Thomas STANLEY

(2nd E. Derby)

Born: BEF 1484/5

Died: 23 May 1521, Colham Green, Middlesex, England

Buried: Syon Monastery, Middlesex, England

Father: George STANLEY (B. Strange of Knockin)

Mother: Joan STRANGE (10° B. Strange of Knockin)

Married: Anne HASTINGS (C. Derby) 1502/07, Leicestershire, England

Children:

1. Edward STANLEY (3° E. Derby)

2. John STANLEY

3. Anne STANLEY

4. Margaret STANLEY (C. Sussex)

5. Henry STANLEY

6. James STANLEY (Sir)

7. George STANLEY

8. Thomas STANLEY


Second Earl of Derby and fifth King of Mann of the house of Stanley, Viscount Kynton, Lord Stanley, Lord Strange, Lord of Knokyn, Mohun, Basset, Burnal, Lacy, son of George, Lord Strange, by Joan, only daughter and heiress of John, Baron Strange of Knockin, succeeded his grand father Thomas first Earl of Derby in 1504, his father having died in 1497.

In 1505 he granted to Bishop Huan Hesketh "all churches, lands, tithes and possessions, which our ancestors, the kings and lords of Man, have given, conceded and confirmed to the Bishopric and Church of Sodor" From the Traditionary Ballad we learn that he ravaged Kirkcudbrightshire "making such havoc of houses that some of them are yet unroofed," after which be landed at Derby haven in May, 1507, land put a full end to the commotion of the public. We are not, however, told what this "commotion " was, or how it originated. The ballad gives an enthusiastic description of the magnificence of his household and the number of his retinue, mentioning as a characteristic fad that "he wore the golden crupper" In 1508 he was one of the guarantors for the performance of a treaty of marriage between Princess Mary, daughter of King Henry Vll, and Carlos, Prince of Spain. He was a confidant of King Henry VIII, whom he attended in his expedition into France in 1513, when he was distinguished for his bravery at the capture of Terouenne and Touray. When the Emperor Carlos met Henry VIII at Canterbury in 1521 he rode between the two monarchs holding the sword of state. He was one of the peers who presided at the trial of the Duke of Buckingham during the same year. In the following year he died at his estate of Colham in the County of Middlesex, and was buried at Syon Abbey.

From a letter of James, 7th Earl, written just before his execution to his son Lord Strange, it would appear that Thomas had relinquished the title of "King of Mann" and assumed that of "Lord of Mann " because he thought the title of a "great Lord" was more honour able than that of a petty King" but it seems more probable that he simply resigned his higher title either by the order of the King of England or from a politic desire not to give him any cause of offence. No legislation of any importance is recorded during his reign.

By his wife Anne, daughter of Edward, Lord Hastings and Hungerford, he had issue Edward, who succeeded him.

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