BUCKINGHAM

buckingham, earls, marquesses and dukes of. the origin of the earldom of buckingham (to be distinguished from that of buckinghamshire, _q.v._) is obscure. according to mr j.h. round (in g.e.c.'s _peerage_, _s.v._) there is some charter evidence for its existence under william rufus; but the main evidence for reckoning walter giffard, lord of longueville in normandy, who held forty-eight lordships in the county, as the first earl, is that of odericus vitalis, who twice describes walter as "comes bucchingehamensis," once in 1097, and again at his death in 1102. after the death of walter giffard, 2nd earl in 1164, the title was assumed by richard de clare, earl of pembroke ("strongbow"), in right of his wife, rohais, sister of walter giffard i.; and it died with him in 1176. in 1377 thomas of "woodstock" (duke of gloucester) was created earl of buckingham at the coronation of richard ii. (15th of july), and the title of gloucester having after his death been given to thomas le despenser, his son humphrey bore that of earl of buckingham only. on humphrey's death, his sister anne became countess of buckingham in her own right. she married edmund stafford, earl of stafford, and on her death (1438) the title of buckingham passed to her son humphrey stafford, earl of stafford, who in 1444 was created duke of buckingham. this title remained in the stafford family until the attainder and execution of edward, 3rd duke, in 1521 (see