Thomas Stanley, 2nd Earl of Derby facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Thomas Stanley, 2nd Earl of Derby
Thomas Stanley, 2nd Earl of Derby
Born	before 1485
Died	23 May 1521
Spouse(s)	Anne Hastings
Issue	Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby Margaret Stanley John Stanley
Father	George Stanley, 9th Baron Strange
Mother	Joan Strange

Thomas Stanley, 2nd Earl of Derby (born before 1485 – died 23 May 1521) was an important English nobleman and politician. He held the title of Earl of Derby, which was a high rank in the English peerage.

Who Was Thomas Stanley?

Thomas Stanley was the oldest son of George Stanley, 9th Baron Strange and Joan Strange. His grandparents were Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby, and Eleanor Neville. His grandfather, the 1st Earl, later married Margaret Beaufort. She was the mother of King Henry VII, who became King of England. This made Thomas Stanley's family very connected to the royal family.

Thomas had four brothers named Anthony, John, James, and George. He also had five sisters: Elizabeth, Eleanor, Katherine, Joan, and Margaret.

Becoming an Earl

Thomas Stanley's father, George, was known as Lord Strange. Sadly, George died in 1503, before his own father, the 1st Earl of Derby.

A year later, in 1504, Thomas Stanley's grandfather, the 1st Earl, passed away. This meant Thomas inherited the title of Earl of Derby and became the 2nd Earl. He also became Lord Stanley. Later, in 1514, when his mother died, he inherited more titles: Baron Strange and Baron Mohun.

His Life and Important Events

As a nobleman, Thomas Stanley took part in important events of his time.

• In 1513, he was involved in the Battle of the Spurs. This was a battle fought in France between English and French forces.
• In June 1520, Thomas and his wife, Anne, attended the Field of the Cloth of Gold. This was a huge, fancy meeting between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France. It was a very grand event with lots of tents, feasts, and tournaments.
• Later that same year, Thomas also met with Emperor Charles V when the Emperor visited Dover, England.

Thomas Stanley died on 23 May 1521. He was buried at Syon Abbey. His wife, Anne, passed away many years later in 1550.

Family Life and Children

In 1498, Thomas Stanley was supposed to marry Elizabeth Wells. She was the daughter of John Welles, 1st Viscount Welles, and Cecily of York, who was the daughter of King Edward IV. However, Elizabeth died that same year, so the marriage did not happen.

In 1505, Thomas Stanley married Anne Hastings. She was the daughter of Edward Hastings, 2nd Baron Hastings. Thomas and Anne had two sons and one daughter:

• Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby
• Margaret Stanley (who passed away around 1534)
• John Stanley (who died when he was young)

Thomas also had an illegitimate daughter named Elizabeth Stanley, born in 1502.

Thomas Stanley and Shakespeare

Thomas Stanley's grandfather, the 1st Earl of Derby, plays a big part in Shakespeare's famous play, Richard III. In the play, the 1st Earl of Derby did not help King Richard III during the Battle of Bosworth Field. This battle was very important because it led to King Richard's defeat and the rise of King Henry VII.

In the play, King Richard held Thomas Stanley's father, George, as a hostage. This made it difficult for the 1st Earl of Derby to choose sides. Here's a famous line from the play that talks about this:

Sir Christopher, tell Richmond this from me: That in the sty of the most deadly boar My son George Stanley is frank'd up in hold; If I revolt, off goes young George's head; The fear of that holds off my present aid.

This shows how important the Stanley family was during this time in English history.

Ancestors of Thomas Stanley