Ursula Pole

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ursula Pole, Baroness Stafford (around 1504 - 12 August 1570 ) was an English noblewoman. She was the wife of Henry Stafford, 1st Baron Stafford, a wealthy heiress and the only daughter of Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury . Her mother was the last member of the Plantagenet dynasty and was executed in 1541 at the age of 67 for high treason on the orders of King Henry VIII .

family

Ursula Pole was born around 1504 and was the only daughter of Sir Richard Pole and Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury, who was the last surviving member of the Plantagenets dynasty as the daughter of George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence and Isabella Nevilles . Through her mother, Ursula was entitled to the English throne. Ursula's father died in 1505 when she was a baby. The Poles' family seat was Warblington Castle in Hampshire . Ursula's mother Margaret was the godmother and governess of Princess Maria .

Ursula had four older brothers, Henry Pole, 1st Baron Montagu , Cardinal Reginald Pole , the last Catholic Archbishop of Canterbury , Sir Geoffrey Pole and Sir Arthur Pole . Her eldest brother Henry, who was one of the nobles at Anne Boleyn's trial, was executed for high treason in 1539; two years later his mother was also beheaded and lost her title. Ursula's brother Geoffrey, who was also suspected of high treason, went into exile.

Life

On February 16, 1518 or 1519, Ursula married Henry Stafford, 1st Baron Stafford, the only son of Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham and Lady Alianore Percys. She was about 15 years old and he was not yet 18. The marriage had been arranged by the Duke of Buckingham and proposed by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey . Ursula's dowry was 3,000 marks and was to be increased by 1,000 marks if her mother would get certain lands back from the king. Margaret Pole gave the couple and their children lands in Somerset and Devon worth 700 marks. In return, the Duke of Buckingham designated lands worth £ 500 as a Wittum for Ursula. He also paid for the wedding, except for Ursula's wedding clothes that were provided by her mother.

After their marriage, Ursula and Henry lived in the household of their father-in-law, the Duke of Buckingham. Ursula gave birth to her first child in November 1520, with a total of seven sons and seven daughters.

Five months earlier, Ursula was in France at the Field of the Cloth of Gold , even though she was four months pregnant. In 1521, her father-in-law was beheaded for high treason and his titles and goods fell to the crown. Ursula's husband was appointed 1st Baron Stafford by Edward VI, the successor to Henry VIII. Since then, Ursula has been Baroness Stafford.

Ursula seemed to have been on good terms with her sister-in-law Elizabeth Stafford, Duchess of Norfolk, with whom Ursula's husband had argued. When she died in 1558 Elizabeth Ursula, whom she affectionately called "suster Stafford", bequeathed all her clothes and jewelry, as well as a French bonnet and a velvet saddle.

Ursula died on August 12, 1570, at the age of 66. At the time of her death, her eldest daughter, Dorothy, was one of the most influential women at Queen Elizabeth I's court . Ursula's husband had died in 1563, and his titles went to their eldest son, Henry, who himself died two years after him.

progeny

Ursula and Henry had a total of around 14 children, 12 of whom are known names:

  • Henry Stafford (born November 1520), died in childhood
  • Dorothy Stafford (October 1, 1526 - September 22, 1604), ∞ Sir William Stafford; Dorothy was an influential figure at Queen Elizabeth I's court.
  • Henry Stafford, 2nd Baron Stafford († 1565), ∞ Elizabeth Davy
  • Thomas Stafford (* around 1533; † 1557), executed for high treason
  • Edward Stafford, 3rd Baron Stafford (January 17, 1535 - October 18, 1603), ∞ Maria Stanley, daughter of Edward Stanley, 3rd Earl of Derby
  • Richard Stafford ∞ Mary Corbet
  • Walter Stafford (around 1539; † after 1571)
  • William Stafford
  • Elizabeth Stafford ∞ Sir William Neville
  • Anne Stafford ∞ Sir Henry Williams
  • Susan Stafford
  • Jane Stafford

Individual evidence

  1. ^ A b c Barbara Jean Harris: Edward Stafford, Third Duke of Buckingham, 1478-1521 . S. 55 .
  2. ^ Barbara Jean Harris: Edward Stafford, Third Duke of Buckingham, 1478-1521 . S. 56 .
  3. ^ Barbara Jean Harris: Edward Stafford, Third Duke of Buckingham, 1478-1521 . S. 73 .
personal data
SURNAME Pole, Ursula
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Pole, Baroness Stafford Ursula (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION English nobles
DATE OF BIRTH around 1504
DATE OF DEATH August 12, 1570