Henry Grey, 1st Earl of Stamford facts for kids

A 1638 painting of Henry Grey by Cornelis Janssens van Ceulen

Henry Grey, 1st Earl of Stamford (born around 1599 – died August 21, 1673) was an important English nobleman and military leader. Before he became an Earl, he was known as the Lord Grey of Groby from 1614 to 1628. Henry was the oldest son of Sir John Grey and Elizabeth Nevill. His mother was likely the daughter of Edward Nevill, 8th Baron Bergavenny and Rachel Lennard.

Henry took over his grandfather's title, becoming the second Baron Grey of Groby in July 1614. His grandmother was Anne Windsor. She was the youngest daughter of William Windsor, 2nd Baron Windsor.

His great-grandfather, Lord John Grey of Pirgo, was the son of Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset. He was also the younger brother of Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk.

Life as a Leader

A drawing of Henry Gray by Wenceslas Hollar

Henry Grey went to Trinity College, Cambridge in 1615. He earned a Master of Arts degree that same year. This happened when King James I of England visited the college. Henry married Lady Anne Cecil. She was the daughter of William Cecil, 2nd Earl of Exeter. Lady Anne Cecil owned the town and manor of Stamford.

In March 1628, Henry was given the title of Earl of Stamford. This made him a very important person.

Role in the English Civil War

Just before the English Civil War began, Henry Grey was known as an opponent of King Charles I of England. He was made the Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire. This meant he was the King's main representative in that area.

Henry led some military actions around Leicester. He then took control of the city of Hereford. When he had to leave Hereford, he marched his troops to Cornwall.

At the Battle of Stratton on May 16, 1643, his soldiers were defeated by the Royalists. The Royalists were supporters of the King. Henry Grey's troops were pushed back into Exeter. After a three-month siege, the Earl of Stamford had to surrender the city.

Many people thought Henry was not a good general. He was even accused of being a coward. After this, he did not take part in any more military battles. However, he was sometimes asked to help with other tasks.

Later Years

The war caused a lot of damage, and Henry became very poor. The British House of Commons did not trust him. This made it hard for him to get any money from Parliament to help him.

After some time away from public life, he supported King Charles II of England. This happened during a rebellion in August 1659. He was arrested but was soon set free. Henry Grey died on August 21, 1673. His title of Earl then went to his grandson, Thomas Grey, 2nd Earl of Stamford.

Henry Grey's Children

Henry and Lady Anne Cecil had at least nine children. They were:

• Lady Elizabeth Grey (born around 1622). She married George Booth, 1st Baron Delamer. She was the mother of Henry Booth, 1st Earl of Warrington.
• Thomas Grey, Lord Grey of Groby (around 1623 – 1657). He was a Member of Parliament for Leicester.
• Lady Diana Grey (born before 1631 – died April 8, 1689). She married Robert Bruce, 2nd Earl of Elgin. She was the mother of Thomas Bruce, 3rd Earl of Elgin.
• Anchitell Grey (died 1702). He put together the Debates of the House of Commons, 1667-1694. This was a collection of ten books.
• John Grey. He married Lady Catherine Ward. She was the daughter of Edward Ward, 7th Baron Dudley. They were the parents of Harry Grey, 3rd Earl of Stamford.
• Lady Jane Grey. She married into the Ogle family.
• Leonard Grey. People thought he died young. But he moved to France, and his family lost track of him. He married Anne Durand there. Leonard likely died around 1693 in Paris.
• Lady Anna Grey.
• Lady Mary Grey. People believed she died young.
• Robert Grey (1638–1718). He moved to Andover, Massachusetts, USA. He married Hannah Holt.

Family Coat of Arms

The Grey family's coat of arms

The coat of arms for the Grey family has a special design. It shows six horizontal stripes, alternating silver and blue. At the top, there are three red circles.