Person Page 476

Sir Ralph de Stafford,, Knight of the Garter, was born on 24 September 1301. He and Margaret de Audley,, 2nd Baroness Audley, Countess of Stafford, were married before 6 July 1336. He died on 31 August 1372 at age 70. He was buried in Tunbridge Castle, Kent, England.

He was Lord Stafford and lst Earl of Stafford.

On December 6, 1323, he had done homage and was to have his father's lands. On April 16, 1325, he was in the King's service with his mother and his step father, Thomas de Pype, and his own brothers in the company of Ralph Basset, 2nd Lord Basset of Drayton, Constable of Dover Castle. On April 6, 1327, he was summoned to serve against the Scots, and on March 21, 1331/2 he was in he commision of the peace for Staffordshire. In 1332 he sailed from Barton-on-Humber with Edward, son of John de Balliol, to invade Scotland. From November 29, 1336 to November 25, 1350, he was summoned to Parliament.

On July 6, 1336, a commisssion was established to investigate a complaint by Hugh de Audley, who then soon to be created Earl of Gloucester, that Ralph de Stafford and others (most of them relatives) broke into his close in Thaxted, Essex, arried away his goods as well as his daughter and heiress, whom Ralph married against her will, when Margaret was about twelve years old.

King Edward III intervened to protect Ralph, who, after making his peace, was given with Margaret a large part of he Gloucester inheritance.

On November 29, 1339, he returned with the King from France, and on June 22, 1340, he was at the battle of Sluys. By Febuary 10, 1340/1, he was Steward of the King's Household. In 1342 he sailed for Brittany, taking part in the siege of Vannes, where he was taken prisoner, to be exchanged for de Clichon in the truce of Malestroit on January 19, 1342/3. He was appointed with others on May 20, 1343, to treat with the Pople; in the same year he was sent to help raise the siege of Lochmaben Castle in Scotland. Thenext year he was in Gascony with a small force, and on September 13, 1344, he participated in the tournament at Hereford as a challenger of the nobles of the county. On February 3, 1344/5, he was appointed Seneschal of Aquitaine or Gscony, continuing in office until March 15, 1345/6. During 1346 he successfully defended Alguillon against John, son of King Philip of France. In August 1346 he was fighting in Crecy, and on October 10 he was again Seneschal of Aquitaine. On September 25, 1347 he was one of those empowered to arrange a peace treaty with the envoys from Philip de Valois.

On February 6, 1347/8, he was licensed to make castles of his dwellings at Stafford and Madeley. He was a founding Knight of the Garter on April 23, 1348. On August 29, 1350 he was present at the naval battle off Winchelsea. On March 5, 1350/1 he was created the lst Earl of Stafford. While engaged in France he was attacked in his billet November 26, 1359, by a band of Frenchmen, but managed to fight them off (remember, he's 58 years old at this point). He was involved with treaty negotiations with France in 1360. He spent part of 1361 in Ireland and crossed to France again with the King in 1369. (Carl Boyer, 3rd, "Medieval English Ancestors of Robert Abell," 2001, pp. 221-2.)

Margaret de Audley,, 2nd Baroness Audley, Countess of Stafford, was born about 1318. Sir Ralph de Stafford,, Knight of the Garter, and she were married before 6 July 1336. She died on 7 September 1348 at age ~30. She was buried on 16 September 1348 in Tonbridge Castle, Kent, England.

She was the only daughter of Hugh de Audley. She was abducted by Ralph de Stafford. The worth of her estates was ten times that of Ralph. Her parents appealed to King Edward, but he supported Stafford and appeased Hugh and Maraget by creating Hugh the 1st Earl of Gloucester.

Elizabeth Stafford was born about 1335 in Staffordshire, England. Sir John de Ferrers,, Knight, 4th Baron Ferres of Chartley, and she were married on 19 October 1349. She died on 7 August 1376 at age ~41 in Staffordshire, England.

Gilbert Talbot,, 3rd Baron Talbot, and Joan Stafford were married before 16 November 1379. She died before 1397.

Sir Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford, K. G., was born about 1342. He and Philippe Beauchamp were married. He died on 6 October 1386 at age ~44.

Maurice Fitzmaurice, Earl of Desmond, and Beatrice Stafford were married. Thomas de Ros, 5th Baron de Ros, and she were married in 1358. 2nd marriage.

Sir Edmund de Stafford was born on 15 July 1273. He and Margaret Basset were married about 1298. He died before 12 August 1308. He was buried in Friars Minors of Stafford.

He was the 1st Baron Stafford. On August 20, 1294 he had done homage and was to have his lands. On July 4, 1297, he was about to go beyond the seas with the King. He was summoned to service against the Scots in 1298, 1299, 130l, 1302, and 1308. From February 6, 1298/9 to August 26, 1307 he was summoned to Parliament. On January 18, 1307/8, he attended the coronation of King Edward II.

His father may have been Nicholas de Stafford, who died at the siege of Deresloyn or Droslan Castle in Wales, apparently as a result of being crushed by a falling wall on or about August 1, 1287. He was buried at Stone, Staffordshire, England, which appears to be the ancestral home of the de Staffords. Sir Edmund de Stafford had person sources.¹

Sir Edmund de Stafford and Margaret Basset were married about 1298. She died on 17 March 1337. She was buried in Tysoe, Warwickshire, England.

Sir Ralph Bassett died on 31 December 1299 in Drayton, Staffordshire, England.

He was Lord Basset of Drayton in Staffordshire. He was a Member of Parliament from 1295 to 1299.

The Bassets seem to have descended from a Richard Basset of Drayton, Staffordshire, who died between 1144 and 1147. He maried Maud Ridel, heiress of Drayton, daughter of Geoffrey Ridel, a poweful feudal baron, who died as early as 1120. One of the chain of Ralph Bassets was killed at the battle of Evesham, August 4, 1265.

Hugh de Audley,, 1st Earl of Glouceser, was born about 1289. He and Margaret de Clare were married on 28 April 1317 in Windsor, England. He died on 10 November 1347 at age ~58. He was buried in Tunbridge Priory, Kent, England.

He was Lord Audley and 8th Earl of Gloucester in 1337.

He was summoned to Parliament from 1317 and participated with his father in the rebellion of 1321/2 but was pardoned. In 1336 he served the King in Scotland, and on March 16, 1336/7 he was created Earl of Gloucester., his wife having become in 1313 co-heir to her brother Gilbert, Earl of Gloucester and Hereford.

He served as Ambassador to France in 1341.

His daughter Margaret carried to the Stafford family Thornbury and large estates in Monmouthshire and elsewhere which were passed to those Dukes of Buckingham of the Stafford family.

Margaret de Clare was born in 1292 in Caerphilly Castle. Hugh de Audley,, 1st Earl of Glouceser, and she were married on 28 April 1317 in Windsor, England. She died on 13 April 1342 at age ~50.

Gilbert de Clare was born on 2 September 1243 in Christchurch, Hampshire, England. He and Joan ("Joan of Acre") Plantagenet were married on 30 April 1290. He died on 7 December 1295 at age 52 in Monmouth Castle. He was buried in Tewksbury Abbey, England.

He was the Earl of Gloucester.

Joan ("Joan of Acre") Plantagenet was born in 1272 in Hazafon, Acre, Palestine. Gilbert de Clare and she were married on 30 April 1290. Gilbert DeClare and she were married in May 1290. Ralph DeMonthermer and she were married in January 1297 in Israel. She died on 23 April 1307 at age ~35 in Clare, Suffolk, England. She was buried at Austin Friars Church in Clare, Suffolk, England.

Joan ("Joan of Acre") Plantagenet was also known as Joanna Plantagenet. She was also known as Joanna Edward Plantagenet. She was born in 1272 in Acre, Hazafon, Israel. She died on 28 April 1307 at age ~35 in Clare, Suffolk, England.

King Edward ("Longshanks") Plantagenet,, Edward I of England, was born on 17 June 1239 in Westminster, England. He and Eleanor of Castile were married on 1 November 1254 at Monastery of Las Huelgas in Gascony, France. He and Margaret of France were married on 10 September 1299 in Canterbury Cathedral, Kent, England. He died on 7 July 1307 at age 68 in Burgh-on-Sands, Cumberland, England. He died of dysentery on route to a campaign against the Scots. He was buried on 28 October 1307 in Westminster Abbey, London, England.

King Edward ("Longshanks") Plantagenet,, Edward I of England, was also known as Edward I Plantagenet, King of England. He was also known as Edward I, ("Longshanks") Plantagenet, , King of England. He set out for the crusades in 1270. When Henry III died in 1872, Edward had reached Sicily on the way home. He and his wife were crowned together in Westminster Abbey on August 19, 1274. He was King of England from 1272 to 1307.

More about Edward Plantagenet can be found in Michael Prestwich, Edward I, Yale University Press, 1997.

He died of dysentary.

Isolde de Mortimer was born about 1269 in Thornbury, Herefordshire, England. Hugh de Audley and she were married in 1288.

She received the manor of Arley in upper Staffordshire from her father.

Sir Edmund de Mortimer was born about 1250. He died on 17 July 1304 at age ~54 in Wigmore Castle, Herefordshire, England. He was buried in Wigmore.

He was the 1st Lord Mortimer, 7th Baron Mortimer of Wigmore. The name of his first wife has not been found.

As the second son, "he had been bred to the Church" and King Henry III had promised him a benefice in NOvembe 1263. The King nominated him to be treasurer of York on August 7, 1265, replacing Amauri de Montfort. Edmund was still treasurer in 1270. In 1271 Philip de Croft was his "guardian and master." Then on August 8, 1282, while his father was still living, he was given custody of the castle and hundred of Owestry as long as the heir of John Fitz Alan was a minor.

He received his inheritance November 24, 1282, and, by a chance encounter at Builth, where he was in command, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd was killed within three weeks. While Edmund was not present at Builth, he identified the body and took Llywelyn's head to King Edward I at Rhuddlan. From there the head was sent on to the Tower of London, crowned with ivy.

Edmund was then summoned to muster against the Welsh at Montgomery May 2, 1283 and to the meeting at Shrewsbury September 30th, 1282.

He was ordered to reside in his lordship in November 1287 until the rebellion of Rhys ap Maredudd could be put down, and on December 5, 1287 he was made joint keeper of Ystrad-Towy and Cardigan during the pleasure of the King.

He was summoned to Parliament from Mune 24 1295 to June 2, 1302.

Margaret de Fiennes was born in 1262. She died in 1334 at age ~72.

1st Earl of March Roger de Mortimer was born in Cwmaron Castle, Radnorshire, Wales. He and Maud de Braiose were married in 1247. He died before 30 October 1282 in Kingsland, Herefordshire, England. He was buried in Wigmore.

He was 6th Baron Mortimer of Wigmore, Lord of Ceri and Cedwain.

He appears to have been the son of Ralph de Mortimer, Lord Mortimer of Wigmore, who died in Wigmore August 6, 1246, and was buried there. He married in 1230 Gwladus Ddu Ferch Llywellyn ab Iorwerth, daughter of the Prince of North Wales and widow of Reginald de Braiose, who died June 9, 1228. She died in 1251.

The Mortimers appear to be descended from Roger de Mortemer, seigneur of Mortemer sur Eaulne in Normandy, flourishing from 1054 to 1078. He may have descended from a Roger de Mortemer, who was the son of Hugh, Bishop of Contances in 990 and a daughter of a sister of Richard I, Duke of Normandy.

It is said that the grandson of Roger de Mortimer was the lover of Queen Isabel and that he murdered King Edward II byh sticking a hot poker up the King's anus.

1st Earl of March Roger de Mortimer and Maud de Braiose were married in 1247. She died before 23 March 1301.