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Birth:          24 Sep 1301 Tunbridge, Staffordshire, England
Death:          31 Aug 1372 England
Burial:         31 Aug 1372 Tonburton Priory, England

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_de_Stafford,_1st_Earl_of_Stafford
Ralph de Stafford, 2nd Baron Stafford, 1st Earl of Stafford, KG (24 September 1301 – 
31 August 1372) was an English nobleman and notable soldier during the Hundred 
Years War against France.
Early life and family[edit]

Ralph was born on 24 September 1301, the son of Edmund de Stafford, 1st Baron 
Stafford and Margaret Basset.[1] Having lost his father at the age of seven, Ralph 
grew up in the midlands with his mother's relatives, including her second husband 
Thomas Pipe. He had his first experience of royal service, along with his brothers and 
stepfather, when he joined the retinue of Ralph, 2nd Lord Basset.[2]

Career[edit]

Stafford was made a Knight banneret in 1327 and was fighting the Scots shortly 
afterwards. He supported the plot to free Edward III of England from the control of 
Roger Mortimer, which earned the king's gratitude. By the summer of 1332, he was a 
commissioner of the peace in Staffordshire and had served abroad on royal business, 
accompanying Hugh de Audley, 1st Earl of Gloucester. He was also still fighting the 
Scots, commanding archers at the Battle of Dupplin Moor on 11 Aug 1332 and on 
three further Scottish campaigns.[2]

He was first summoned to Parliament by writ as Lord Stafford on 29 November 1336 
and continued to attend until 1350.

His military career continued, accompanying King Edward to France in 1338 as an 
advisor and being present at the naval battle of Sluys on 24 June 1340. He also 
fought at the relief of Brest and the siege of Morlaix. He was captured at Vannes but 
was exchanged in time to negotiate a truce at Malestroit.

On 6 January 1341, he was made Steward of the Royal Household but resigned that 
post on 29 March 1345 having assumed the office of Seneschal of Aquitaine, an 
English possession in France, where he stayed for about a year. Further battles 
included the battle of Auberoche, the siege of Aiguillon, from where he escaped prior 
to its lifting, a raid on Barfleur and the English victory at the Battle of Crecy, on 26 
August 1346. He became one of the twenty-six founding members and the fifth Knight 
of the Order of the Garter in 1348.[2]

In November 1347, his wife's father died; they were able to take possession of his 
estates without paying the king's homage, an indication of the relationship between 
them. Ralph was now a very wealthy man, from his estates and from the many prizes 
from the French war.[2]

Edward III created a number of new peerage titles to honour his war captains and to 
mark his jubilee year. Ralph was created the 1st Earl of Stafford on 5 March 1350, 
with an annuity of 1000 marks. He now replaced Henry of Grosmont, 1st Duke of 
Lancaster as the king's lieutenant in Gascony, he committed to serve with 200 men at 
his expense with the expectation of this being doubled in March 1353 at the king's 
expense. The campaigns provided several captives that were ransomed, but were 
ultimately unsuccessful, leading to the appointment of Edward, Prince of Wales to 
command.[2]

Even at the age of sixty, Stafford continued to command troops and act as a royal 
envoy, both in France and in Ireland in 1361, accompanying Lionel of Antwerp to try 
and restore English control.

Marriages and children[edit]

Around 1326, Stafford married his first wife, Katherine de Hastang.[1][3] Katherine was 
the daughter of Sir John de Hastang, Knight, of Chebsey, Staffordshire.[4] Ralph and 
Katherine had two daughters:
Margaret, married Sir John de Stafford, Knight, of Bramshall.
Joan, married Sir Nicholas de Beke, Knight.

He later sensationally abducted Margaret de Audley, 2nd Baroness Audley, daughter 
of Hugh de Audley, 1st Earl of Gloucester and Margaret de Clare, who was worth at 
least £2314 a year, more than ten times his own estates. Her parents filed a complaint 
with King Edward III of England, but the King supported Stafford's actions. In 
compensation, the King appeased Hugh and Margaret by creating Hugh the 1st Earl of 
Gloucester. Margaret de Audley and Stafford married before 6 July 1336 and they 
subsequently had two sons and four daughters:
Ralph de Stafford (d. 1347), married Maud of Lancaster, daughter of Henry of 
Grosmont, 1st Duke of Lancaster and Isabel de Beaumont in 1344.[2][5]
Hugh de Stafford, 2nd Earl of Stafford, born circa 1336 in Staffordshire, England, 
married Philippa de Beauchamp; they were the ancestors of the Dukes of Buckingham 
(1444 creation).[5]
Elizabeth de Stafford, born circa 1340 in Staffordshire, England, died 7 August 1376, 
married firstly Fulk le Strange;[5] married secondly, John de Ferrers, 3rd Baron Ferrers 
of Chartley; married thirdly Reginald de Cobham, 2nd Baron Cobham.[6]
Beatrice de Stafford, born circa 1341 in Staffordshire, England, died 1415, married 
firstly, in 1350, Maurice FitzGerald, 2nd Earl of Desmond (d. June 1358); married 
secondly, Thomas de Ros, 4th Baron de Ros, of Helmsley; married thirdly Sir Richard 
Burley, Knt.[5]
Joan de Stafford, born in 1344 in Staffordshire, England, died 1397, married firstly, 
John Charleton, 3rd Baron Cherleton;[5] married secondly Gilbert Talbot, 3rd Baron 
Talbot.[7]
Katherine de Stafford, born circa 1348 in Staffordshire, England and died in December 
1361. On 25 December 1357, she married Sir John Sutton III (1339 – c. 1370 or 1376), 
Knight, Master of Dudley Castle, Staffordshire.[8] Burke reports that she died without 
issue.[9] However, Burke is often erroneous and incomplete, and later evidence 
supports that she is the mother of John Sutton IV, 3rd Baron Sutton of Dudley, 
probably having died in childbirth.[10]

Death[edit]

He died on 31 August 1372 at Tonbridge Castle, Kent, England.[2] He was buried at 
Tonbridge Priory,[11] next to his second wife and her parents.[2]

Parents
STAFFORD Edmund (15 Jul 1272 - 12 Aug 1308)
BASSETT Margaret (ABT 1280 - 17 Mar 1337)

Siblings
DE STAFFORD Ralph (24 Sep 1301 - 31 Aug 1372)

Marriage To DE HASTANG Katherine ()
    m.  

Notes

Parents
DE HASTANG John ()
----- ----- ()

Children by DE HASTANG Katherine 
DE STAFFORD Margaret ()

Marriage To DE AUDLEY Margaret (ABT 1318 - 7 Sep 1347)
    m.  

Notes

Parents
DE AUDLEY Hugh (ABT 1291 - 10 Nov 1347)
DE CLARE Margaret (12 Oct 1293 - 9 Apr 1342)

Children by DE AUDLEY Margaret ABT 1318 - 7 Sep 1347
DE STAFFORD Elizabeth (1336 - 1375)
DE STAFFORD Beatrice (ABT 1340 - )
DE STAFFORD Hugh (1344 - 16 Oct 1386)

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