Edward Littleton

Sir Edward Littleton (ca. 15551610) was a Staffordshire landowner, politician and rebel from the extended Littleton/Lyttelton family. A supporter of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, he was the victim of a notorious electoral fraud in 1597 and a participant in the Essex Rebellion, although he escaped with his life. In the reign of James I he was elected a member of the parliament of England. Background Littleton's father was Edward Littleton (died 1574) of Pillaton Hall, near Penkridge. His mother was Alice Cockayne (1535–1602), the daughter of Francis Cockayne of Ashbourne Hall, Derbyshire. The Littletons had been based at Pillaton since the early years of the century. Littleton's grandfather, Sir Edward Littleton, had skilfully and aggressively expanded the estates of his family during the turbulent years of the English Reformation and had represented Staffordshire in five parliaments. His father had consolidated the family's holdings but had been content mainly to live the life of a country gentleman.