Courtier: William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings, c 1431-1483

Seven people have had the dubious honor of being beheaded on Tower Green, within the precincts of the Tower of London, rather than the more public Tower Hill, outside its walls.  Most people are familiar with the Tudor era executions, Anne Boleyn, Margaret, Countess of Salisbury, Katherine Howard, Jane Rochford, Jane Grey and the Earl of Essex.  There was another victim who preceded them in death by over half a century.  William Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings.  And, yes, Richard III did have something to do with this.

Hastings was born to a family already in the service of the Yorkist branch of the Plantagenet family.  In fact, he had some Plantagenet blood of his own, through his mother's side.  He became close friends with the future Edward IV, later serving him as High Sheriff of Warwickshire, Leicestershire, and later as Lord Chamberlain.  He was with Edward at the Battle of Mortimer's Cross, and at Edward's side when he was proclaimed King in London in 1461.  Edward IV was loyal to his friends, later making Hastings Master of the Mint, as well as creating him Baron Hastings and a Knight of the Garter.  There was no heights he couldn't achieve.  Even Richard "the Kingmaker" Neville, Earl of Warwick wanted a family alliance, betrothing his sister Katherine Neville to Hastings.  The couple had several children. 

Related to the Nevilles by marriage, Hastings remained loyal to Edward when Warwick flipped for Henry VI in 1470.  While Edward fled into exile in Burgundy, Hastings was busy in England rallying support.  He survived the downfall of the Nevilles and returned to Court as Edward's Lord Chamberlain in 1471.  He became Chamberlain of the Exchequer and Lieutenant of Calais.  About the only drawback was that, along with almost everyone else, he disliked Queen Elizabeth Woodville's greedy pack of relatives, feuding in particular with her son, Thomas, Marquess of Dorset.  Edward didn't seem to hold this against Hastings, though, and continued to reward him. 

Then, it all blew apart.  Edward IV died suddenly in 1483.  While Elizabeth and her relatives hastened to declare the young Prince of Wales King, Hastings stalled for time until Richard of Gloucester could intercept the young King, on his way from Ludlow, and convey him to the Tower.  Once there, Richard quarreled with Hastings, accusing him of actually plotting with the Woodville faction against Richard himself.  How he came to that believe will never be known.  One thing is certain.  Edward IV's favorite mistress, Elizabeth (Jane) Shore, was dividing her favors with the King, Dorset, and Hastings.  Richard later ordered Jane to perform public penance for her adultery.  Did he see her as a conduit for information back to the Woodvilles?  Did he believe that his brother's long-time friend might flip for young Edward?  The answers remained locked in Richard's mind.  While Dorset and other supposed conspirators were imprisoned awaiting trial, Richard ordered that Hastings be executed at once.  No stately scaffold with an execution speech here.  Hastings was marched out into Tower Green where a fallen log made a handy block, and axed there.  His body was buried in St. Peter ad Vincula.  Perhaps believing that the family had been punished enough, Richard didn't go for an attainder of Hastings' family, but allowed his son to succeed as the 2nd Baron Hastings.