Humphrey Stafford ( – 22 May 1458), generally known by his

courtesy title A courtesy title is a title that does not have legal significance but rather is used through custom or courtesy, particularly, in the context of nobility, the titles used by children of members of the nobility (cf. substantive title). In some con ...

of Earl of Stafford, was the eldest son of Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham and

Lady Anne Neville Anne Neville (11 June 1456 – 16 March 1485) was Queen of England as the wife of King Richard III. She was the younger of the two daughters and co-heiresses of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick (the "Kingmaker"). Before her marriage to Ri ...

(d. 1480).

Biography

His maternal grandparents were Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland and

Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland Joan Beaufort ( – 13 November 1440) was the youngest of the four legitimised children and only daughter of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster (third surviving son of King Edward III), by his mistress, later wife, Katherine Swynford. Sh ...

. His maternal uncles included (among others)

Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury (1400 – 31 December 1460) was an English nobleman and magnate based in northern England who became a key supporter of the House of York during the early years of the Wars of the Roses. He was the ...

(father of '' Warwick, the Kingmaker''),

Robert Neville Robert Neville may refer to: *Robert Neville (bishop) (1404–1457), English bishop * Robert Neville (journalist) (1905–1970), American war correspondent * Robert Neville (Royal Marines officer) (1896–1987), Royal Marines officer and Governor o ...

who was first

Bishop of Salisbury The Bishop of Salisbury is the ordinary of the Church of England's Diocese of Salisbury in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers much of the counties of Wiltshire and Dorset. The see is in the City of Salisbury where the bishop's seat ...

and then

Bishop of Durham The Bishop of Durham is the Anglican bishop responsible for the Diocese of Durham in the Province of York. The diocese is one of the oldest in England and its bishop is a member of the House of Lords. Paul Butler has been the Bishop of Durham ...

, William Neville, 1st Earl of Kent and Edward Nevill, 3rd Baron Bergavenny. His most prominent maternal aunt was Cecily Neville, wife of

Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York (21 September 1411 – 30 December 1460), also named Richard Plantagenet, was a leading English magnate and claimant to the throne during the Wars of the Roses. He was a member of the ruling House of Planta ...

and mother to among others

Edward IV of England Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in Englan ...

Edmund, Earl of Rutland Edmund, Earl of Rutland (17 May 1443 – 30 December 1460) was the fourth child and second surviving son of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, and Cecily Neville. He was a younger brother of Edward IV of England, Edward, Earl of March, the ...

George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence (21 October 144918 February 1478), was the 6th son of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, and Cecily Neville, and the brother of English kings Edward IV and Richard III. He played an important role in the ...

Richard III of England Richard III (2 October 145222 August 1485) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat and death at the Ba ...

, Anne, Duchess of Exeter, Elizabeth, Duchess of Suffolk, and Margaret, Duchess of Burgundy. Other maternal aunts included Eleanor Percy (nee Neville), 2nd Countess of Northumberland, and Katherine Mowbray (nee Neville), 2nd Duchess of Norfolk. Lord Stafford fought under his father-in-law in support of the

House of Lancaster The House of Lancaster was a cadet branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. The first house was created when King Henry III of England created the Earldom of Lancasterfrom which the house was namedfor his second son Edmund Crouchback in 126 ...

during the First Battle of St Albans. He appears to have been badly wounded at this battle, but eventually died either of his wounds or from the

plague Plague or The Plague may refer to: Agriculture, fauna, and medicine *Plague (disease), a disease caused by ''Yersinia pestis'' * An epidemic of infectious disease (medical or agricultural) * A pandemic caused by such a disease * A swarm of pes ...

, predeceasing his own father in 1458. Stafford married

Lady Margaret Beaufort Lady Margaret Beaufort (usually pronounced: or ; 31 May 1441/43 – 29 June 1509) was a major figure in the Wars of the Roses of the late fifteenth century, and mother of King Henry VII of England, the first Tudor monarch. A descendant o ...

, daughter of

Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset, 4th Earl of Somerset, 1st Earl of Dorset, 1st Marquess of Dorset styled 1st Count of Mortain, KG (140622 May 1455), was an English nobleman and an important figure during the Hundred Years' War. His rival ...

and Lady Eleanor Beauchamp. Lady Margaret was a sister of Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset (executed 15 May 1464 after the Battle of Hexham) and Edmund Beaufort, 4th Duke of Somerset (executed 6 May 1471 after the Battle of Tewkesbury). Her maternal grandparents were

Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick Richard Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick (25 or 28 January 138230 April 1439) was an English medieval nobleman and military commander. Early life Beauchamp was born at Salwarpe Court Richard Gough, ''Description of the Beauchamp chapel, adjoi ...

and his first wife Elizabeth Berkeley. By her father, she was a niece of Joan Beaufort, Queen of Scots and a cousin to

(mother of King Henry VII). By her mother, Lady Margaret was a niece of Anne de Beauchamp, 16th Countess of Warwick and as such, a cousin to Isabel, Duchess of Clarence and queen consort

Anne Neville Anne Neville (11 June 1456 – 16 March 1485) was Queen of England as the wife of King Richard III. She was the younger of the two daughters and co-heiresses of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick (the "Kingmaker"). Before her marriage to Ri ...

. Lord and Lady Stafford had two sons, Henry Stafford (14551483) and Humphrey Stafford. Henry was styled Earl of Stafford on his father's death in 1458, and succeeded his paternal grandfather as Duke of Buckingham following the latter's death at the Battle of Northampton on 10 July 1460.Davies, C. S. L
"Stafford, Henry, second duke of Buckingham"
''

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

'', 22 September 2011. Accessed 4 March 2019.

Ancestors

References

Bibliography

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Stafford, Humphrey Stafford, Earl Of 1420s births 1458 deaths Year of birth uncertain Humphrey Earls of Stafford Courtesy earls Heirs apparent who never acceded Neville family