Ferdinando Stanley, 5th Earl of Derby, is…
April 1594 CE
Ferdinando Stanley, 5th Earl of Derby, is the son of Henry Stanley, 4th Earl of Derby and Lady Margaret Clifford, heiress presumptive of Elizabeth of England from 1578.
His maternal grandparents were Henry Clifford, 2nd Earl of Cumberland and Lady Eleanor Brandon.
Eleanor was the third child of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk and Mary Tudor.
Mary was the fifth child of Henry VII of England and Elizabeth of York.
Summoned to the Parliament of England in his father's Barony of Strange (of Knokyn) as Lord Strange (pronounced "strang"), he has become known as "Ferdinando D'no Straunge".
A supporter of the arts, enjoying music, dance, poetry, and singing, he loves the theater above all.
He is the patron of many writers including Robert Greene, Christopher Marlowe, Edmund Spenser and William Shakespeare.
Shakespeare may have been employed by Strange in his early years as part of Lord Strange's Men when this troupe of acrobats and tumblers was reorganized in 1592, emphasizing acting.
Strange's company was by 1590 allied with the Admiral's Men, performing at The Theatre (owned by James Burbage, father of Richard).
His father had died on September 25, 1593 and Ferdinando had succeeded him as the 5th Earl of Derby.
Lord Strange's Men were renamed to Derby's Men accordingly.
Scholars believe that Shakespeare was involved with Strange's as both actor and playwright.
The troupe produced Titus Andronicus and the trilogy of Henry VI, Part 1, Henry VI, Part 2 and Henry VI, Part 3.
Strange's death is mysterious.
A number of rebels, who had fled to foreign countries, had sent over a man named Richard Hesketh to urge him a claim to the crown of England by right of his descent from Mary, Queen Dowager of France, the second daughter of Henry VII, and younger sister to Henry VIII.
The Heskeths are ancient retainers of the Stanley family and are family friends.
This is why Richard had been chosen to approach him about the matter that has come to be known as "The Hesketh Affair".
He is threatened that unless he undertakes the project concealing the messengers and instigators of it, he will shortly die in a most wretched manner.
However, if he complies, he might be assured of powerful assistance.
Ferdinando rejects the proposition with scorn and indignation.
His unexpected death on April 16, 1594, is an event of major political importance.
He is said to have been poisoned by the Jesuits, his gentleman of horse being suspected of administering the poison.
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Dated oil portrait of Fernando Stanley, 5th earl of Derby (1594)
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