Edward Littleton (died 1558)

Edward Littleton or Edwarde Lyttelton (by 1489–1558) was a Staffordshire landowner from the extended Littleton/Lyttelton family. He also served as soldier and Member of Parliament for Staffordshire in the House of Commons of England, the lower house of the Parliament of England, five times.

Edward Littleton's father was Richard Littleton, a younger son of the great 15th-century jurist, Thomas de Littleton. Richard had settled in Staffordshire, his mother's home county, and become surveyor to Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham. He became a tenant and probably steward of William Wynnesbury, who was lord of Pillaton and Otherton, in the parish of Penkridge, in the late 15th century. He inherited Baxterley, Warwickshire, from his father but made his most important gains through marriage.

Edward's mother was Alice Wynnesbury, William's daughter and only heir, whom Richard married. She inherited the Pillaton and Otherton estates, including the moated medieval manor house of Pillaton Hall, when her father died in 1502. Richard died in 1517 and she outlived him by 12 years. Only with her death did the Wynnesbury estates become part of the Littleton inheritance.

Edward Littleton probably received legal training at the Inner Temple, Thomas de Littleton's inn. Probably in 1512, he enlisted to serve in the campaign launched by Henry VIII as part of the War of the League of Cambrai against France. In 1513, Littleton took part in Henry's invasion of northern France, in which his troops defeated the French at the Battle of the Spurs, going on to take the important stronghold of Tournai. Littleton's companion in this campaign was Sir John Giffard of Chillington Hall, near Brewood, a near neighbour who distinguished himself in the fighting.

...
Wikipedia