Shakespeare and my Ancestors

(Prepared by Neil F. Stafford on 02/02/2003)
Approx. Dates of Lifespan
9 Stafford Family Ancestors and Forebears who are characters in Shakespearean Plays
Name of William Shakespeare’s Plays (8 Plays)
Character Name in Play
1402-1460 Humphrey Stafford 1st Duke of Buckingham Henry VI Buckingham
1424-1458
Humphrey Stafford 7th Earl of Stafford
Henry VI Lord Stafford son of Buckingham
83 bc-30 bc
Mark Anthony III
A.k.a. Marcus Antonius
Anthony and Cleopatra Mark Anthony
83 bc-30 bc
Mark Anthony III
Julius Caesar Mark Anthony
1454-1483
Henry Stafford 2nd Duke of Buckingham
Richard III Buckingham
1478-1521
Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham
Henry VIII Buckingham
1013-1040 Duncan I "the gracious" King of Scotland
Macbeth Duncan
1364-1403
Sir Henry “Hotspur” Percy Ancestor of Alionore Percy the wife of Edward Stafford 3rd Duke of Buckingham
Henry IV Hotspur
Born: ?bc

Died:17 ad
King Kimberline of Britain A.k.a. Cymbeline Cynfelyn (Cunobelinus) Cymbeline Cymbeline
Notes:

· I suspect there are more Stafford family Ancestors or forebears in additional plays by William Shakespeare. But the above eight ancestors are the only ones I have noticed to date. I am not an expert regarding the plays of Shakespeare. [I purposely left out the questionable legendary Celtic character King Llyr (Lear).]

· Regarding Hotspur Brian Tompsett of Hull University reports that Hotspur was buried at Whitchurch disinterred, his head sent to York, and his quarters sent to Newcastle, Bristol, and Chester- then to his widow.

(I guess you could say Hotspur was a well-traveled man!)

· Regarding Humphrey Stafford the first Duke of Buckingham In the Play, an excited and happy young warrior proclaims that when he encountered the Duke in battle “I split his beaver with my sword, he is either slain or wounded dangerously; here is his blood on my sword” a beaver was a nickname for the metal helmets worn by knights in battle at the time.

· Regarding the Duke’s son Humphrey Stafford the 7th Earl of Stafford One happy young warrior claims he saw him slain by swords when he charged a front line of common soldiers.

· Regarding the Duke and his son, Shakespeare clearly implies that they were both killed at the First Battle of St. Albans on May 22, 1455 (during the war of the Roses) In fact they were both battle casualties during this battle; But, they were not Battle Fatalities at that time. This error by Shakespeare confused many Genealogists and historians including the prominent English Historian Dugdale (a very big fan of Shakespeare). In fact Duke Humphrey Stafford the leader of the Lancastrian forces was killed in battle 5 years later in 1460 at the battle of Northampton. His son Lord Humphrey died 3 years later of the plague in the year 1458.

· Regarding King Duncan I of Scotland He was murdered by Macbeth on August 14, 1040 at: Iona, Near Elgin, Scotland. Duncan was the grandfather of Matilda "Atheling" Princess of Scotland; she was the wife of Henry I, Beauclerc, King of England. Thus when Lady Macbeth moans and cries out, “Out Damn spot!” She is verbally abusing Stafford family DNA!

· Regarding Mark Anthony III, there were three prominent men named Mark Anthony (all my ancestors); the one referred to here was a member of the second Triumvirate, along with Octavian Augustus Caesar.

· Regarding King Kimberline he was the father of Arvirgaus King of Britain. Many old characters seemed to possess many names, due to various spellings in English, Latin or Welsh records and histories.

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The document above was created by Neil F. Stafford and pemission given for personal use only!