Earl of Huntingdon

Earldom of Huntingdon
Arms of Hastings: Argent, a maunch sable
Creation date	1065 (first creation) 1529 (current creation)
Monarch	Edward the Confessor (first creation) Henry VIII (current creation)
Peerage	Peerage of England
First holder	Waltheof, Earl of Northumbria
Present holder	William Hastings-Bass, 17th Earl of Huntingdon
Heir presumptive	The Hon. Simon Aubrey Robin Hood Hastings-Bass
Remainder to	heirs male of the body (lawfully begotten)
Subsidiary titles	None, invented courtesy title Viscount Hastings used by heir apparent
Seat(s)	Hodcott House
Armorial motto	In veritae victoria (Victory is in truth)

Earl of Huntingdon is a title which has been created several times in the Peerage of England. The medieval title (1065 creation) was associated with the ruling house of Scotland (David of Scotland).

The seventh and most recent creation dates to 1529. In this lineage, the current holder of the title is William Hastings-Bass, 17th Earl of Huntingdon (b. 1948).

In English folklore, the title has been associated with Robin Hood.

Huntingdonshire was part of East Anglia, inhabited by a group known as the Gyrwas from about the 6th century. It fell to the Danes in the 9th century, but was re-conquered under Edward the Elder in 915. An earldom of Huntingdon was established shortly after, and it was one of the seven earldoms of Saxon England during the reign of king Edward the Confessor. It was created for Bjorn Eastrithson, cousin to Harold Godwinson (later king Harold). The earldom at that time carried extensive powers and covered a wide area of East Midlands, covering the counties of Northampton and Bedford as well as Huntingdon.

In 1065 the earldom passed to Waltheof, son of Siward, Earl of Northumbria. Waltheof kept his title following the Conquest in 1066, and even after his rebellion in 1067, and married Judith, King William's niece. However, after a second rebellion in 1076 he was executed and the earldom reduced in size and power.