| History |
Ralph de Stafford, 2nd baron and 1st earl of Stafford, was born on 24 September 1301, the son of Edmund de Stafford, 1st Baron Stafford, and Margaret Basset. Doing his homage to King Edward II on 6 December 1323, he then had livery of his father\'s lands, and the following year he was made a knight \'by bathing, and other sacred ceremonies, had robes, etc., as a banneret, allowed out of the king\'s wardrobe for the solemnity\', after which he soon became an important figure in the wars of King Edward III.
In 1326 or 1327 he married Katherine Hastang, daughter of Sir John Hastang of Chebsey and his wife Eve. They had two daughters who would both have progeny. On 6 April 1327 Ralph was summoned to serve against the Scots; on 21 March 1332 he was in the commission of the peace for County Stafford. In 1332 Ralph sailed from Barton-on-Humber with Edward, son of John Baliol, king of Scots, to invade Scotland.
After Katherine\'s death he sensationally abducted Margaret de Audley, daughter of Hugh de Audley and Margaret de Clare. They filed a complaint, but King Edward III supported Ralph. He appeased Hugh and Margaret by creating Hugh earl of Gloucester. Before 6 July 1336 Ralph married Margaret de Audley and they had six children, of whom five would have progeny including his heir Hugh.
He was summoned to Parliament, as Ralph de Stafford or as Ralph, baron of Stafford from 29 November 1336 until 25 November 1350. In 1336 and 1337 he served in Scotland. On 29 November 1339 he returned with the king from France. On 23 June 1340 he was present at the Battle of Sluys, one of the opening conflicts of the Hundred Years\' War, at which the French fleet was destroyed.
In 1342 Ralph sailed to Brittany and took part in the siege of Vannes where he was captured. Through the truce of Malestroit on 19 January 1343 he was exchanged for Olivier IV de Clisson, who was unjustly executed later that year on the suspicion of treason. In 1344 Ralph was sent into Gascony, with Henry of Lancaster, earl of Derby, commanding the forces that attacked Bergerath by sea. In 1345 he was appointed seneschal of Aquitaine. When Jean, son and heir of Philippe VI of France, besieged Aguillon where Ralph resided, he defended the palace against the French army until Edward III came to his relief and forced the enemy to raise the siege. After this, joining his troops with Edward\'s army he had a principal command in the van of the English army at the Battle of Crécy on 26 August 1346. When Calais surrendered in 1347 he was appointed, with Sir Walter Manny and the earl of Warwick, to take possession of Calais for the king, and subsequently he was one of the ambassadors deputed to the cardinals of Naples and Claremont to negotiate a peace between Edward and Philippe de Valois, then assuming the title of King of France.
In 1348 Ralph had license to make castles of his manor houses at Stafford and Nadely. On 26 August of the same year he was elected a founding knight of the Order of the Garter. On 29 August 1350 he was present at the naval battle off Winchilsea, in which an English fleet commanded by Edward III, with Edward, the Black Prince, was victorious over a Spanish fleet commanded by Don Carlos de La Cerda.
In 1351 Ralph was in a commission with the bishop of Durham, and the lords Percy and Nevill, to treat with the nobles of Scotland at York for a final peace between the two realms. For all his eminent services, on 5 March 1351 he was created earl of Stafford, and constituted lieutenant and captain-general of the duchy of Aquitaine. Ralph died on 31 August 1372 and was buried at Tonbridge. [2] |
Ellie Wood Keith Genealogy
1301 - 1372 (70 years)
