Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset
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Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset KG (1457 – September 20, 1501), known as Lord Ferrers de Groby between 1461 and 1471, and the Earl of Huntingdon between 1471 and 1475, was the eldest son of Elizabeth Woodville and consequently a stepson of Edward IV of England.
Thomas was Elizabeth's son by her first marriage, to Sir John Grey. He was created Earl of Huntingdon in 1471 but resigned this peerage in 1475, when he was created Marquess of Dorset. He was summoned to Parliament on November 15, 1482. In January 1482/3 on the death of his grandmother Elizabeth, he became Lord Ferrers of Groby. He joined the Duke of Buckingham's 1483 rebellion against Richard III. When the rebellion failed he fled to Brittany to join Henry Tudor, the future Henry VII.
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[edit] Marriages
Thomas first married Anne Holland. His wife was the only daughter of Henry Holland, 3rd Duke of Exeter and Anne of York. His mother-in-law was the second child and eldest surviving daughter of Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York and Cecily Neville. She was an older sister of Edward IV of England, Edmund, Earl of Rutland, Elizabeth of York, Duchess of Suffolk, Margaret of York, Duchess of Burgundy, George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence and Richard III of England.
After Anne died young without issue, Thomas married Cecily Bonville, Baroness Harington and Bonville.Cecily was born on or around 30 June 1460. His second wife was the daughter and heiress of William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington (and 1st Baron Bonville) by his wife Katherine Neville. His new mother-in-law was a daughter of Alice Montagu, 5th Countess of Salisbury by her consort Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury (jure uxoris). She had secondly married William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings, a close associate of Edward IV, who served as her stepfather.
The maternal uncles of his second wife included Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick, John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu and George Neville, Archbishop of York and Chancellor of England.
[edit] Children
He and his second wife Cecily Bonville had fourteen children:
- Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset (22 June 1477 – 22 June 1530). Father of Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk.
- Leonard Grey, 1st Viscount Grane (c. 1479 – July 28, 1541). Served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.
- Dorothy Grey (1480 – 1552). Married first Robert Willoughby, 2nd Baron Willoughby de Broke and secondly William Blount, 4th Baron Mountjoy.
- Mary Grey (1493 – 22 February 1538). Married Walter Devereux, 1st Viscount Hereford.
- Cecily Grey (c. 1497 – 28 April 1554). Married John Sutton, 3rd Baron Dudley.
- Elizabeth Grey (c. 1497 – after 1530). Married Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Kildare.
- Edward Grey. Married Anne Jerningham.
- Eleanor Grey. Married John Arundel.
- Margaret Grey. Married Richard Wake.
- Anthony Grey. Believed to have died young.
- Bridget Grey. Believed to have died young.
- George Grey. Believed to have died young.
- John Grey. Believed to have died young.
- Richard Grey. Married Florence Pudsey.
[edit] Depictions in fiction
He is depicted in William Shakespeare’s play Richard III.
| Peerage of England | ||
|---|---|---|
| New creation | Marquess of Dorset 1475 – 1501 |
Succeeded by Thomas Grey |
| Earl of Huntingdon 1471 – 1475 |
Resigned | |
| Preceded by Edward Grey |
Baron Ferrers of Groby 1483 – 1501 |
Succeeded by Thomas Grey |
