William Stafford (conspirator) facts for kids

William Stafford (1554–1612) was an English courtier and a person involved in secret plans. A courtier was someone who attended the royal court.

He was the son of William Stafford of Chebsey. His father was the brother-in-law of Henry VIII of England. This made him the uncle of Elizabeth I. William Stafford's father had first married Mary Boleyn, who was the sister of Anne Boleyn. William Stafford was born from his father's second marriage to Dorothy Stafford.

Growing Up and Education

In 1555, William's family moved to Geneva, Switzerland. They were strong Protestants. They lived there for almost two years. They knew John Calvin, a famous religious leader. Calvin was even the godfather to William's brother.

After his father died, the family moved to Basel. They lived next door to another important religious leader, John Knox. In 1559, they returned to Waltham, Essex, in England.

William went to Winchester College in 1564. Later, he studied at New College, Oxford in 1571. He became a fellow at New College in 1573. However, he lost this position two years later. This happened because he was away without permission. He then moved to London. His mother was working for Queen Elizabeth there.

Travels and Secret Work

In 1585, William traveled to France in secret. He stayed at the home of his brother, Sir Edward Stafford. His brother was the English ambassador to France. William started gathering information on his own.

When his secret activities were discovered, he asked Sir Francis Walsingham for help. Walsingham was a powerful government official. William soon returned to England.

The next year, William became involved with the plans of Châteauneuf. Châteauneuf was the French ambassador. By 1587, Châteauneuf was planning to harm Queen Elizabeth. He wanted to use William Stafford's connections at court. The plan was to give the queen a poisoned gown or saddle.

William told Walsingham about the plot. The people involved in the plan were arrested. William was released from the Tower of London in August 1588. No charges were brought against him. Some people think William might have been working for Walsingham all along. He did not suffer any long-term problems from this event.

Later Life and Family

After these events, William lived a quiet life in the countryside. In 1593, he married Anne Gryme. She was the daughter of Thomas Gryme from Antingham, Norfolk. They soon had children.

His son was also named William Stafford. This son later became a well-known author. William Stafford died on November 16, 1612.