Biography of John Stafford 1st Earl Wiltshire 1427-1473

Paternal Family Tree: Stafford

Maternal Family Tree: Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster 1350-1403

1461 Coronation of Edward IV

1464 Battle of Hexham

1472 Creation of Garter Knights

Before 18 Oct 1424 [his father] Humphrey Stafford 6th Earl Stafford (age 22) and [his mother] Anne Neville Duchess Buckingham (age 16) were married. She by marriage Countess Stafford. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmoreland (age 60) and [his grandmother] Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland (age 45). He the son of [his grandfather] Edmund Stafford 5th Earl Stafford and [his grandmother] Anne of Gloucester Plantagenet Countess Eu and Stafford (age 41). They were second cousins. He a great grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

On 24 Nov 1427 John Stafford 1st Earl Wiltshire was born to Humphrey Stafford 1st Duke of Buckingham (age 25) and Anne Neville Duchess Buckingham (age 19). He a great x 2 grandson of King Edward III of England. Coefficient of inbreeding 2.35%.

In 1461 John Stafford 1st Earl Wiltshire (age 33) was appointed Knight of the Bath.

Coronation of Edward IV

Warkworth's Chronicle 1461. 27 Jun 1461.... at the coronacyone1 of the forseyde Edwarde, he create and made dukes his two brythir, the eldere George (age 11) Duke of Clarence, and his yongere brothir Richard (age 8) Duke of Gloucetre; and the Lord Montagu (age 30)2, the Earl of Warwick (age 32)'s brothere, the Earl of Northumberlonde; and one William Stafford squiere, Lord Stafforde of Southwyke; and Sere Herbard (age 38), Lorde Herbard, and after Lorde Earl of Penbroke3; and so the seide Lorde Stafforde (age 22) was made Earl of Devynschire4; the Lorde Gray Ryffyne (age 44), Earl of Kent6; the [his uncle] Lorde Bourchyer (age 57), Earl of Essex; the Lorde Jhon of Bokyngham (age 33), the Earl of Wyltschyre5; Sere [his step-father] Thomas [Walter] Blount (age 45), knyghte, Lord Mont[joy]; Sere Jhon Hawarde, Lorde Hawarde (age 36)8; William Hastynges (age 30) he made Lorde Hastynges and grete Chamberlayne; and the Lorde Ryvers; Denham squyere, Lorde Dynham; and worthy as is afore schewed; and othere of gentylmen and yomenne he made knyghtes and squyres, as they hade desserved.

Note 1. At the coronacyone. King Edward was crowned in Westminster Abbey, on the 29th of June 1461. Warkworth's first passage is both imperfect and incorrect, and would form a very bad specimen of the value of the subsequent portions of his narrative; yet we find it transferred to the Chronicle of Stowe. It must, however, be regarded rather as a memorandum of the various creations to the peerage made during Edward's reign, than as a part of the chronicle. Not even the third peerage mentioned, the Earldom of Northumberland, was conferred at the Coronation, but by patent dated 27 May 1464: and the only two Earldoms bestowed in Edward's first year (and probably at the Coronation) were, the Earldom of Essex, conferred on Henry Viscount Bourchier, Earl of Eu in Normandy, who had married the King's aunt, the Princess Isabel of York; and the Earldom of Kent, conferred on William Neville, Lord Fauconberg, one of King Edward's generals at Towton. The former creation is mentioned by Warkworth lower down in his list; the latter is omitted altogether. - J.G.N.

Note 2. The Lord Montagu. And then Kyng Edward, concidering the greate feate doon by the said Lord Montagu, made hym Earl of Northumberlond; and in July next folowyng th'Earl of Warwyk, with th'ayde of the said Earl of Northumberland, gate agayn the castell of Bamborugh, wheryn was taken Sir Raaf Gray (age 29), which said Ser Raaf was after behedid and quartred at York. Also, in this yere, the first day of May, the Kyng wedded Dame Elizabeth Gray (age 24), late wif unto the lord Gray of Groby, and doughter to the Lord Ryvers." - The London Chronicle, MS. Cotton. Vitell. A. xvi. fol. 126, ro. The MS. of the London Chronicle, from which Sir Harris Nicolas printed his edition, does not contain this passage. It is almost unnecessary to remark the chronological incorrectness of the above, but it serves to show how carelessly these slight Chronicles were compiled. Cf. MS. Add. Mus. Brit. 6113, fol. 192, rº. and MS. Cotton. Otho, B. XIV. fol. 221, ro.

Note 3. Lord Earl of Pembroke. William Lord Herbert of Chepstow, the first of the long line of Herbert Earls of Pembroke, was so created the 27th May 1468. His decapitation by the Duke of Clarence at Northampton in 1469, is noticed by Warkworth in p. 7.-J.G.N.

Note 4. Earl of Devynschire. Humphery Stafford, created Baron Stafford of Southwick by patent 24th April 1464, was advanced to the Earldom of Devon 7th May 1469; but beheaded by the commons at Bridgwater before the close of the same year, as related by Warkworth, ubi supra. - J.G.N.

Note 5. Earl of Wyltschyre. John Stafford, created Earl of Wiltshire, 5th Jan. 1470; he died in 1473.—J.G.N.

Note 6. "The Lorde Gray Ryffyne, Earl of Kent". The Earl of Kent, of the family of Neville, died without male issue, a few months after his elevation to that dignity; and it was conferred on the 30th May 1465, on Edmund Lord Grey de Ruthyn, on occasion of the Queen's coronation. He was cousin-german to Sir John Grey, of Groby, the Queen's first husband. On the same occasion the Queen's son Sir Thomas Grey (age 10) was created Marquess of Dorset; her father Richard Wydevile (age 60) lord Ryvers was advanced to the dignity of Earl Ryvers; and her brother Anthony (age 25) married to the heiress of Scales, in whose right he was summoned to Parliament as a Baron. - J.G.N.

Note 7. Sere Thomas Blount. This should be Walter, created Lord Montjoy 20th June 1465; he died in 1474.-J.G.N.

Note 8. Sere Jhon Hawarde, Lord Hawarde. John Howard 1st Duke of Norfolk. This peerage dates its origin, by writ of summons to Parliament, during the short restoration of Henry VI. in 1470, a circumstance more remarkable as "evidence exists that he did not attach himself to the interest of that Prince, being constitued by Edward, in the same year, commander of his fleet." See Sir Harris Nicolas's memoir of this distinguished person (afterwards the first Duke of Norfolk) in Cartwright's History of the Rape of Bramber, p. 189.-J.G.N.

Battle of Hexham

On 15 May 1464 a Yorkist army commanded by John Neville 1st Marquess Montagu (age 33) defeated a Lancastrian army commanded by Henry Beaufort 2nd or 3rd Duke of Somerset (age 28) at Hexham, Northumberland [Map] during the Battle of Hexham.

Those fighting for York included John Stafford 1st Earl Wiltshire (age 36), John Scrope 5th Baron Scrope of Bolton (age 26) and Richard Welles 7th Baron Welles, Baron Willoughby (age 36).

Henry Beaufort 2nd or 3rd Duke of Somerset was beheaded following the battle. The general pardon which he has previously received was annulled. Duke Somerset, Marquess Dorset, Earl Somerset and Earl Dorset forfeit for the second time. His son Edmund Beaufort 3rd Duke of Somerset (age 25) was styled by supporters of the House of Lancaster as Duke of Somerset but had not right to do so.

Philip Wentworth (age 40) was executed at Middleham [Map].

On 25 Nov 1467 [his step-father] Walter Blount 1st Baron Mountjoy (age 51) and [his mother] Anne Neville Duchess Buckingham (age 59) were married. She by marriage Baroness Mountjoy. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmoreland and [his grandmother] Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland. She a great granddaughter of King Edward III of England.

On 05 Jan 1470 John Stafford 1st Earl Wiltshire (age 42) was created 1st Earl Wiltshire. See Warkworth Note 5.

Before 07 Apr 1470 John Stafford 1st Earl Wiltshire (age 42) and Constance Green Countess Wiltshire (age 43) were married. She by marriage Earl Wiltshire. He the son of Humphrey Stafford 1st Duke of Buckingham and Anne Neville Duchess Buckingham (age 62). He a great x 2 grandson of King Edward III of England.

On 07 Apr 1470 [his son] Edward Stafford 2nd Earl Wiltshire was born to John Stafford 1st Earl Wiltshire (age 42) and [his wife] Constance Green Countess Wiltshire (age 43). He a great x 3 grandson of King Edward III of England.

1472 Creation of Garter Knights

In 1472 King Edward IV of England (age 29) appointed new Garter Knights given the large number of vacant positions as a result of the recent Warwick rebellion:

203rd John Mowbray 4th Duke of Norfolk (age 27).

204th John Stafford 1st Earl Wiltshire (age 44).

205th Walter Devereux Baron Ferrers of Chartley (age 40).

206th [his step-father] Walter Blount 1st Baron Mountjoy (age 56).

207th John Howard 1st Duke of Norfolk (age 47).

208th John de la Pole 2nd Duke of Suffolk (age 29).

On 08 May 1473 John Stafford 1st Earl Wiltshire (age 45) died. His son [his son] Edward Stafford 2nd Earl Wiltshire (age 3) succeeded 2nd Earl Wiltshire.

On 02 Mar 1475 [his former wife] Constance Green Countess Wiltshire (age 48) died.

John Stafford 1st Earl Wiltshire 1427-1473 appears on the following Descendants Family Trees:

King Edward III of England 1312-1377

John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster 1340-1399

Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmoreland 1364-1425

Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland 1379-1440

John Neville 3rd Baron Neville of Raby 1337-1388

Maud Percy Baroness Neville Raby

Eleanor Plantagenet Countess Arundel and Surrey 1318-1372

Richard Fitzalan 10th Earl of Arundel 8th Earl of Surrey 1306-1376

Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster 1350-1403

Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England 1314-1369

Royal Ancestors of John Stafford 1st Earl Wiltshire 1427-1473

Kings Wessex: Great x 12 Grand Son of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England

Kings Gwynedd: Great x 9 Grand Son of Owain "Great" King Gwynedd

Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 15 Grand Son of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth

Kings Powys: Great x 10 Grand Son of Maredudd ap Bleddyn King Powys

Kings England: Great x 2 Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Kings Scotland: Great x 11 Grand Son of King Duncan I of Scotland

Kings Franks: Great x 8 Grand Son of Louis VII King Franks

Kings France: Great x 4 Grand Son of Philip IV King France

Ancestors of John Stafford 1st Earl Wiltshire 1427-1473

Great x 4 Grandfather: Nicholas Stafford

Great x 3 Grandfather: Edmund Stafford 1st Baron Stafford

Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor Clinton

Great x 2 Grandfather: Ralph Stafford 1st Earl Stafford 7 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Ralph Basset 1st Baron Basset Drayton 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Basset 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 1 Grandfather: Hugh Stafford 2nd Earl Stafford 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Hugh Audley 1st Baron Audley of Stratton Audley 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Hugh Audley 1st Earl Gloucester 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Iseult Mortimer 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Margaret Audley Countess Stafford Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Gilbert "Red Earl" Clare 7th Earl Gloucester 6th Earl Hertford 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Margaret Clare Countess Gloucester Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan of Acre Countess Gloucester and Hertford Daughter of King Edward I of England

GrandFather: Edmund Stafford 5th Earl Stafford 3 x Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Beauchamp 9th Earl Warwick

Great x 3 Grandfather: Guy Beauchamp 10th Earl Warwick

Great x 4 Grandmother: Maud Fitzjohn Countess Warwick

Great x 2 Grandfather: Thomas Beauchamp 11th Earl Warwick 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Ralph Tosny 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Alice Tosny Countess Warwick 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 1 Grandmother: Philippa Beauchamp Countess Stafford 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund Mortimer 2nd Baron Mortimer of Wigmore 2 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Roger Mortimer 1st Earl March 3 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Fiennes 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Katherine Mortimer Countess Warwick 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Piers Geneville

Great x 3 Grandmother: Joan Geneville Baroness Mortimer 2nd Baroness Geneville 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Jeanne Lusignan 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Father: Humphrey Stafford 1st Duke of Buckingham Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: King Edward I of England Son of King Henry III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: King Edward II of England Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: King Edward III of England Son of King Edward II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Philip IV King France 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Isabella of France Queen Consort England 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Blois I Queen Navarre 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 1 Grandfather: Thomas of Woodstock 1st Duke of Gloucester Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Hainault II Count Hainault II Count Holland 5 x Great Grand Son of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: William Hainault I Count Hainault III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland 6 x Great Grand Son of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainault and Holland 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Charles Valois I Count Valois 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainault 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Capet Countess Valois 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

GrandMother: Anne of Gloucester Plantagenet Countess Eu and Stafford Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: William Bohun 1st Earl of Northampton Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Princess Elizabeth of Rhuddlan Countess Essex, Hereford and Holland Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Humphrey Bohun 7th Earl Hereford 6th Earl Essex 2nd Earl of Northampton Great Grand Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Badlesmere Countess Northampton 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Clare Baroness Badlesmere 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 1 Grandmother: Eleanor Bohun Duchess Gloucester 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund Fitzalan 9th Earl of Arundel 4 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Richard Fitzalan 10th Earl of Arundel 8th Earl of Surrey 5 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Alice Warenne Countess Arundel

Great x 2 Grandmother: Joan Fitzalan Countess Essex, Hereford and Northampton 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster Grand Son of King Henry III of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Eleanor Plantagenet Countess Arundel and Surrey Great Grand Daughter of King Henry III of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Maud Chaworth

John Stafford 1st Earl Wiltshire 2 x Great Grand Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Neville

Great x 3 Grandfather: Ralph Neville 1st Baron Neville of Raby

Great x 2 Grandfather: Ralph Neville 2nd Baron Neville of Raby 8 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Fitzroger 5th Baron Warkworth

Great x 3 Grandmother: Euphemia Clavering Baroness Neville Raby 7 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Zouche Baroness Warkworth 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 1 Grandfather: John Neville 3rd Baron Neville of Raby 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: James Audley

Great x 3 Grandfather: Hugh Audley 1st Baron Audley of Stratton Audley 2 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Ela Longespée Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Alice Audley Baroness Greystoke and Neville 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Edmund Mortimer 2nd Baron Mortimer of Wigmore 2 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Iseult Mortimer 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Fiennes 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

GrandFather: Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmoreland 5 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Henry Percy 10th and 2nd Baron Percy 5 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Richard Fitzalan 8th Earl of Arundel 3 x Great Grand Son of King John of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Eleanor Fitzalan Baroness Percy 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King John of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Alice Saluzzo Countess Arundel 6 x Great Grand Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 1 Grandmother: Maud Percy Baroness Neville Raby 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Roger Clifford

Great x 3 Grandfather: Robert Clifford 1st Baron Clifford 6 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Isabella Vipont 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Idonia Clifford Baroness Percy 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Thomas de Clare 4 x Great Grand Son of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Maud Clare Baroness Clifford Baroness Welles 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Juliana Fitzgerald 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Mother: Anne Neville Duchess Buckingham Great Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: King Edward I of England Son of King Henry III of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: King Edward II of England Son of King Edward I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England 2 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: King Edward III of England Son of King Edward II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Philip IV King France 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Isabella of France Queen Consort England 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Joan Blois I Queen Navarre 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 1 Grandfather: John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster Son of King Edward III of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Hainault II Count Hainault II Count Holland 5 x Great Grand Son of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: William Hainault I Count Hainault III Count Avesnes III Count Holland II Count Zeeland 6 x Great Grand Son of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Philippa Luxemburg Countess Hainault and Holland 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England

Great x 2 Grandmother: Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England 5 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: Charles Valois I Count Valois 3 x Great Grand Son of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 3 Grandmother: Joan Valois Countess Zeeland Holland Avesnes and Hainault 4 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

Great x 4 Grandmother: Margaret Capet Countess Valois 3 x Great Grand Daughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England

GrandMother: Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland Grand Daughter of King Edward III of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Giles "Payne" Roet

Great x 1 Grandmother: Katherine Roet Duchess Lancaster