George Stanley, 9th Baron Strange


George Stanley, 9th Baron Strange, of Knockin, KG, KB was an English nobleman and heir apparent of Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby. He was also a notable soldier in his own right and held a number of senior offices of state.

Life

He was born about 1460 at Knowsley, Lancashire, England, the eldest son of Thomas Stanley and his first wife Eleanor, sister of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick. On his father's second marriage to Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond, he became stepbrother to her son, Henry Tudor, later King Henry VII.
He was invested as a knight of the Order of the Bath in 1475 by King Edward IV. He held the offices of Constable of Pontefract Castle and Constable of Knaresborough Castle in 1485. He was present at the Battle of Bosworth Field, but as a hostage of Richard III who was trying to ensure the support of George’s father and uncle and their substantial armies. He held the office of Constable of Wicklow Castle in 1486 and became Chief Justice of the Duchy of Lancaster in 1486. In 1487 he took part in the Battle of Stoke Field. In the same year he was invested with the Order of the Garter and was made a privy counsellor.

Family

He was married in 1482 to Joan le Strange, 9th Baroness Strange, daughter of John le Strange, 8th Baron Strange and Jacquetta Woodville, thereby becoming 9th Baron Strange de jure uxoris and was summoned to Parliament in this role. Their children were:
Stanley died in Derby House, St Paul's Wharf, London over 4–5 December 1503, allegedly of poison following a banquet. He was buried in the London church of St James Garlickhythe nearby.

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