The

peerage A peerage is a legal system historically comprising various hereditary titles (and sometimes non-hereditary titles) in a number of countries, and composed of assorted noble ranks. Peerages include: Australia * Australian peers Belgium * Be ...

title Earl of Buckingham was created several times in the

Peerage of England The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain. There are five peerages in th ...

. It is not to be confused with the title of Earl of Buckinghamshire. 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 Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stron ...

("Strongbow"), who died without issue in 1176. It was created again in 1377 for Thomas of Woodstock, the youngest son of

King Edward III Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring r ...

. He was created

Duke of Gloucester Duke of Gloucester () is a British royal title (after Gloucester), often conferred on one of the sons of the reigning monarch. The first four creations were in the Peerage of England and the last in the Peerage of the United Kingdom; the curre ...

in 1385. The dukedom was forfeit on his attainder in 1397, but the earldom passed to his son, Humphrey, but became extinct on his death two years later. The title was created a fourth time in 1618 for Mary Villiers for life only. The title was created for a fifth time in 1617 for her son George Villiers, 1st Viscount Villiers, who was subsequently created

Duke of Buckingham Duke of Buckingham held with Duke of Chandos, referring to Buckingham, is a title that has been created several times in the peerages of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. There have also been earls and marquesses of Buckingham. ...

in 1623. All titles became extinct on the death of the second duke in 1687.

Earls of Buckingham (1097), first creation

Walter Giffard, 1st Earl of Buckingham Walter Giffard, Lord of Longueville in Normandy, 1st Earl of Buckingham (died 1102) was an Anglo-Norman magnate. He was the son of Walter Giffard, Lord of Longueville (one of the few proven companions of William the Conqueror at the Battle of ...

(d. 1102) * Walter Giffard, 2nd Earl of Buckingham (d. 1164)

Earls of Buckingham (1164), second creation

* Richard de Clare, 1st Earl of Buckingham (d. 1176)

Earls of Buckingham (1377), third creation

* Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Buckingham (d. 1397) *

Humphrey, 2nd Earl of Buckingham Humphrey, 2nd Earl of Buckingham (1381 – September 2, 1399) was an English peer and member of the House of Lords. He was Lord High Constable of England. His father, Thomas of Woodstock, was the youngest son of King Edward III and 1st cousin ...

(d. 1399)

Countesses of Buckingham (1618), fourth creation

Mary Villiers, Countess of Buckingham Mary Villiers, Countess of Buckingham (née Beaumont; c. 1570 – 19 April 1632) is perhaps best known as the mother of the royal favourite Sir George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham. She was the daughter of Anthony Beaumont of Glenfield, Le ...

(1570–1632)

Earls of Buckingham (1617), fifth creation

*''see

, second creation''

Impostor

From 1997 to 2006,

Charles Stopford Charles Albert Stopford III (born May 1962) is an American imposter who posed as the Earl of Buckingham and lived under the assumed name of Christopher Buckingham for over twenty years. The press dubbed him ‘the real Jackal’ due to his use o ...

claimed to be the Earl of Buckingham.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Buckingham Extinct earldoms in the Peerage of England Noble titles created in 1097 Noble titles created in 1164 Noble titles created in 1377 Noble titles created in 1617 Noble titles created in 1618 *