Sir Ralph de Stafford Knight of the Gater, Baron of Tonbridge

   Another name for Ralph was Ralph de Stafford.

  General Notes:

~Weis' Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists Who Came to America Before 1700, 8th Edition, 9:31, 55:31, 55:31, 210:31, he was slain fighting against King Henry I at the Battle of Eversham in 1265. During Ralph Bassest's alustrious career he was a member of Parliment from 1337-1349, baron of Tunbride, Steward of the Royal Household in 1349 and Seneschal of Aquitaine in 1345. He fought at Crecy and was created Earl of Stafford, 5 Mar 1350/01 and was a Knight of the Garter in 23 Apr 1349. Sir Ralph de Basset was the son of Ed. ¹⁶⁰

• Background Information. ¹⁴¹
Ralph de Stafford, Lord of Stafford, son and heir, was born 24 Sep 1301. On 6 Dec 1323, he had done homage and was given his father's lands. On 16 Apr 1325, he was in the King's service with his mother and her 2^nd husband Thomas de Pype, and his own brothers, in the company of Ralph, 2^nd Lord Basset of Drayton, Constable of Dover Castle. Knight Banneret January 1326/7. On 6 Apr 1327 he was summoned to serve against the Scots, and on 21 Mar 1331/2 he was in the commission of the peace for Staffordshire. In 1332, he sailed from Barton-on-Humber or Hull with Edward, son of John de Balliol, to invade Scotland. He was summoned to Parliament as Ralph de Stafford or as Ralph Baron of Stafford from 29 Nov 1336 to 25 Nov 1350. In 1336 and 1337 he served in Scotland.

On 29 Nov 1339, Ralph de Stafford was returned with the King from France. On 22 Jun 1340, he was appointed with others to sell the ninth for Staffordshire. On 23 Jun 1340, he was present at the battle of Sluys. By 10 Feb 1340/1, he had become Steward of the King's Household. On 13 May 1341, he was granted a weekly market at Madeley, Staffs, Tysoe, Warwick, &c.. On 7 Aug 1342, the Great Seal was delivered temporarily to him and another. In 1342, he sailed to Brittany, and took part in the siege of Vannes, where he was captured. By the time of the truce of Malestroit on 19 Jan 1342/3, he was exchanged for de Clichon. On 20 May 1343, he was appointed with others to treat with the Pope. In 1343, he was sent with others to Scotland to raise the siege of Lochmaben castle. In April 1344 he was in Gascony with 3 bannerets, 20 knights, 92 esquires, and 90 archers. On 13 Sep 1344, he took part in the tournament at Hereford as one of the challengers of the nobles of the county.

In 1343 and 1344 Ralph de Stafford was in commissions, and on 9 Jan 1344/5, was appointed to take an assize of arms for co. Stafford. On 23 Feb 1344/ 5, he was appointed Seneschal of Aquitaine or Gascony, holding office until 15 Mar 1345/6. During 1346 he successfully defended Alguillon against John, son of Philip King of France. In August 1346, he fought in the King's Division at Crécy, and on 10 Oct 1346 he was appointed Seneschal of Aquitaine. By 16 Mar 1346/7, he was with the King before Calais. On 25 Sep 1347, he was empowered with others to treat for peace with the envoys of Philip de Valois. On 6 Feb 1347/8 he obtained a license to crenellate his dwelling-places of Stafford and Madeley and to make castles of them. He was a founder of the Knights of the Garter, 23 April 1348. On 4 Jul 1348, he was promised £573 towards his charges in the King's service in foreign parts, and on 6 Sep 1348 he was granted for life 600 marks per annum for his stay for life with the King with 60 men-at-arms. On 10 Nov 1348, he was about to cross the seas with the King. On 29 Aug. 1350 he was present at the naval battle off Winchelsea.

Ralph de Stafford was created, 5 March 1350/1, Earl of Stafford. From 15 Mar 1351/2 to 10 Feb 1366/7 he was in commissions. On 6 Feb 1351/2, he was about to set out for Gascony. In 1353, he was among the nobles who protected the justices in Eyre in Cheshire. In Oct 1355 he was among the leaders of the King's new expedition to France. On 28 Aug 1359 he was granted protection for his retinue. On 26 Nov 1359 he was attacked in his billet by a band of Frenchmen, but beat them off. In Oct 1360, he was in the vanguard of the army under the Duke of Lancaster, and was joint marshal with the Earl of Warwick. On 24 Aug 1360, Ralph de Stafford was appointed with others to treat for peace with France, later to discuss the title to the Duchy of Brittany, and he was a party to the treaty of Bretagne. In May 1361 he was about to travel to Ireland, where he was from Sep 1361 to 8 Feb 1361/2. In 1369 he was an executor of the Earl of Warwick's will. On 30 Oct 1369 he crossed to France with the King.

Ralph de Stafford married, 1^st, probably about 1326-27, Katharine, daughter of Sir John Hastang of Chebsey, Staffordshire, by Eve his wife. Ralph married, 2^nd, before 6 Jul 1336, Margaret, daughter and heir of Hugh de Audley, Earl of Gloucester and Lord Audley, by Margaret, widow of Piers de Gavaston, Earl of Cornwall, and daughter of Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester and Hertford. On her father's death, 10 Nov 1347, she became, according to modern doctrine, suo jure Baroness Audley (1317). She died after 28 Jan 1347/8. Ralph died 31 Aug 1372, leaving a will, and was buried at Tonbridge, with his wife Margaret.

~ Cokayne's Complete Peerage, 2nd Edition, Vol. XIIA, (Stafford), pp. 174-176

• Information. ⁸¹⁴
Ralph de Stafford, son and heir of Edmund had a summons to parliment from 10 to 22 Edward III, as "Randulpho de Stafford," yet by another writ in the same year to parliament at Wesminster by distinction of "Randulpho Baroni de Stafford." and similarly to the Edward III, when he was created Earl of Stafford, and by that title was summoned to parliament in 27 Edward III. He married Margaret, daughter and heir of Hugh de Audley by Elizabeth is wife, the franddaughter of king Edward I. Ralph de Stafford died in 46 Edward III and was succeeded by his son Hugh de Stafford his second son because his eldest, Ralph, died before he did.

~Baronia Anglica Concentrata, Vol. I, p. 408

• Background Information. ¹³⁸
Ralph was the son and heir of Edmund lord Stafford and Margaret, the daughter of Ralph lord Basset of Draiton. He became a knight in 1325. His first military campaign was in Scotland in 1328, and from that date forth, he seems almost constantly employed as a king in the King's service. He served as a steward of the King's household in 1340. He was one of the founders of the Knights of the Garter. He was advanced to the Earl of Stafford in 1350/1, to hold to him and his heirs. About the same time, he was appointed the king's lieutenant-general in Aquitaine, with the power of nominationg the senescahl of the province and the constable of Bordeaux.

Sir Ralph married Margaret Audeley, sole daughter and heir of Hugh, earl of Gloucester by Margaret de Clare, daughter and later coheir of Gilbert, earl of Gloucester and Hertford, by his wife the princess Joan Plantagenet, of Acres, daughter of King Edward I. They had two sons and three daughters. Sir Ralph died on 31 Aug 1372, and he and his wife (who died 7 Sep 1347), were entombed in the priory of Tonbridge, at the feet of her father and mother.

~Memorials of the Order of the Garter, pp. 33-36

Ralph married Katherine Hastang, daughter of Sir John Hastang of Chebsey and Eve ^138,160.^,806 (Katherine Hastang was born about 1359 in Staffordshire, England ¹⁶⁰.)

Ralph next married Margaret de Audley, daughter of Hugh de Audley Lord Audley, 8th Earl of Gloucester and Margaret de Clare, after 6 Jul 1335 in Stafford, Staffordshire, England ^138,529.^,721 (Margaret de Audley was born about 1318 in England, died on 7 Sep 1347 in England ^138,529 and was buried in 1347 in Priory of Tonbridge, Tonbridge, Kent, England.)