Edward Stafford (diplomat) facts for kids

Sir Edward Stafford (1552 – 1605) was an important English figure during the time of Queen Elizabeth I. He was a Member of Parliament, which means he helped make laws. He also worked at the Queen's court and was a diplomat. This meant he represented England in other countries.

His most important job was being an ambassador to France. He helped with talks about Queen Elizabeth possibly marrying a French duke. Later, while in France, some people suspected him of sharing secrets. These suspicions involved money from French and Spanish agents. However, Queen Elizabeth never took action against him.

Edward Stafford's Early Life

Edward Stafford was born in 1552. His parents were Sir William Stafford and Dorothy Stafford. He studied at two famous universities, St John's College, Cambridge and Pembroke College, Cambridge.

After his studies, a powerful person named Lord Burghley helped him. Edward became a Member of Parliament (MP) for areas like Mitchell and Heytesbury. An MP is someone elected to represent a group of people in the government.

From 1573, Edward Stafford worked at Queen Elizabeth I's court. His mother, Dorothy Stafford, was also very close to the Queen. She was the Queen's Mistress of the Robes, which helped Edward's position.

Diplomacy in France

In 1578, Edward Stafford went to France for the first time as a diplomat. His job was to talk with King Henry III of France. They discussed the idea of Queen Elizabeth marrying Francis, Duke of Anjou. The Duke even visited England and stayed with Stafford in 1579. Stafford went on three more missions to France in 1580 for these marriage talks.

In 1583, he was made a knight, so he became Sir Edward Stafford. He was then appointed England's ambassador to Paris, France. As ambassador, he was the Queen's main representative in France.

Sir Edward Stafford worked closely with Lord Burghley. This sometimes caused problems with another important spy chief, Francis Walsingham. Walsingham had his own network of spies. He even had Stafford's letters checked.

Walsingham also heard about Stafford's money problems. This made Stafford less willing to share information with Walsingham. Stafford took money from a French leader, Henry I, Duke of Guise. In return, he gave the Duke access to secret diplomatic messages. Walsingham knew about these things. But he could not act against Stafford because Lord Burghley protected him.

Suspicions of Sharing Secrets

In 1587, there were more serious concerns. Sir Edward Stafford was accused of talking to a Spanish agent named Bernardino de Mendoza. Some people believed Stafford might have shared secrets with Spain. One reason suggested was money, as he was given 2,000 crowns. Another idea was that he wanted to get back at Walsingham.

It is unclear if Stafford was the only person giving information to Spain. But Mendoza received warnings about Francis Drake's attack on the Spanish fleet. This attack happened in Cadiz, a Spanish port.

However, some information given to Spain was not completely accurate. This could mean Stafford was not giving all the details. Or perhaps he himself did not know everything. Stafford also did not fully report on Spain's plans for the Spanish Armada in 1588. The Armada was a huge fleet of Spanish ships. This lack of reporting was either on purpose or because he relied too much on Mendoza. Historians still debate if Stafford was truly a traitor. The evidence against him is strong but not fully proven.

After the Spanish Armada

After the English defeated the Spanish Armada, Stafford stopped giving information to Mendoza. This might have been because Queen Elizabeth helped him with his debts. Or it could be because Walsingham died in 1590.

Sir Edward Stafford was called back from Paris in 1590. He did not hold any major government jobs after that. However, he was given a less demanding job called Clerk of the Pipe. He continued to be a Member of Parliament for different areas. These included Winchester, Stafford, and Queenborough.

He passed away on February 5, 1605. He was buried at St. Margaret's, Westminster church.

Family Life

Sir Edward Stafford married Roberta Chapman in the early 1570s. They had one son and two daughters. Sadly, Roberta passed away in 1578 during her fourth pregnancy.

Later, Stafford married Douglas Sheffield. She was the sister of Charles Howard. This marriage helped Stafford's connections with the Queen. Douglas's sister, Katherine, was a close friend of Queen Elizabeth. Edward and Douglas had two daughters, but they did not live past childhood.