Henry Stafford, 1st Earl of Wiltshire facts for kids

Henry Stafford, 1st Earl of Wiltshire (born around 1479 – died April 6, 1523), was an important English nobleman. He was a Knight of the Garter, a special honor given by the King.

Field of the Cloth of Gold, an important meeting between kings.

Henry Stafford's Family Background

Henry Stafford was born around 1479. His father was Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham. His mother was Lady Catherine Woodville. This made him the nephew of Elizabeth Woodville, who was the wife of King Edward IV.

Henry had an older brother, Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham. He also had two sisters: Elizabeth and Anne.

After Henry's father died, his mother, Catherine Woodville, married Jasper Tudor. Jasper Tudor was the uncle of King Henry VII. After Jasper Tudor passed away, Catherine married Sir Richard Wingfield.

Henry Stafford's Journey and Career

In October 1483, Henry's father was involved in a rebellion against King Richard III. His father died in November 1483, and his family lost their titles.

However, after King Richard III was defeated, King Henry VII became king. Henry Stafford's older brother got his family's titles back. In 1486, King Henry VII's mother, Margaret Beaufort, became responsible for Henry and his brother. This might have happened because their mother, Catherine Woodville, was the sister of King Henry VII's wife, Elizabeth of York.

Henry Stafford did not inherit much land or money. So, he worked for his older brother, the Duke of Buckingham. He helped manage his brother's large estates. For example, he looked after his brother's properties in Wales and Gloucestershire. He also served as a steward and sheriff in his brother's Welsh lands for many years.

Serving the Kings

Henry Stafford also played a role at the courts of King Henry VII and King Henry VIII. In 1505, he became a member of the Order of the Garter. This is a very important group of knights. In 1506, he was present when King Henry VII met with Philip of Castile.

When King Henry VIII became king in 1509, Henry Stafford was briefly held in the Tower. But he was released without any charges. In 1510, King Henry VIII made him the Earl of Wiltshire.

Henry Stafford became one of the King's favorite courtiers. He enjoyed the King's love for grand parties, tournaments, and hunting. The King gave him several important jobs in the West Country. Henry also served in the military. He was on one of the King's ships in 1512. In 1513, he led 651 men during King Henry VIII's invasion of France.

In 1515, he was present when Wolsey received his Cardinal's hat. By 1520, he became a member of the Privy Council. This was a group of advisors to the King. In 1520, he attended the famous Field of the Cloth of Gold. This was a grand meeting between King Henry VIII and the King of France. He also met with Emperor Charles V that same year.

Henry Stafford died a few months later, on April 6, 1523. He was about 44 years old. He did not have any children, so his title of Earl of Wiltshire ended. Later, in 1529, the title was given to Thomas Boleyn. Thomas Boleyn's daughter, Anne, was going to marry King Henry VIII.

Marriage

Before October 1505, Henry Stafford married Cecily Bonville. Cecily was the only child and heiress of William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington. She was also the widow of Henry Stafford's cousin, Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset. Cecily Bonville was older than Henry Stafford. She had many children from her first marriage.

This marriage was important for Henry Stafford because Cecily was very wealthy. Her eldest son from her first marriage, Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset, had some concerns about his mother's wealth. But the King and his advisors helped them reach an agreement. Henry Stafford and Cecily Bonville did not have any children together.