Edward HASTINGS

(2nd B. Ashby-Zouche)

Born: 26 Nov 1466, Kirby, Leicester, England

Died: 8 Nov 1506/7

Father: William HASTINGS (1º B. Ashby-Zouche)

Mother: Catherine NEVILLE (B. Ashby-Zouche)

Married: Mary HUNGERFORD (B. Hungerford and Moleyns) BEF 18 Jun 1480/1

Children:

1. Anne HASTINGS (C. Derby)

2. George HASTINGS (1º E. Huntingdon)

English peer born in Kirby Muxloe Castle, Leicestershire to Sir William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings and Catherine Neville, the daughter of Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury, and Alice Montague, the daughter of Thomas Montague, 4th Earl of Salisbury. At the time of the marriage Catherine Neville was the widow of William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington (1442-1460), beheaded after the Battle of Wakefield, by whom she had a daughter, Cecily. Edward Hastings had three brothers, Sir William, Sir Richard, and George, and two sisters, Anne, who married George Talbot, 4th Earl of Shrewsbury, and Elizabeth. His brothers William and Richard were alive at the time he made his will on 4 Nov 1506.

Edward Hastings was invested as a Knight of the Bath in 1475. He married Mary Hungerford between 25 Jun 1478 (date of inquisition post mortem) and before 18 Feb 1480/1 (date they were granted livery of her great-grandmother's lands) (their marriage settlement dated 1474; and papal dispensation for marriage dated 4 Sep 1475, they being related in the 3rd and 3rd degree of kindred). Edward Hastings and Mary Hungerford had two sons and a daughter: George, 1st Earl of Huntingdon; William and Anne.

While he was still only a youth 16 years of age, his father William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings, incurred the enmity of Richard, Duke of Gloucester, and on 13 Jun 1483 was arrested at a council meeting on Richard's orders, and beheaded without trial, an event dramatized in Shakespeare's "Richard III".

In 1485, the attainders of the Sir Robert Hungerford, 3rd Lord Hungerford and of his son, Thomas, were reversed, whereby Mary became (in addition to her title of Lady Botreaux) suo jure Lady Hungerford. Edward was granted the lordship, barony, and honour of Hastings 15 Dec 1487. 

High Steward of the Honour of Leicester, 1485, Constable of Leicester Castle, 1485, High Forester of Southwood, 1488, Privy Councillor, 1504.

He was summoned to Parliament from 15 Nov 1482 to 20 Nov 1496 by writs directed "Edwardo Hastyngs de Hungerford", whereby he is held according to modern doctrine to have become Lord Hastings of Hungerford.

He and his wife Mary presented to the churches of South Cadbury, Somerset in 1494, and Aller, Somerset in 1505. 

Edward Hastings died, aged 39, on 8 Nov 1506, and is said to have been buried at the Blackfriars, London. He left a will dated 4 Nov 1506, proved in Feb 1510 (P.C.C. 37 Bennett). On 1 May 1509 his widow married Sir Richard Sacheverell (d. 14 Apr 1534), Receiver-General to Edward Hastings, Lord Hastings, but had no issue by him.

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