Richard III of England unwisely continued to trust Thomas Stanley and his brother, William, even after he had briefly imprisoned Thomas in 1483 on suspicion of conspiracy. At the Battle of Bosworth Field, the Stanleys betrayed him, coming in on the side of the Lancastrians at a crucial moment. It is Thomas who is alleged to have retrieved Richard's lost crown from the battlefield and placed it on the head of his own stepson. In gratitude, he was created Earl of Derby on October 27, 1485, and never looked back. His brother, William, did not fare so well. In 1495, William made the mistake of supporting the pretender Perkin Warbeck, and was executed for treason.
Preceded by: New Creation | Earl of Derby | Followed by: Thomas Stanley |