William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Hastings
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Arms of William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings, KG
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| Lord Chamberlain of the Household | |
| In office 1461–1483 Vacant 1470-1471 |
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| Monarch | Edward IV |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Salisbury |
| Succeeded by | The Viscount Lovell |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c.1430 |
| Died | June 1483 Tower of London |
| Spouse | Katherine Neville |
| Children | Edward Hastings, 2nd Baron Hastings Sir William Hastings Sir Richard Hastings George Hastings Anne Hastings, Countess of Shrewsbury Elizabeth Hastings |
| Parents | Sir Leonard Hastings Alice Camoys |
William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings (born around 1431 – died June 1483) was an important English nobleman. He was a very loyal supporter of the House of York during the Wars of the Roses. He became a close friend and a key advisor to King Edward IV. William Hastings served as the King's Lord Chamberlain, which was a very important job. When King Edward died, Hastings was one of the most powerful and wealthy people in England. He was later executed after being accused of plotting against Edward's brother, Richard III. The exact date of his death is often said to be June 13th.
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Who Was William Hastings?
William Hastings was born around 1430 or 1431. He was the oldest son of Sir Leonard Hastings and Alice Camoys. William followed in his father's footsteps by serving the House of York. This service helped him become very close to his distant cousin, who would later become King Edward IV. Hastings was loyal to Edward throughout his entire life. He also held important local roles, like High Sheriff of Warwickshire and High Sheriff of Leicestershire in 1455.
Hastings' Rise to Power
William Hastings fought alongside Edward at the Battle of Mortimer's Cross. He was there when Edward was declared king in London in March 1461. He also fought with the new king at the Battle of Towton, which helped secure Edward's crown. After this battle, he was made a knight.
Once the Yorkist family took control, Hastings became a very important person in the kingdom. He was made Master of the Mint, which meant he was in charge of making coins. More importantly, he became Lord Chamberlain. He held this job for all of Edward IV's reign. This position made him one of the main people who could speak directly with the king. He was also given the title of Baron Hastings. This title came with land and important jobs, especially in Leicestershire and Northamptonshire. In 1462, he was honored by becoming a Knight of the Garter.
Building Castles and Forts
In 1474, King Edward IV gave William Hastings special permission to build strong defenses at three of his properties in Leicestershire. These places were Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Kirby Muxloe, and Bagworth.
At Ashby, he added a lot to the existing manor house. His most famous addition was the Hastings Tower. At Kirby Muxloe Castle, he started building a detailed fortified house made of red brick. This was one of the first buildings of its kind in the area. Today, you can still see the castles at Ashby and Kirby, thanks to English Heritage. However, nothing remains of any construction at Bagworth.
Family Connections and Loyalty
William Hastings' importance was clear to everyone, including Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, who was the most powerful nobleman at the time. In 1462, Warwick arranged for Hastings to marry his sister, Katherine Neville. Katherine was a widow whose first husband had died in 1461.
Even with this family connection to the Nevilles, Hastings remained loyal to Edward IV. When Warwick forced King Edward into exile in 1470, Hastings went with the king. He then returned with Edward the next spring. Hastings gathered soldiers for Edward in the English Midlands. He was one of the main leaders of the Yorkist army at both the Battle of Barnet and the Battle of Tewkesbury.
Increased Influence
Because of his loyalty and skills, and because his Neville relatives lost power, Hastings became even more important during the second half of Edward IV's reign. He continued to serve as Lord Chamberlain. In 1471, he was also made Chamberlain of the Exchequer, a role he held until 1483. He was also appointed Lieutenant of Calais, which made him important in dealing with other countries. He was given control over a large part of the English Midlands. At court, he had some disagreements with members of Queen Elizabeth Woodville's family, especially with her son Thomas Grey.
How Did William Hastings Die?
After King Edward IV died on April 9, 1483, the Queen Mother tried to quickly crown her young son, Edward V. She tried to do this without involving Richard, Duke of Gloucester, whom the late king had named as the person in charge (Lord Protector).
Hastings had been a friend of Richard for a long time and did not get along with the Woodville family (the Queen Mother's family). He played a key role in stopping the Queen Mother's plans. While keeping the Woodvilles in check in London, Hastings kept Richard informed and asked him to come to London quickly. Richard met the young king, who was traveling to London with his Woodville relatives. Hastings then supported Richard becoming the official Lord Protector and worked closely with him in the royal council.
Things changed suddenly on June 13, 1483, during a council meeting at the Tower of London. People at the time said that Richard, with the support of the Duke of Buckingham, accused Hastings and two other council members of plotting against him with the Woodvilles. A record from 1483 by Domenico Mancini states that Richard claimed those arrested "had come with hidden weapons so that they could be the first to start a violent attack." This was later confirmed in a public announcement. While the other people accused were put in prison, Hastings was immediately executed. The exact date of his execution is debated, but many historians agree on June 13th.
The quick execution of Hastings, who was well-liked, was controversial at the time. Historians and writers have different ideas about it. The traditional story, often told by writers from the Tudor period like William Shakespeare, says that the accusation of plotting was made up. They believe it was just an excuse to get rid of Lord Hastings. This is because Hastings was known for being loyal to King Edward IV and his children. If he had stayed alive, he would have been a strong obstacle to Richard's own plans to take the throne. Other historians are more open to the idea that a plot might have existed, and that Richard might have acted to protect himself.
Despite the accusation of plotting, no official legal punishment (called an attainder) was issued against Lord Hastings. This suggests that he might have had a trial by a special court called the Court of Chivalry, which did not have the power to issue attainders. Because of this, his wife and sons were allowed to inherit his lands and properties. Hastings was buried in the north aisle of St George's Chapel, Windsor, next to his friend King Edward IV.
William Hastings in Stories
William Hastings appears in two of Shakespeare's famous plays: Henry VI, Part 3 and Richard III.
In Al Pacino's documentary Looking for Richard, the actor Kevin Conway plays Lord Hastings.
Family Life
Before February 6, 1462, Hastings married Katherine Neville. She was the sister of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, who was known as "Warwick the Kingmaker." Katherine was also the widow of William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington, who died in battle in 1460. William and Katherine Hastings had four sons and two daughters:
- Edward Hastings, 2nd Baron Hastings, who married Mary Hungerford.
- Sir William Hastings.
- Sir Richard Hastings, who married and had two daughters: Elizabeth Hastings, who married John Beaumont, and Mary Hastings, who married Thomas Saunders.
- George Hastings.
- Anne Hastings, who married George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury.
- Elizabeth Hastings.
