George HASTINGS

(1st E. Huntingdon)

Born: ABT 1488/9, Ashby, Leicestershire, England

Died: 24 Mar 1544/5

Father: Edward HASTINGS (2º B. Asby-Zouche)

Mother: Mary HUNGERFORD (B. Hungerford and Moleyns)

Married: Anne STAFFORD (C. Huntingdon) Dec 1503 / Dec 1509

Children:

1. Francis HASTINGS (2º E. Huntingdon)

2. William HASTINGS (ABT 1510, Huntingdon, Berwick, Scotland)

3. Catherine HASTINGS

4. Thomas HASTINGS (Sir)

5. Edward HASTINGS (1° B. Hastings of Loughborough)

6. Henry HASTINGS (b. ABT 1508, Huntingdon, Berwick, Scotland)

7. Mary HASTINGS (B. Berkeley)

8. Dorothy HASTINGS

George Hastings, born in 1488 at Ashby-de-la-Zouch, was the son of Edward Hastings, 2nd Baron Hastings, and Mary Hungerford, daughter and heiress of Sir Thomas Hungerford of Rowden, Wiltshire, by Anne Percy, daughter of Henry Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland, and Eleanor Neville, daughter of Ralph Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland.

Hastings was created a Knight of the Bath on Nov 1501, and succeeded to his father's title between 4 and 15 Nov 1506.

George Hastings, a close friend of the King, married, about Dec 1509, Anne Stafford. They had five son and three daughters, including Francis, Edward, Thomas, William, Henry, Catherine, Mary and Dorothy.

In 1513 he served with King Henry VIII's army in France, and was present when both Therouanne and Tournai were taken by the English forces. He was present at the 1520 meeting between Henry VIII and Francois I of France now known as Field of the Cloth of Gold and when Carlos V, Holy Roman Emperor visited England in 1522.

He was created Earl of Huntingdon on 8 Dec 1529. On the same day his eldest son, Francis, gained a seat at the so-called Reformation Parliament. In 1536 he held a command in the forces which put down the Pilgrimage of Grace.

Anne, was the King's mistress in 1510, and possibly until 1513. She was later prosecuted for adultery with another of her husband's friends, Sir William Compton. Whatever the relationship with Compton, Anne seems to have developed a strong and loving relationship with her husband, as evidenced by letters he wrote to her, and she was named as one of the executors in his will.

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