Humphrey Stafford, Duke of Buckingham

Also known as: Humfreie duke of Buckingham / Humfrie duke of Buckingham / Humfrie earle of Stafford / Humphrey Stafford, Earl of Stafford / duke Humfrie / earle of Stafford Humfrie · Family: England · Role: earl and mourner · First appears: Henry V 36

Around 1424, Humphrey Stafford, Earl of Stafford, joined the assembled lords in pledging allegiance to Henry VI. Around 1425, he served as an arbitrator in the dispute between Humphrey Duke of Gloucester and Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester. Around 1444, Henry VI made him Duke of Buckingham: “Humfrie earle of Stafford was made duke of Buckingham:”

In 1456, Humphrey took Henry VI’s side as conflict with the Duke of York grew, and he was sent with Thomas Beaufort, Duke of Exeter to London to investigate and punish sedition. He had also lost his son and heir when Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset’s father was killed at Saint Albans. Humphrey was killed at Northampton in 1460: “At this battell fought at Northampton, were slaine Humfreie duke of Buckingham”

He had mourned Henry V and later appeared among the arbitrators in the quarrel between Humphrey Duke of Gloucester and Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester. His son was Henry Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, and John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset was connected to him through the stated love for “my grandfather duke Humfrie,” who was sworn brother to John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset’s father.