Anne Hastings, Countess of Shrewsbury
Encyclopedia
Anne Hastings, Countess of Shrewsbury (c. 1471–1520) was an English noblewoman who served as a lady-in-waiting
to Queen consort Catherine of Aragon
, the first wife of King Henry VIII of England
. Anne was the first wife of George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury
, by whom she had 11 children. Her uterine half-sister was Cecily Bonville, Baroness Harington and Bonville, the wealthiest heiress in late 15th-century England.
Anne was also the Baroness Furnivall, as her husband held the title of 9th Baron Furnivall
.
, and Katherine Neville
, sister of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick
. Anne had five older brothers, including Sir Edward Hastings, 2nd Baron Hastings
. She had an older half-sister Cecily Bonville from her mother's first marriage to William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington
who was executed by the command of Queen Margaret of Anjou
after the Battle of Wakefield
where he fought on the side of the Yorkists. Cecily was the wealthiest heiress in England as well as the suo jure Baroness Harington and Bonville.
Anne grew up during the period in English history when the dynastic civil wars fought between the Houses of York
and Lancaster
, known as the Wars of the Roses
, broke out at intervals and resulted in the deaths of many combatants and supporters from both sides.
Anne's father was a staunch Yorkist, and a close friend and Lord Chamberlain
of King Edward IV
. After the latter's death in April 1483, Hastings was persuaded by his mistress Jane Shore
to enter into a conspiracy against the late king's youngest brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester
, who had been made Lord Protector of the realm. Upon discovery of Hastings treachery, Gloucester gave the order for his execution, which was carried out at the Tower of London
on 13 June 1483. Anne's father was not attainted, however, and her mother, Katherine was placed under Gloucester's protection following his ascension as King Richard III of England, which secured her privileges and rights.
At the time of her father's execution, Anne was already married to Hasting's teenaged ward
. Her mother, by royal permission, took over as legal guardian of Anne's husband until he came of age.
Together George and Anne had 11 children:
, Anne came to court where she served as a lady-in-waiting to Queen consort Catherine of Aragon. It is not known how long she served in this capacity.
. Her husband married secondly Elizabeth Walden (died July 1567), by whom he had a daughter, Anne Chetwynd-Talbot (18 March 1523- 18 July 1588).
George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury had a chapel added to the church to serve as a family chapel; and after his own death, a monument was built in Shrewsbury Chapel where his effigy can be seen flanked by those of Anne and his second wife, Elizabeth.
Lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
to Queen consort Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon
Catherine of Aragon , also known as Katherine or Katharine, was Queen consort of England as the first wife of King Henry VIII of England and Princess of Wales as the wife to Arthur, Prince of Wales...
, the first wife of King Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
. Anne was the first wife of George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury
George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury
George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury, 4th Earl of Waterford, 10th Baron Talbot, 9th Baron Furnivall, KG was the son of John Talbot, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury and Lady Catherine Stafford, daughter of the 1st Duke of Buckingham....
, by whom she had 11 children. Her uterine half-sister was Cecily Bonville, Baroness Harington and Bonville, the wealthiest heiress in late 15th-century England.
Anne was also the Baroness Furnivall, as her husband held the title of 9th Baron Furnivall
Baron Furnivall
Baron Furnivall is an ancient title in the Peerage of England. It was originally created when Thomas de Furnivall was summoned to the Model Parliament of 1295 as Lord Furnivall. The barony eventually passed to Thomas Nevill, who had married the first baron's descendant Joan de Furnivall, and he...
.
Family and early years
Anne was born in about 1471, the youngest child of William Hastings, 1st Baron HastingsWilliam Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings
William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings KG was an English nobleman. A follower of the House of York, he became a close friend and the most important courtier of King Edward IV, whom he served as Lord Chamberlain...
, and Katherine Neville
Katherine Neville, Baroness Hastings
Katherine Neville, Baroness Hastings , was a noblewoman and a member of the powerful Neville family of northern England...
, sister of Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick
Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick
Richard Neville KG, jure uxoris 16th Earl of Warwick and suo jure 6th Earl of Salisbury and 8th and 5th Baron Montacute , known as Warwick the Kingmaker, was an English nobleman, administrator, and military commander...
. Anne had five older brothers, including Sir Edward Hastings, 2nd Baron Hastings
Edward Hastings, 2nd Baron Hastings
Edward Hastings, 2nd Baron Hastings, KB was an English peer born in Kirby Muxloe Castle, Leicestershire, England to Sir William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings and Katherine Neville. He succeeded to his title on the execution of his father William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings on 13 June 1483...
. She had an older half-sister Cecily Bonville from her mother's first marriage to William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington
William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington
William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington was an English nobleman who was a loyal adherent of the House of York during the dynastic conflict in England in the 15th century known as the Wars of the Roses...
who was executed by the command of Queen Margaret of Anjou
Margaret of Anjou
Margaret of Anjou was the wife of King Henry VI of England. As such, she was Queen consort of England from 1445 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471; and Queen consort of France from 1445 to 1453...
after the Battle of Wakefield
Battle of Wakefield
The Battle of Wakefield took place at Sandal Magna near Wakefield, in West Yorkshire in Northern England, on 30 December 1460. It was a major battle of the Wars of the Roses...
where he fought on the side of the Yorkists. Cecily was the wealthiest heiress in England as well as the suo jure Baroness Harington and Bonville.
Anne grew up during the period in English history when the dynastic civil wars fought between the Houses of York
House of York
The House of York was a branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet, three members of which became English kings in the late 15th century. The House of York was descended in the paternal line from Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, the fourth surviving son of Edward III, but also represented...
and Lancaster
House of Lancaster
The House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
, known as the Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
, broke out at intervals and resulted in the deaths of many combatants and supporters from both sides.
Anne's father was a staunch Yorkist, and a close friend and Lord Chamberlain
Lord Chamberlain
The Lord Chamberlain or Lord Chamberlain of the Household is one of the chief officers of the Royal Household in the United Kingdom and is to be distinguished from the Lord Great Chamberlain, one of the Great Officers of State....
of King Edward IV
Edward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
. After the latter's death in April 1483, Hastings was persuaded by his mistress Jane Shore
Jane Shore
Elizabeth "Jane" Shore was one of the many mistresses of King Edward IV of England, the first of the three whom he described respectively as "the merriest, the wiliest, and the holiest harlots" in his realm...
to enter into a conspiracy against the late king's youngest brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
, who had been made Lord Protector of the realm. Upon discovery of Hastings treachery, Gloucester gave the order for his execution, which was carried out at the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
on 13 June 1483. Anne's father was not attainted, however, and her mother, Katherine was placed under Gloucester's protection following his ascension as King Richard III of England, which secured her privileges and rights.
At the time of her father's execution, Anne was already married to Hasting's teenaged ward
Ward (law)
In law, a ward is someone placed under the protection of a legal guardian. A court may take responsibility for the legal protection of an individual, usually either a child or incapacitated person, in which case the ward is known as a ward of the court, or a ward of the state, in the United States,...
. Her mother, by royal permission, took over as legal guardian of Anne's husband until he came of age.
Marriage and issue
Sometime before 27 June 1481, at the age of about 10, Anne married her father's 13 year-old ward, George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury, 9th Baron Furnivall. George was her second cousin. She was his first wife, and upon their marriage she was styled as Countess of Shrewsbury and Baroness Furnivall.Together George and Anne had 11 children:
- Hon Francis TalbotFrancis Talbot, 5th Earl of ShrewsburyFrancis Talbot, 5th Earl of Shrewsbury, 5th Earl of Waterford, 11th Baron Talbot KG was the son of George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury and Anne Hastings....
, later 11th Baron Talbot and 5th Earl of Shrewsbury (c. 1500-1560) - Lady Elizabeth Talbot (c. 1507-aft. 6 May 1552), married aft. 18 May 1519 William Dacre, 3rd Baron DacreWilliam Dacre, 3rd Baron DacreWilliam Dacre, 7th Baron Greystock, later 3rd Baron Dacre of Gilsland was an English peer, a Cumberland landowner, and the holder of important offices under the Crown, including many years' service as Warden of the West Marches....
of Gilsland, and had issue. - Lady Margaret Talbot (dsp.), married, as his first wife, Henry Clifford, 1st Earl of CumberlandHenry Clifford, 1st Earl of CumberlandHenry Clifford, 1st Earl of Cumberland KG was a member of the Clifford family which held the seat of Skipton from 1310 to 1676. He was a close friend of Henry VIII and his son Henry married the King's niece Lady Eleanor Brandon. He was created Earl of Cumberland on June 18, 1525 and made a Knight...
- Lady Mary TalbotMary Percy, Countess of NorthumberlandMary Percy , Countess of Northumberland was a courtier and noblewoman during the reign of Henry VIII of England. She was the daughter of George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury...
(d. 16 April 1572), married c. Jan 1523/4 Henry Percy, 6th Earl of NorthumberlandHenry Percy, 6th Earl of NorthumberlandHenry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland, KG was an English nobleman, active as a military officer in the north. He is now primarily remembered as the betrothed of Anne Boleyn, whom he was forced to give up before she became involved with King Henry VIII.-Early life:He was eldest son of Henry...
. - Hon Henry Talbot, styled Lord Talbot (d. young)
- Hon John Talbot (d. young)
- Hon John Talbot (d. young)
- Hon William Talbot, Marshal of Ireland
- Hon Richard Talbot
- Lady Anne Talbot
- Lady Dorothy Talbot
At the royal court
Early in the reign of King Henry VIII of EnglandHenry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, Anne came to court where she served as a lady-in-waiting to Queen consort Catherine of Aragon. It is not known how long she served in this capacity.
Death
Anne died on an unknown date in 1520. She was buried in the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, which is now the Sheffield CathedralSheffield Cathedral
Sheffield Cathedral is the cathedral church for the Church of England diocese of Sheffield, England. Originally a parish church, it was elevated to cathedral status when the diocese was created in 1914...
. Her husband married secondly Elizabeth Walden (died July 1567), by whom he had a daughter, Anne Chetwynd-Talbot (18 March 1523- 18 July 1588).
George Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury had a chapel added to the church to serve as a family chapel; and after his own death, a monument was built in Shrewsbury Chapel where his effigy can be seen flanked by those of Anne and his second wife, Elizabeth.