by his mother and he only received a reduced income, of less than £1260, until he was sixteen. Humphrey was made a royal ward on his father's death, under the control of Henry IV's
queen Joanna of Navarre.
He was knight
ed by Henry V
on 22 Apr 1421. Following Henry V's death, he was part of the regency council, becoming a Privy Councillor in 1424. He was seen as a moderating influence over the power battles between Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester
and Bishop Henry Beaufort. He was made a knight of the Order of the Garter
in 1429.
Buckingham had been Lieutenant-General of Normandy between 1430 and 1432 and was created, in 1431, the Count of Perche, a province in English-occupied Normandy
by King Henry VI
. This title was one of many granted by Henry VI to his leading supporters during the English occupation of France.
With his mother's death in 1438, he received the remainder of his father's estates, worth £1500 plus her half of the Bohun inheritance, another £1200; this included the title of Earl of Buckingham
, bringing a further £1000. On 14 September 1444 he was created Duke of Buckingham
, making him one of the greatest landowners in England; in 1447 he was granted precedence over all English dukes not of royal blood. Despite his income, during his time in office as the Captain of the Calais garrison, he was heavily out of pocket. He was responsible for ensuring the garrison was paid, leaving him owed £19,395 by the Crown which was only partially recovered by the time he left in 1451. Public office continued to push him to spend over his annual income, with household costs of over £2000, as well as all the public requirements he needed to fund.
Other offices he held included Seneschal of Halton (from 1439) and Lieutenant of the Marches from 1442 – 1451. Buckingham became Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports
and Constable of Dover Castle
, also Constable of Queensborough, on the Isle of Sheppey
), in 1450. He represented the Crown during peace talks with the French in 1445 and 1446 and in roles such as an envoy to the insurgents with Jack Cade
at Blackheath. Buckingham, as a Constable of England, was one of the lords who arrested Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester
at Bury St Edmunds on 18 February 1447.
from around 1451. Buckingham supported Somerset, trying to maintain peace between him and Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York
. However, from August 1453, the king became catatonic and York was appointed Protector of the Realm; when the king recovered in 1455, reversing many of York's decisions, war broke out. Although loyal to King Henry VI, Buckingham was reluctant to take up arms for Somerset, even though his son was married to Somerset's daughter. He seemed to be the ideal choice to negotiate and secured Somerset's release from prison in Feb 1455; he was still trying to get a compromise up to the eve of the First Battle of St. Albans on 22 May 1455. Buckingham commanded the king's army of 2,500; only about 50 people died in the battle, but this included Somerset. Buckingham himself was wounded and captured with the king when the Earl of Warwick
scored a remarkable success. York now had the political upper hand, made himself Constable of England and kept the prisoner, returning to the role of Protector when the king became ill again. Throughout all of this, Buckingham kept an open mind and helped maintain a relative stability during York's second protectorate.
Unfortunately, his actions estranged him from Queen Margaret
. He opposed her decision to dismiss his half-brothers, Henry
and Thomas Bourchier, from office and she disliked his decision to support York in military situations. But at the end, he aligned himself with the queen, escorting her to the 'Loveday' reconciliation effort held between the factions on 2 March 1458. When hostilities started again, his presence at Battle of Ludford Bridge
led to the defeat of the Yorkist forces, and he was rewarded with extensive grants from the estates of Sir William Oldhall.
Warwick regrouped and landed in Sandwich in June 1460. in the lead up to the Battle of Northampton
, envoys were sent to negotiate, but Buckingham was no longer conciliatory. Buckingham informed them "The Earl of Warwick shall not come to the king's presence and if he comes he shall die," and told a group of Yorkist bishops that they were not men of peace but men of war and there could be no peace with Warwick. The battle was fought on 10 July 1460 and was shortened when Edmund Grey, 1st Earl of Kent
turned traitor to the king and ordered his men to lay down arms, allowing the Yorkists access to the camp. In the ensuing fight, Buckingham, the Earl of Shrewsbury
and the Lords Egremont
and Beaumont were killed by a group of Kentishmen. Buckingham was buried shortly after at Grey Friars, Northampton.
and Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland
sometime before 18 October 1424, at Raby Castle
, County Durham
, England. They had the following children:
His eldest son having already died of plague, Humphrey was succeeded by his grandson Henry
.
group Buckingham's Retinue, that attempts to portray the Stafford Household and the Duke of Buckingham's Riding Retinue. The group are considered by English Heritage
and the BBC
to be sufficiently authentic in their portrayals to have been employed by them in such a capacity.
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
(15 August 1402 – 10 July 1460), 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
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
and in the Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
.
Early life
He was born at StaffordStafford
Stafford is the county town of Staffordshire, in the West Midlands region of England. It lies approximately north of Wolverhampton and south of Stoke-on-Trent, adjacent to the M6 motorway Junction 13 to Junction 14...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England
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...
, the son of Edmund Stafford, 5th Earl of Stafford
Edmund Stafford, 5th Earl of Stafford
Edmund Stafford, 5th Earl of Stafford and 6th Baron Audley, KB, KG was the son of Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford and Philippa de Beauchamp....
and Anne of Gloucester
Anne of Gloucester
Anne of Gloucester, Countess of Stafford was the eldest daughter of Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester and Eleanor de Bohun.-Family:...
, daughter of Edward III's youngest son Thomas of Woodstock.
When Humphrey was less than a year old, his father was killed fighting for the royalist forces at the Battle of Shrewsbury
Battle of Shrewsbury
The Battle of Shrewsbury was a battle fought on 21 July 1403, waged between an army led by the Lancastrian King, Henry IV, and a rebel army led by Henry "Hotspur" Percy from Northumberland....
in July 1403. He became 6th Earl of Stafford, inheriting a large estate with lands in more than a dozen counties, although over two-thirds of his estate was still occupied by his mother and he only received a reduced income, of less than £1260, until he was sixteen. Humphrey was made a royal ward on his father's death, under the control of Henry IV's
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
queen Joanna of Navarre.
He was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed by Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
on 22 Apr 1421. Following Henry V's death, he was part of the regency council, becoming a Privy Councillor in 1424. He was seen as a moderating influence over the power battles between Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester
Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester
Humphrey of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Pembroke, KG , also known as Humphrey Plantagenet, was "son, brother and uncle of kings", being the fourth and youngest son of king Henry IV of England by his first wife, Mary de Bohun, brother to king Henry V of England, and uncle to the...
and Bishop Henry Beaufort. He was made a knight of the Order of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
in 1429.
Buckingham had been Lieutenant-General of Normandy between 1430 and 1432 and was created, in 1431, the Count of Perche, a province in English-occupied Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
by King Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
. This title was one of many granted by Henry VI to his leading supporters during the English occupation of France.
With his mother's death in 1438, he received the remainder of his father's estates, worth £1500 plus her half of the Bohun inheritance, another £1200; this included the title of Earl of Buckingham
Earl of Buckingham
The peerage title Earl of Buckingham was created several times in the Peerage of England.It was first created in 1097 for Walter Giffard, but became extinct in 1164 with the death of the second earl. It may have been created again in 1164 for Richard de Clare , who died without issue in 1176...
, bringing a further £1000. On 14 September 1444 he was created Duke of Buckingham
Duke of Buckingham
The 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:...
, making him one of the greatest landowners in England; in 1447 he was granted precedence over all English dukes not of royal blood. Despite his income, during his time in office as the Captain of the Calais garrison, he was heavily out of pocket. He was responsible for ensuring the garrison was paid, leaving him owed £19,395 by the Crown which was only partially recovered by the time he left in 1451. Public office continued to push him to spend over his annual income, with household costs of over £2000, as well as all the public requirements he needed to fund.
Other offices he held included Seneschal of Halton (from 1439) and Lieutenant of the Marches from 1442 – 1451. Buckingham became Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports
Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports
The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports is a ceremonial official in the United Kingdom. The post dates from at least the 12th century but may be older. The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports was originally in charge of the Cinque Ports, a group of five port towns on the southeast coast of England...
and Constable of Dover Castle
Dover Castle
Dover Castle is a medieval castle in the town of the same name in the English county of Kent. It was founded in the 12th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history...
, also Constable of Queensborough, on the Isle of Sheppey
Isle of Sheppey
The Isle of Sheppey is an island off the northern coast of Kent, England in the Thames Estuary, some to the east of London. It has an area of . The island forms part of the local government district of Swale...
), in 1450. He represented the Crown during peace talks with the French in 1445 and 1446 and in roles such as an envoy to the insurgents with Jack Cade
Jack Cade
Jack Cade was the leader of a popular revolt in the 1450 Kent rebellion during the reign of King Henry VI in England. He died on the 12th July 1450 near Lewes. In response to grievances, Cade led an army of as many as 5,000 against London, causing the King to flee to Warwickshire. After taking and...
at Blackheath. Buckingham, as a Constable of England, was one of the lords who arrested Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester
Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester
Humphrey of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Pembroke, KG , also known as Humphrey Plantagenet, was "son, brother and uncle of kings", being the fourth and youngest son of king Henry IV of England by his first wife, Mary de Bohun, brother to king Henry V of England, and uncle to the...
at Bury St Edmunds on 18 February 1447.
War of the Roses
The Privy Council was controlled by Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of SomersetEdmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset
Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset, KG , 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...
from around 1451. Buckingham supported Somerset, trying to maintain peace between him and Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York
Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York
Richard Plantagenêt, 3rd Duke of York, 6th Earl of March, 4th Earl of Cambridge, and 7th Earl of Ulster, conventionally called Richard of York was a leading English magnate, great-grandson of King Edward III...
. However, from August 1453, the king became catatonic and York was appointed Protector of the Realm; when the king recovered in 1455, reversing many of York's decisions, war broke out. Although loyal to King Henry VI, Buckingham was reluctant to take up arms for Somerset, even though his son was married to Somerset's daughter. He seemed to be the ideal choice to negotiate and secured Somerset's release from prison in Feb 1455; he was still trying to get a compromise up to the eve of the First Battle of St. Albans on 22 May 1455. Buckingham commanded the king's army of 2,500; only about 50 people died in the battle, but this included Somerset. Buckingham himself was wounded and captured with the king when the Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick
Earl of Warwick is a title that has been created four times in British history and is one of the most prestigious titles in the peerages of the British Isles.-1088 creation:...
scored a remarkable success. York now had the political upper hand, made himself Constable of England and kept the prisoner, returning to the role of Protector when the king became ill again. Throughout all of this, Buckingham kept an open mind and helped maintain a relative stability during York's second protectorate.
Unfortunately, his actions estranged him from Queen Margaret
Margaret of Anjou
Margaret of Anjou was the wife of King Henry VI of England. As such, she was Queen consort of England from 1445 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471; and Queen consort of France from 1445 to 1453...
. He opposed her decision to dismiss his half-brothers, Henry
Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex
Henry Bourchier, 5th Baron Bourchier, 1st Viscount Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex, KG , was the eldest son of William Bourchier, 1st Count of Eu and Anne of Gloucester...
and Thomas Bourchier, from office and she disliked his decision to support York in military situations. But at the end, he aligned himself with the queen, escorting her to the 'Loveday' reconciliation effort held between the factions on 2 March 1458. When hostilities started again, his presence at Battle of Ludford Bridge
Battle of Ludford Bridge
The Battle of Ludford Bridge was a largely bloodless battle fought in the early years of the Wars of the Roses. It took place on 12 October 1459, and resulted in a disastrous defeat for the Yorkists.-Background:...
led to the defeat of the Yorkist forces, and he was rewarded with extensive grants from the estates of Sir William Oldhall.
Warwick regrouped and landed in Sandwich in June 1460. in the lead up to the Battle of Northampton
Battle of Northampton (1460)
The 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...
, envoys were sent to negotiate, but Buckingham was no longer conciliatory. Buckingham informed them "The Earl of Warwick shall not come to the king's presence and if he comes he shall die," and told a group of Yorkist bishops that they were not men of peace but men of war and there could be no peace with Warwick. The battle was fought on 10 July 1460 and was shortened when Edmund Grey, 1st Earl of Kent
Edmund Grey, 1st Earl of Kent
Edmund Grey, 1st Earl of Kent , English administrator, nobleman and magnate, was the son of Sir John Grey, KG and Constance Holland...
turned traitor to the king and ordered his men to lay down arms, allowing the Yorkists access to the camp. In the ensuing fight, Buckingham, the Earl of Shrewsbury
John Talbot, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury
John Talbot, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury, 2nd Earl of Waterford, 8th Baron Talbot, KG was an English nobleman and soldier. He was the son of John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury and Maud Nevill, 6th Baroness Furnivall...
and the Lords Egremont
Thomas Percy, 1st Baron Egremont
Thomas Percy, 1st Baron Egremont Thomas Percy was the son of Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland and Lady Eleanor Neville. He was made Lord Egremont in 1449....
and Beaumont were killed by a group of Kentishmen. Buckingham was buried shortly after at Grey Friars, Northampton.
Family
Humphrey Stafford married Anne Neville, daughter of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of WestmorlandRalph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland
Sir Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland, 4th Baron Neville de Raby, Lord of Richmond, Earl Marshal, KG, PC , was an English nobleman of the House of Neville...
and Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland
Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland
Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland was the third or fourth child of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster and his mistress, later wife, Katherine Swynford; and, in her widowhood, a powerful landowner in the North of England.-Early life and marriages:She was likely born at the Swynford manor of...
sometime before 18 October 1424, at Raby Castle
Raby Castle
Raby Castle is situated near Staindrop in County Durham and is one of the largest inhabited castles in England. The Grade I listed building has opulent eighteenth and nineteenth century interiors inside a largely unchanged, late medieval shell. It is the home and seat of John Vane, 11th Baron...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, England. They had the following children:
- Humphrey Stafford, Earl of StaffordHumphrey 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 ....
(d. 1458) Married Margaret Beaufort, Countess of StaffordMargaret Beaufort, Countess of StaffordMargaret Beaufort was a daughter of Edmund Beaufort, 2nd 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 Edmund Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset and Eleanor Beauchamp. They were parents of Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of BuckinghamHenry Stafford, 2nd Duke of BuckinghamHenry 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...
. - Henry Stafford (c. 1425–1471) Third husband of Lady Margaret Beaufort, daughter of John Beaufort, 1st Duke of SomersetJohn Beaufort, 1st Duke of SomersetJohn Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset, KG was an English noble and military commander.-Family: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 Earl of...
and Margaret Beauchamp. Margaret Beaufort had previously been married to Edmund Tudor, the eldest half-brother of Henry VI, and had given birth to the future Henry VII two months after Edmund's death. She and Henry Stafford had no children together. - Edward Stafford
- Catherine Stafford (1437 – 26 December 1476). Married John Talbot, 3rd Earl of ShrewsburyJohn Talbot, 3rd Earl of ShrewsburyJohn Talbot, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury, 3rd Earl of Waterford, 9th Baron Talbot, KG was an English nobleman. He was the son of John Talbot, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury and Elizabeth Butler....
. - George Stafford (born 1439). Twin brother of William Stafford.
- William Stafford (born 1439). Twin brother of George Stafford.
- John Stafford, 1st Earl of WiltshireJohn Stafford, 1st Earl of WiltshireJohn Stafford, 1st Earl of Wiltshire was an English nobleman, the youngest son of Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham.In 1461 he was made a Knight of the Bath....
(d. 8 May 1473. Married Constance Green. They were the parents of Edward Stafford, 2nd Earl of WiltshireEdward Stafford, 2nd Earl of WiltshireSir Edward Stafford, 2nd Earl of Wiltshire was an English nobleman.He was the only child of John Stafford, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, and succeeded his father as earl in 1473 when he was 3 years old....
. - Joan Stafford (1442–1484). Married first William Beaumont and secondly William Knyvett.
- Anne Stafford (1446–1472). Married first Aubrey de Vere, son of John de Vere, 12th Earl of OxfordJohn de Vere, 12th Earl of OxfordJohn de Vere, 12th Earl of Oxford , was the son of Richard de Vere, 11th Earl of Oxford , and his second wife, Alice Serjeaux...
. She married secondly Thomas Cobham, 5th Baron CobhamThomas Cobham, 5th Baron CobhamSir Thomas Cobham of Sterborough Castle, and from 1460 de jure 5th Baron Cobham, was an English nobleman.-Life:Sir Thomas was the second son of Reginald de Cobham, 3rd Baron Cobham de jure and first wife Eleanor, daughter of Sir Thomas Culpeper...
. - Margaret Stafford. Married Robert Dunham.
His eldest son having already died of plague, Humphrey was succeeded by his grandson Henry
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...
.
Modern reenactment
The era is recreated by the historical reenactmentHistorical reenactment
Historical reenactment is an educational activity in which participants attempt torecreate some aspects of a historical event or period. This may be as narrow as a specific moment from a battle, such as the reenactment of Pickett's Charge at the Great Reunion of 1913, or as broad as an entire...
group Buckingham's Retinue, that attempts to portray the Stafford Household and the Duke of Buckingham's Riding Retinue. The group are considered by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
and the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
to be sufficiently authentic in their portrayals to have been employed by them in such a capacity.
Further reading
- Rawcliffe, Carole. The Staffords, Earls of Stafford and Dukes of Buckingham 1394–1521. Cambridge University Press, 1978.
- Haigh, Philip A. (1995). Military campaigns of the Wars of the Roses. Far Thrupp, Stroud, Gloucestershire: A. Sutton.