Ralph Hastings (died 1495) facts for kids

Sir Ralph Hastings (died 1495) was an important English knight. He lived during a time of big changes in England called the Wars of the Roses. Ralph was a strong supporter of the House of York, one of the main families fighting for the throne.

He was a brave soldier, fighting in key battles like Barnet and Tewkesbury. After the Battle of Tewkesbury, he was made a knight. Sir Ralph also held many important jobs for King Edward IV. These included looking after the lions and leopards at the Tower of London and serving as a leader in French towns like Guisnes and Calais.

Family Background

Ralph Hastings was the third son in his family. His father was Sir Leonard Hastings, and his mother was Alice Camoys. Ralph had three brothers and three sisters.

Here are some of his siblings:

• His older brother, William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings, was a very powerful noble. He was a close friend of King Edward IV. Sadly, he lost his life in 1483 by order of the future King Richard III.
• Another brother, Richard Hastings, Baron Welles, also became an important figure.
• His sister, Elizabeth Hastings, married Sir John Donne. They had several children.
• Anne Hastings married Thomas Ferrers.
• Joan Hastings married John Brokesby.

Sir Ralph's Career

This picture shows the Battle of Tewkesbury, where Sir Ralph Hastings became a knight.

During the Wars of the Roses, Sir Ralph Hastings was a loyal supporter of the House of York. He was a trusted helper and knight for King Edward IV.

He fought bravely in two major battles:

• The Battle of Barnet on April 14, 1471.
• The Battle of Tewkesbury on May 4, 1471. After this battle, he was honored by the King and made a knight.

In the same year, King Edward IV gave him important roles. He became a joint keeper of Rockingham Castle and received regular payments from the King. In 1462, he was given the land of Great Harrowden.

Sir Ralph held many different jobs for King Edward IV. One interesting job was being the Keeper of the Lions and Leopards at the Tower of London.

He also worked in government and law:

• In 1470, he helped manage customs (taxes on goods) in Lynn, Norfolk, and London.
• In 1471, he was the High Sheriff of Northamptonshire, a top law enforcement officer for the county.
• In 1472, he represented Northamptonshire in Parliament as a Knight of the Shire.
• In 1472, he and his brother William were allowed to start a special group called a guild at a church in Northampton.

In 1475, Sir Ralph went with the English army to France. From 1474 to 1483, he was a leader in Guisnes, a town in France. He also served as the Captain of Calais, another important French port. His older brother, William, was the main leader there.

King Edward IV passed away on April 9, 1483. A few months later, on June 13, 1483, Sir Ralph's older brother, William, was put to death at the Tower of London. This happened because he was thought to be planning against the future King Richard III. Even after this sad event, another of Ralph's brothers, Richard, attended Richard III's coronation.

Sir Ralph Hastings passed away before December 1, 1495. In his will, he left his properties to his wife and money to his daughter Amy. He also left a special prayer book to his granddaughter and his best horse to his brother Richard. He wanted to be buried at Syon Monastery or Barking Abbey.

Marriages and Children

Sir Ralph Hastings married Amy Tattershall. Amy was the daughter of John Tattershall and Agnes Chicheley. Agnes's uncle was Archbishop Henry Chicheley, a very important church leader.

Sir Ralph and Amy Tattershall had six daughters:

• Florence Hastings (died around 1536) was their oldest daughter. She married Edmund Grey, who was the 9th Baron Grey. They had four sons and two daughters.
• Margery Hastings married John Pole.
• Elizabeth Hastings married Sir John Longvile.
• Isabel Hastings married Sir John Dyve.
• Katherine Hastings married William Norwich.
• Amy Hastings.