Humphrey Stafford, Earl of Stafford
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Humphrey Stafford (d. 22 May 1455), generally known by his courtesy title of Earl of Stafford was the son of Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Anne Neville (d 1480).
His maternal grandparents were Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland and Joan Beaufort, Countess of Westmorland. His maternal uncles included (among others) Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury, Robert Neville who was first Bishop of Salisbury and then Bishop of Durham, William Neville, 1st Earl of Kent and Edward Nevill, 3rd Baron Bergavenny. His most prominent maternal aunt was Cecily Neville, wife of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York and mother to among others Edward IV of England, Edmund, Earl of Rutland, George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence and Richard III of England.
Humphrey married Margaret Beaufort, daughter of Edmund Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Somerset and Eleanor Beauchamp. Her maternal grandparents were Richard de Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick and his first wife Elizabeth Beauchamp, 4th Baroness Lisle.
His new wife was a first cousin to Anne Neville, 16th Countess of Warwick and through her cousin-by-marriage to Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, the so-called "Kingmaker" during the Wars of the Roses.
They had a single son Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham (4 September 1454 - 2 November 1483).
Humphrey fought under his father-in-law in support of the House of Lancaster during the First Battle of St Albans, dying of his wounds shortly after.
His only son became the new Earl of Stafford and succeeded his paternal grandfather as Duke of Buckingham following the latter's death at the Battle of Northampton (10 July 1460).
