Feudal barony of Stafford facts for kids

The feudal barony of Stafford was like a special land ownership system in England. It was centered at Stafford Castle in Staffordshire. The powerful families who held this barony later became known as Barons Stafford, then Earls of Stafford, and even Dukes of Buckingham.

However, this powerful family faced tough times. After the 3rd Duke was executed in 1521, his lands and titles were taken by the King. But his son, Henry Stafford, 1st Baron Stafford (1501-1563), managed to get Stafford Castle back in 1531. He was later made a baron himself.

His family kept the castle, but they lost much of their wealth and importance. During the English Civil War, around 1643, Parliamentarian forces destroyed Stafford Castle. The family became very poor. The 6th Baron Stafford was even asked by King Charles I to give up his title because he had no money or land. When he died without children, the main line of the Stafford family ended.

Who Owned Stafford Castle?

The history of the feudal barons of Stafford is well-known. Some of it was even written in a poem found at Stone Priory in 1537! Here's how the ownership of Stafford Castle changed hands over the years:

The de Tosny/de Stafford Family

• Robert de Stafford (around 1039–1100): He was an Anglo-Norman nobleman who came to England after the Norman Conquest in 1066. King William the Conqueror gave him 131 estates, mostly in Staffordshire. He built Stafford Castle as his main home. His lands are listed in the Domesday Book of 1086.
• Nicholas I de Stafford (died around 1138): Robert's eldest son, he became the 2nd feudal baron.
• Robert II de Stafford (died 1177/85): Nicholas's son.
• Robert III de Stafford (died 1193/94): Robert II's son, he died without children.
• Millicent de Stafford: She was Robert III's sister and inherited the lands. She married Harvey I Bagot. Harvey had to pay a lot of money to King Richard the Lionheart to marry Millicent and get her lands.

The Bagot/de Stafford Family Takes Over

Arms of Stafford, adopted around 1200-1215. This shield shows Or, a chevron gules (a red chevron on a gold background).

• Henry/Harvey II de Stafford (died 1237): He was Millicent's son. He decided to use his mother's family name, Stafford, instead of his father's name, Bagot. He married Pernel, the daughter of a powerful Earl. He is often seen as the person who really started the famous Stafford family.
• Harvey III de Stafford (died 1241): Henry's son, he died without children.
• Robert IV de Stafford (died 1261): Harvey III's brother.
• Nicholas II de Stafford (1255-1282): Robert IV's son.
• Edmund de Stafford, 1st Baron Stafford (1272/73-1308): Nicholas II's son. King Edward I officially called him to Parliament in 1299, making him the 1st Baron Stafford. He married Margaret Basset.
• Ralph de Stafford, 1st Earl of Stafford, 2nd Baron Stafford (1301–1372): Edmund's son. He was made Earl of Stafford in 1351 and was one of the first Knights of the Garter. He married Margaret de Audley.
• Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford, 3rd Baron Stafford (around 1342–1386): Ralph's eldest son.
• Thomas Stafford, 3rd Earl of Stafford, 4th Baron Stafford (around 1368–1392): Hugh's second son.
• William Stafford, 4th Earl of Stafford, 5th Baron Stafford (1375–1395): Hugh's third son.
• Edmund Stafford, 5th Earl of Stafford, 6th Baron Stafford (1378–1403): Hugh's fifth son.
• Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham, 6th Earl of Stafford, 7th Baron Stafford (1402–1460): He was made the 1st Duke of Buckingham in 1444.
• Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham (1455–1483): Humphrey's grandson. He was found guilty of treason in 1483.
• Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham (1477–1521): Henry's eldest son. He got his father's titles back in 1485. He built a new grand home, Thornbury Castle, but still kept Stafford Castle. He was executed for treason in 1521 under King Henry VIII. The family's lands were taken by the King.
• Henry Stafford, 1st Baron Stafford (1501-1563): Edward's eldest son. Even though his father's titles were taken, Henry managed to get Stafford Castle back from King Henry VIII in 1531. In 1547, he was officially made Baron Stafford.
• Henry Stafford, 2nd Baron Stafford (around 1534-1566): Henry's eldest son. He was a Member of Parliament. He died at Stafford Castle and had no children.
• Edward Stafford, 3rd Baron Stafford (1536–1603): Henry's brother. He was also a Member of Parliament and a lawyer. He died in 1603.
• Edward Stafford, 4th Baron Stafford (1572–1625): Edward's son. During the English Civil War in 1643, his widow, Lady Isabel Stafford, who was a strong Royalist, held Stafford Castle. Parliamentarian forces tried to take the castle. They even burned some nearby buildings to try and make her give up, but she refused. The castle was eventually destroyed by Parliamentarian forces.
• Henry Stafford, 5th Baron Stafford (1621–1637): Edward's grandson. His sister, Mary Stafford, later became Baroness Stafford with her husband.
• Roger Stafford, 6th Baron Stafford (around 1573–1640): A distant cousin. He became Baron Stafford when he was about 64. However, King Charles I asked him to give up his title because he was very poor and had no land. It's said the King wanted to give the Stafford title to another powerful family, the Howards. Roger died unmarried and without children, and with his death, the main male line of the Stafford family ended.

Stafford Family Lands

The first feudal baron, Robert de Stafford, owned a huge amount of land. The Domesday Book of 1086 lists 131 estates belonging to him! Many of these were in Staffordshire, including places like Barlaston and Bradley. He also owned parts of Duns Tew in Oxfordshire.

The End of a Great Family

The feudal barony was connected to the ownership of Stafford Castle. Eventually, the castle passed out of the Stafford family's hands.

The Stafford family reached its highest point with Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham (1477–1521). But when he was executed for treason in 1521, his family's power quickly fell apart.

His only son lost most of his lands and titles. He got back a small part of his family's wealth and was allowed to be a baron. But later generations of the family became very poor. The last male heir, Roger Stafford, was so poor that he was ashamed to use his own name. He was forced to give up his title and died without children in 1640. His only sister married a joiner, and her son became a cobbler. This shows how much the once-powerful Stafford family had fallen.