by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham; Credit – Wikipedia

Favorite: a person treated with special or undue favor by a king, queen, or another royal person

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, a courtier and favorite of King James I of England and his son King Charles I until a disgruntled army officer assassinated him, was born on August 28, 1592, in Brooksby, Leicestershire, England. George was the second of the three sons and the second of the four children of Sir George Villiers (circa 1544 – 1606) and his second wife Mary Beaumont (circa 1570 – 1632).

George had three siblings:

• Susan Villiers (1589 – 1652), married William Feilding, 1st Earl of Denbigh, had five children
• John Villiers, 1st Viscount Purbeck (circa 1590 – 1657), married Frances Coke, no children
• Christopher Villiers, 1st Earl of Anglesey (died 1630), married Elizabeth Sheldon, had two children

George had five half-siblings from his father’s first marriage to Audrey Saunders who died in 1588:

• Sir William Villiers, 1st Baronet (circa 1575 – 1629), married (1) Anne Griffin, no children (2) Anne Fiennes, had one child (3) Rebecca Roper, had three children
• Sir Edward Villiers (circa 1585 – 1626) married Barbara St. John, had ten children, grandparents of Barbara Villiers,1st Duchess of Cleveland, mistress of King Charles II
• Elizabeth Villiers (died 1654), married John Boteler, 1st Baron Boteler of Brantfield, had eight children
• Frances Villiers, unmarried
• Anne Villiers (born 1588), married Sir William Washington (elder brother of Lawrence Washington, the great-great-grandfather of George Washington), had two children

Sir George Villiers, George’s father, was a well-to-do sheep farmer. He was High Sheriff of Leicestershire in 1591, knighted in 1593, and a Member of Parliament from 1604 until he died in 1606. George’s mother Mary Beaumont was a poor cousin of her husband but she had ambitions for her second son George. She recognized that he had potential and found the funds to send George to the French court where he learned courtly skills and improved his French. When George returned from France, Mary provided him with a suitable wardrobe and sent him to the English court in 1614 where he quickly became the new favorite of King James I. As George rose, his mother, his siblings, and his half-siblings rose along with him. In 1618, King James I retorted that he lived to no other end but to advance the Villiers family.

King James I of England; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1615, George was knighted and became a Gentleman of the Bedchamber. He became Master of the Horse in 1616, was raised to the peerage as Baron Whaddon, Viscount Villiers, and was made a Knight of the Garter. In 1619, George was made Lord High Admiral of England. In 1617, George was created Earl of Buckingham and climbed the steps of peerage when he was created Marquess of Buckingham in 1618, and Duke of Buckingham in 1623.

George’s mother Mary chose Katherine Manners, the only surviving child of Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland, and the richest woman in England, to marry George. However, because Katherine was Catholic, King James I refused to allow the marriage, and Katherine’s father refused to accept the demands for an extremely lucrative dowry. Katherine did convert to the Church of England which greatly upset her father. George’s mother Mary entrapped Katherine into the marriage by arranging for her to spend the night under the same roof as George, ruining her reputation, and leaving her family with no choice but to allow her to marry George. George and Katherine married on May 16, 1620.

George and Katherine with their daughter Mary and son George; Credit – Wikipedia

George and Katherine had four children:

• Mary Villiers (1622 – 1685), married (1) Charles Herbert, Lord Herbert, no children (2) James Stewart, 1st Duke of Richmond, 4th Duke of Lennox, had two children (3) Colonel Thomas Howard, no children
• Charles Villiers, Earl of Coventry (1625 – 1627), died in childhood
• George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham (1628 – 1687), married Mary Fairfax, no children
• Lord Francis Villiers (1629 – 1648), unmarried, died in a skirmish at Kingston during the Second English Civil War

Whether the personal relationship between King James I and his male favorites was a sexual one is still debated by historians. Some historians think that James I’s need for a close male favorite came from a lack of family while growing up in Scotland where he became King of Scots when he was one year old. James I did not know his parents Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley and Mary, Queen of Scots and he had no siblings. His maternal grandparents died before he was born. His paternal grandfather died while James was still a boy and his paternal grandmother lived in England. James I compared his love for George to Jesus’ love of his apostle John when he spoke to his Privy Council about rumors in 1617: “You may be sure that I love the Earl of Buckingham more than anyone else, and more than you who are here assembled. I wish to speak in my own behalf and not to have it thought to be a defect, for Jesus Christ did the same, and therefore I cannot be blamed. Christ had John, and I have George.”

King Charles I of England; Credit – Wikipedia

George was King James I’s constant companion and closest advisor until the king died. George greatly influenced James I’s son and successor, the future King Charles I, while he was Prince of Wales. By 1624, an increasingly ill James I was finding it difficult to control Parliament. Before King James I died in March 1625, Charles and George had already assumed de facto control of England. At the end of King James I’s reign and the beginning of King Charles I’s reign, George had a number of diplomatic and military failures that caused Parliament to refuse to fund any more of his endeavors. Parliament then attempted to impeach George twice but King Charles I rescued him by dissolving Parliament both times. George was widely considered a public enemy by the English people. George’s physician Dr. Lambe, popularly supposed to have an evil influence on him, was killed by a mob in the street. A pamphlet published after Dr. Lambe’s death said:

Let Charles and George do what they can
The Duke shall die like Doctor Lambe

 John Felton (1595 – 1628) had been an army officer and had submitted petitions to the Privy Council over two matters, back pay he believed he was owed, and his promotion to captain, which he believed he had been unfairly denied. He was unsuccessful in resolving these matters and believed George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham was responsible. Felton further believed that his grievances against George were part of George’s treacherous and wicked influence on the English government. He decided to kill George and traveled to Portsmouth where he knew George was staying.

Embed from Getty Images 
Assassination of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

On August 23, 1628, George was staying at the Greyhound Inn in Portsmouth, England while planning another military campaign. After having breakfast, George left the inn. John Felton made his way through the crowd that surrounded George and stabbed the 35-year-old Duke of Buckingham in the chest with a dagger, killing him. Felton could have escaped in the resulting chaos but instead, expecting to be well received, he confessed to the gathering crowd. He was immediately arrested, and taken before a judge who sent him to London for interrogation. Because of the unpopularity of the Duke of Buckingham, Felton’s deed received widespread approval and was celebrated in poems and pamphlets. After being tried and found guilty, John Felton was hanged on November 29, 1628, at Tyburn, the principal place for execution in London.

Embed from Getty Images
The Chapel of St. Nicholas at Westminster Abbey where George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham is buried

King Charles I ordered George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham to be buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England in the Chapel of St. Nicholas which had previously been reserved for those only of royal descent.  A lavish tomb of black and white marble and bronze was constructed by his widow in 1634 with an effigy of George and his wife Katherine although she is not buried there. Katherine succeeded to one of her father’s titles Baron de Ros of Helmsley upon his death in 1632, becoming the 18th Baroness de Ros of Helmsley in her own right. She married for a second time to Randal MacDonnell, 1st Marquess of Antrim in 1635, and went to live at Dunluce Castle in County Antrim, Ireland. Katherine survived her first husband by twenty-one years, dying in Waterford, Ireland, probably of the plague. She was buried in Waterford but there is a memorial to her in Westminster Abbey.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. George Villiers (Died 1606). [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Villiers_(died_1606)> [Accessed 10 December 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. George Villiers, 1St Duke Of Buckingham. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Villiers,_1st_Duke_of_Buckingham> [Accessed 10 December 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. John Felton (Assassin). [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Felton_(assassin)> [Accessed 10 December 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Katherine Villiers, Duchess Of Buckingham. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Villiers,_Duchess_of_Buckingham> [Accessed 10 December 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Mary Villiers, Countess Of Buckingham. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Villiers,_Countess_of_Buckingham> [Accessed 10 December 2020].
• En.wikipedia.org. 2020. Personal Relationships Of James VI And I. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_relationships_of_James_VI_and_I#George_Villiers.2C_1st_Duke_of_Buckingham> [Accessed 10 December 2020].

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Arnold van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle; Credit – Wikipedia

Favorite: a person treated with special or undue favor by a king, queen, or another royal person

An ancestor of Queen Camilla, Arnold van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle was born in Zutphen, Dutch Republic, now in the Netherlands. He was christened on January 30, 1670, so it can be assumed he was probably born shortly before his christening. His parents were Osewolt van Keppel, Lord of Voorst (1630 – 1685) and Reinira Anna Geertruida van Lintelo (1638 – 1700). The van Keppel family is of old Gelderland nobility.

Arnold had at least one brother:

• Jan Rabo van Keppel (circa 1665-1733), married Cornelia Mechteld Van Lynden, had at least one son

King William III of England, also Willem III, Prince of Orange; Credit – Wikipedia

Sometime in his teens, possibly as early as 1685, Arnold became a page of honor to Willem III, Prince of Orange. Willem III was the only child of Willem II, Prince of Orange and Mary, Princess Royal, who was the eldest daughter of King Charles I of England. In 1677, Willem III married his first cousin the future Queen Mary II of England, the elder of the two surviving children, both daughters, of the future King James II of England and his first wife Anne Hyde. Being the grandson of King Charles I of England, Willem III was also in the line of succession to the English throne and eventually co-reigned as King William III of England with his wife and first cousin Queen Mary II of England. William and Mary came to power in England during the Glorious Revolution of 1688, following the birth of a Catholic heir James Francis Edward Stuart to Maria Beatrice of Modena, the second wife of King James II of England, Mary’s father and Willem III’s uncle. When the new King William III of England, with his name anglicized as William, came to England, Arnold accompanied him as a member of his household. King William III remained Prince of Orange and Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic.

Arnold rose in royal favor and became a Gentleman of the Bedchamber (1690 – 1695) in William III’s household. He copied William’s letters and spent many hours with the king, resulting in jealousy among some courtiers, particularly William’s long-time friend and favorite, and a fellow Dutchman, William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland.  William found Arnold to be better company because Bentinck, who had governmental duties, was always preoccupied with the affairs of state. In 1691, William returned to the Dutch Republic where a military meeting with his allies was planned in The Hague and Arnold accompanied him. During a hunting holiday with some of the meeting participants at Het Loo Palace in Apeldoorn, Dutch Republic, now in the Netherlands, Arnold was thrown from his horse and broke his leg. William was impressed that Arnold never complained about his pain and often visited him during his recovery.

Arnold began to receive favors and honors, both English and Dutch. In 1692, Arnold received from William, in his capacity as Prince of Orange and Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, the titles of Knight of Zutphen, Knight of Holland and West Friesland, and Lord van der Voorst. From 1695 – 1701, he served as William III’s Master of the Robes. Arnold was created an English peer by William in 1697 receiving the titles Earl of Albemarle, Viscount Bury, and Baron Ashford. He served as Captain and Colonel of His Majesty’s Own Troop of Horse Guards from 1699 – 1710 and in 1700, he was created a Knight of the Order of the Garter.

William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland, who was Groom of the Stole, Keeper of the Privy Purse, and a Privy Councilor, continued to be jealous of Arnold, and because of this, in 1700, he resigned all his offices in the royal household. However, he never lost the esteem of King William III who continued to trust him and use him as an advisor, and it was in the arms of Bentinck that William III took his last breath in 1702.

Gertrude van Keppel, Countess of Albemarle; Credit – www.thepeerage.com

On July 10, 1701, Arnold married Geertruida van der Duyn (1674 – 1741) in The Hague, Dutch Republic, now in the Netherlands. Her father Adam van der Duyn, Lord of ‘s-Gravenmoer (1639 – 1693) was a Major-General in the Dutch Army and Master of the Buckhounds to King William III. King William III gave the couple his blessing and provided the bride with a dowry and jewels.

Arnold and his wife, whose name was anglicized to Gertrude, had two children:

• William van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle (1702 – 1754), married Lady Anne Lennox, daughter of Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, 1st Duke of Lennox, illegitimate son of King Charles II of England by his mistress Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth, had over fifteen children with six surviving to adulthood
• Lady Sophia van Keppel (1716 – 1773), married General John Thomas, had at least two sons

On February 20, 1702, King William III went riding at Hampton Court Palace. The horse stumbled on a molehill and fell. William tried to pull the horse up by the reins, but the horse’s movements caused William to fall on his right shoulder. His collarbone was broken and was set by a surgeon, but instead of resting, William insisted on returning to Kensington Palace that evening by coach. A week after the fall, the fracture was not healing well and William’s right hand and arm were puffy and did not look right which probably meant an infection developed. His condition continued to worsen and by March 3, William had a high fever and had difficulty breathing. By March 7, the doctors knew that William was dying and he began to say goodbye to his friends and advisors. In early February 1702, William III had sent Arnold to the Dutch Republic to plan for the upcoming military campaign, and he only returned in time to receive William’s farewell. William gave Arnold the keys to his cabinet and private drawers, and said, “You know what to do with them.” On March 8, 1702, William III died. William bequeathed to Arnold the huge sum of 200,000 guilders and the Dutch Lordship of Breevorst.

After William’s death, Arnold returned to the Dutch Republic and took his seat as a member of the nobility in the States-General, the legislature of the Dutch Republic. He was one of the two commanders of the Dutch forces in the Grand Alliance’s campaigns during the War of Spanish Succession (1701–1714). John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, the Grand Alliance commander, who had been on good terms with Arnold, expressed pleasure at his rejoining the allied army. In 1705, Arnold visited England and attended Queen Anne on a visit to Cambridge University, where he received the honorary degree of doctor of laws. On the death of Queen Anne in 1714, Arnold was sent to the Electorate of Hanover by the States-General to congratulate the new King George I on his accession to the British throne. Both Queen Anne and King George I held Arnold in high esteem.

Arnold van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle, aged 48, died on May 30, 1718, in The Hague, Dutch Republic, now in the Netherlands, and was buried in The Hague.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

• En.wikipedia.org. 2021. Arnold van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_van_Keppel,_1st_Earl_of_Albemarle> [Accessed 1 February 2021].
• En.wikisource.org. 2021. Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Keppel, Arnold Joost van – Wikisource, the free online library. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/Keppel,_Arnold_Joost_van> [Accessed 1 February 2021].
• Genealogics.org. 2021. Arnold Joost van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle : Genealogics. [online] Available at: <https://www.genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00005350&tree=LEO> [Accessed 1 February 2021].
• Nl.wikipedia.org. 2021. Arnold Joost van Keppel. [online] Available at: <https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnold_Joost_van_Keppel> [Accessed 1 February 2021].
• Thepeerage.com. 2021. Person Page – Arnold van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle. [online] Available at: <https://www.thepeerage.com/p1684.htm#i16835> [Accessed 1 February 2021].
• Van Der Kiste, John, 2003. William and Mary. Phoenix Hill: Sutton Publishing.

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland; Credit – Wikipedia

Favorite: a person treated with special or undue favor by a king, queen, or another royal person

William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland was born Hans Willem Bentinck on July 20, 1649, in Diepenheim, Overijssel, Dutch Republic, now in the Netherlands. He was the fourth of the eight children and the third of the three sons of Berent Bentinck, 6th Baron Bentinck (1597 – 1668) and Anna van Bloemendale (1622 – 1685). The Bentinck family is an old Dutch noble family whose noble rank can be traced to the 14th century.

Bentinck had seven siblings:

• Hendrik Bentinck, 7th Baron Bentinck (1640 – 1691), married Ida Magdalena van Ittersum, had three daughters
• Eusebius Bentinck, 8th Baron Bentinck (1643 – 1710), married (1) Elizabeth de Brakell, had two sons and one daughter (2) Hendrina Schimmelpenninck van der Oye, no children, died two months after her wedding
• Eleonore Bentinck (1644 – 1710), married Robert van Ittersum, Baron Nijenhuis, no children?
• Isabelle Bentinck (1651 – 1687), married Alexander Schimmelpenninck van der Oye, Baron van De Engelenburg, no children, died five months after her wedding
• Anna Bentinck (1652 – 1721), married Dirk Borre van Amerongen, had two daughters
• Agnes Bentinck (1654 – 1722), unmarried?
• Johanna Bentinck (1597 – 1668), unmarried?

Willem III, Prince of Orange, 1661; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1664, fifteen-year-old Hans Willem Bentinck came to the court of fourteen-year-old Willem III, Prince of Orange, as a page. Willem III was the only child of Willem II, Prince of Orange and Mary, Princess Royal, the eldest daughter of King Charles I of England. Willem III’s father died at age 24 of smallpox eight days before Willem III’s birth, so when he was born on November 14, 1650, Willem III succeeded to his father’s titles. Being the grandson of King Charles I of England, Willem III was also in the line of succession to the English throne and eventually co-reigned as King William III of England with his wife and first cousin Queen Mary II of England.

In 1672, Bentinck became Willem III’s chamberlain. Along with his role at the court where he was an important advisor for Willem III, Bentinck also had a military career. When Willem III became ill with smallpox in 1675, Bentinck cared for him for sixteen days. When Willem III recovered, Bentinck fell ill with smallpox but recovered in time to accompany Willem III on a military campaign that year. Sadly, smallpox caused much personal loss for Willem III. His father Willem II, Prince of Orange, his mother Mary, Princess Royal, Princess of Orange, and his wife Queen Mary II of England all died from smallpox.

The future Queen Mary II of England in 1677; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1677, Bentinck was Willem III’s special envoy to England where he sought the support of Willem’s uncle King Charles II of England in the Dutch Republic’s struggle against France. At the same time, Bentinck negotiated a marriage for Willem III with his first cousin Mary, the elder surviving daughter of James, Duke of York, later King James II of England, and his first wife Anne Hyde. 27-year-old Willem and a weepy 15-year-old Mary, prodded on by their uncle King Charles II, were married at St. James’ Palace in London, England on November 4, 1677. Bentinck served as Willem III’s best man.

Bentinck’s first wife Anne Villiers; Credit – Wikipedia

Bentinck’s first wife Anne Villiers (circa 1651 – 1688) was the eldest child of Sir Edward Villiers and his wife Lady Frances Howard, daughter of Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk. Anne’s mother had been the governess to Willem III’s new wife Mary and her younger sister, the future Queen Anne, and she used her position at court to secure positions in Mary’s new household for her daughters. Anne Villiers and her sisters Elizabeth and Katherine, were among the maids of honor who accompanied Mary to The Hague in the Dutch Republic, now in the Netherlands, to serve the new Princess of Orange. The three Villiers sisters were the first cousins of Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, born Barbara Villiers, a mistress of King Charles II of England. Their fathers were brothers.

Bentinck and Anne Villiers became acquainted and on February 1, 1678, they were married. They are ancestors of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom through her mother’s family, specifically through her maternal grandmother born Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck. Five months after giving birth to her last child, Anne died on November 30, 1688, in The Hague, Dutch Republic, now in the Netherlands.

Bentinck and Anne had seven children:

• Lady Mary Bentinck (1679 – 1726), married (1) Algernon Capell, 2nd Earl of Essex, had one son and two daughters (2) Sir Conyers D’Arcy, no children
• Willem Bentinck (1681 – 1688), died in childhood
• Henry Bentinck, 1st Duke of Portland (1682 – 1726), married Lady Elizabeth Noel, had two sons and three daughters
• Lady Anna Bentinck (1683 – 1763), married Arent van Wassenaar, Baron van Wassenaar, had at least one daughter
• Lady Frances Bentinck (1684 – 1712), married William Byron, 4th Baron Byron, had three sons and one daughter who all died in childhood
• Lady Eleonora Bentinck (1687 – ?)
• Lady Isabella Bentinck (1688 – 1728), married Evelyn Pierrepont, 1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull, had two daughters

Anne’s sister Elizabeth Villiers; Credit – Wikipedia

Anne’s sister Elizabeth Villiers became the mistress of Willem III, and reportedly, she was his only mistress. In 1679, when Willem III made his first advances to Elizabeth, she tried to discourage him. However, by 1680, Elizabeth was his mistress, rumors of the affair reached Paris, and Mary was probably aware of her husband’s relationship with Elizabeth. In 1685, Mary’s father, now King James II of England, hoping to break up his daughter’s marriage with Willem III, had encouraged others to relay gossip from Mary and Willem III’s household to him. Through the meddling of King James II, Elizabeth and Willem III’s affair became public knowledge and Elizabeth was sent back to England. To stop rumors continuing in England, Elizabeth’s father begged Willem III and Mary to allow Elizabeth to return to The Hague. Elizabeth was permitted to return but Mary refused to receive her. Elizabeth then went to live with her sister Katherine who had married and settled in The Hague. Bentinck had forbidden his wife Anne to socialize with her sister Elizabeth. Meanwhile, the affair between Elizabeth and Willem III continued and was to last until 1695, a total of fifteen years.

The Landing of His Royal Highness in England by Bastiaen Stopendael (Stoopendael), or by Daniel Stopendael (Stoopendael) etching, circa 1689 NPG D22617 © National Portrait Gallery, London

Following his initial visit to England in 1677, Bentinck was sent on many other diplomatic missions to England, resulting in the development of a strong and influential network of contacts within English political circles. As a result, Bentinck was to play a key role in the planning and execution of the Glorious Revolution of 1688, following the birth of a Catholic heir James Francis Edward Stuart to Maria Beatrice of Modena, the second wife of King James II of England, Mary’s father and Willem III’s uncle. Willem III, Prince of Orange landed in England vowing to safeguard the Protestant interest. He marched to London, gathering many supporters. James II panicked and sent his wife and infant son to France. James later fled to France where his first cousin King Louis XIV of France offered him a palace and pension. Parliament refused to depose James II but declared that having fled to France, James had effectively abdicated the throne and therefore, the throne had become vacant. James’s elder daughter Mary was declared Queen Mary II and she was to rule jointly with her husband Willem, whose name would be anglicized to William. He would reign in England as King William III but he remained Willem III, Prince of Orange and Stadtholder of the  Dutch Republic.

Quartered arms of William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland, KG, PC; Credit – By Rs-nourse – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=68789077

Having supported King William III throughout his efforts to secure the English throne, and after accompanying him to England, Bentinck was generously rewarded. Parliament passed an act of naturalization so that he and his children would be British subjects. He was created Earl of Portland, Viscount Woodstock, and Baron Cirencester. With these titles came significant estates, including Theobalds House in Hertfordshire, England. Bentinck was appointed Groom of the Stole, Keeper of the Privy Purse, and a Privy Councilor, and he remained William III’s closest advisor. In 1697, William III created Bentinck a Knight of the Order of the Garter.

In late December 1694, when Mary was very ill with smallpox, Bentinck was one of the two people William III would see. On December 28, 1694, Queen Mary II of England, aged only 32, died of smallpox at Kensington Palace. When Mary’s grief-stricken husband collapsed at her death bed, it was Bentinck who carried the nearly insensible William from the room.

Bentinck was responsible for overseeing affairs in Scotland and played an influential role in English politics. His main achievements were diplomatic. In 1697, Bentinck played a major role in securing the Treaty of Ryswick, ending the Nine Years’ War (1688 – 1697) between France and the Dutch Republic. He was active in addressing the crisis of the Spanish succession through the Treaty of The Hague (1698) and the Treaty of London (1700) and became William III’s ambassador to France.

Bentinck became very jealous of the rising influence of another Dutchman Arnold Joost van Keppel. Keppel was created Earl of Albemarle by William III and emerged as the second favorite. Because of this, in 1700, Bentinck resigned all his offices in the royal household. However, he never lost the esteem of King William III who continued to trust him and use him as an advisor.

Jane Martha Temple, Bentinck’s second wife; Credit – Wikipedia

On May 12, 1700, 51-year-old Bentinck married again to 28-year-old Jane Martha Temple (1672 – 1751), daughter of Sir John Temple, and widow of John Berkeley, 3rd Baron Berkeley of Stratton. He spent his final years consolidating his estates and adding to his family.

Bentinck and Jane had six children:

• Lady Sophia Bentinck (1701 – 1741), married Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Kent, had one son and one daughter
• Lady Elizabeth Bentinck (1703 – 1765), married Reverand The Honorable Henry Egerton, Bishop of Hereford, had five sons and one daughter
• The Honorable Willem Bentinck, 1st Count Bentinck (1704 – 1774), married Charlotte Sophie, Countess von Aldenburg, had two sons, the title of Count Bentinck of the Holy Roman Empire, was created for Willem as the second surviving son
• Lady Harriet Bentinck (1705 – 1792), married James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Clanbrassill, had one son and one daughter
• The Honorable Charles Bentinck (1708 – 1779), who married Lady Margaret Cadogan, daughter of William Cadogan, 1st Earl Cadogan, children ?
• Lady Barbara Bentinck (1709 – 1736), married Francis Godolphin, 2nd Baron Godolphin, no children

On February 20, 1702, King William III went riding at Hampton Court Palace. The horse stumbled on a molehill and fell. William tried to pull the horse up by the reins, but the horse’s movements caused William to fall on his right shoulder. His collarbone was broken and was set by a surgeon, but instead of resting, William insisted on returning to Kensington Palace that evening by coach. Bentinck called on William every day as he recovered. However, a week after the fall, the fracture was not healing well and William’s right hand and arm were puffy and did not look right which probably meant an infection developed. His condition continued to worsen and by March 3, William had a high fever and had difficulty breathing. By March 7, the doctors knew that William was dying and he began to say goodbye to his friends and advisors. By the time Bentinck arrived on March 8, 1702, William had lost his power of speech but with a look, he beckoned Bentinck to his bedside. Bentinck bent down and put his ear to William’s mouth but could only distinguish a few words of William’s incoherent speech. William then took Bentinck’s hand and placed it against his heart. Then William’s head fell back, he closed his eyes, took two or three breaths, and died.

William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland; Credit – Wikipedia

William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland, aged 60, died on November 23, 1709, at Bulstrode Park, one of his principal residences, in Buckinghamshire, England. He was buried at Westminster Abbey in London, England, in the Ormond Vault at the eastern end of Henry VII’s Chapel. He has no monument but his name and date of death were added to the vault stone in the late 19th century. The Ormond Vault is now located in the Royal Air Force Chapel at Westminster Abbey and a carpet permanently covers the vault-stone with the inscribed names.

Bentinck’s second wife Jane survived him by 42 years, dying on June 26, 1751, in London, England, at the age of 79. She was buried in the cemetery at St. Mary the Virgin Church in Walthamstow, London, England.

Ormond Vault at Westminster Abbey is located under the carpet; Credit – https://www.westminster-abbey.org

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

• En.wikipedia.org. 2021. William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Bentinck,_1st_Earl_of_Portland> [Accessed 30 January 2021].
• Genealogics.org. 2021. Berent Bentinck, Heer van Diepenheim : Genealogics. [online] Available at: <https://www.genealogics.org/getperson.php?personID=I00003344&tree=LEO> [Accessed 30 January 2021].
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• Sir Hans Willem Bentinck, 1. and Diepenheim, N., 2021. Hans Willem Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland. [online] geni_family_tree. Available at: <https://www.geni.com/people/Sir-Hans-Willem-Bentinck-1st-Earl-of-Portland/6000000003265080482> [Accessed 30 January 2021].
• Thepeerage.com. 2021. Person Page – Hans William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland. [online] Available at: <http://www.thepeerage.com/p965.htm#i9646> [Accessed 30 January 2021].
• Van Der Kiste, John, 2003. William and Mary. Phoenix Hill: Sutton Publishing.
• Westminster Abbey. 2021. William & Henry Bentinck | Westminster Abbey. [online] Available at: <https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/commemorations/william-henry-bentinck> [Accessed 30 January 2021].

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2021

Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex; Credit – Wikipedia

Favorite: a person treated with special or undue favor by a king, queen, or another royal person

A favorite of Queen Elizabeth I but beheaded for treason, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex was the great-grandson of Mary Boleyn, sister of Anne Boleyn, and the stepson of Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, Queen Elizabeth I’s favorite. Born November 10, 1565, at Netherwood near Bromyard, Herefordshire, England. Robert was the eldest of the three sons and the eldest of the five children of Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex (1541 – 1576), and Lettice Knollys (1543 – 1634). Robert’s father was an army general in service to Queen Elizabeth I. Robert’s mother Lettice Knollys was the daughter of Sir Francis Knollys, who was a courtier in the service of King Henry VIII, King Edward VI, and Queen Elizabeth I, and Catherine Carey. Catherine Carey was the daughter of Mary Boleyn, the sister of Anne Boleyn, King Henry VIII’s second wife, and the mother of Queen Elizabeth I. This made Lettice Knollys the first cousin once removed of Queen Elizabeth I and therefore her son Robert was Elizabeth’s first cousin twice removed.

Robert’s sisters Dorothy and Penelope Devereux; Credit – Wikipedia

Robert had four younger siblings:

• Sir Walter Devereux (1569 – 1591), married Margaret, Dakyns, no children, killed at the Siege of Rouen
• Penelope Devereux (1563 – 1607), married (1) Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick, 3rd Baron Rich, had seven children, divorced due to Penelope’s adultery (2) Charles Blount, 1st Earl of Devonshire, had four children out of wedlock who were never legitimized
• Dorothy Devereux (circa 1564 – 1619), married (1) Sir Thomas Perrot, had five children (2) Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland, had four children
• Francis Devereux (born and died 1572)

Robert’s father died in 1576, and the eleven-year-old became the 2nd Earl of Essex and the ward of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, the chief adviser of Queen Elizabeth I. On September 21, 1578, Robert got a stepfather when his mother married Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, Queen Elizabeth I’s long-time favorite and Robert’s godfather. Dudley feared Elizabeth I’s reaction to his marriage and insisted it be kept secret. However, Elizabeth I found out about the marriage two months later. She banished her cousin Lettice permanently from court, never forgave her, and never accepted the marriage. Although Dudley remained at court, he was alternately humiliated in public by Elizabeth and treated as fondly as always.

Robert had one half-brother who died in childhood from his mother’s second marriage:

• Robert Dudley, Lord Denbigh (1581 – 1584)

Robert Dudley had much influence on his godson and stepson Robert Devereux. Robert served in the military under his stepfather’s command in the Netherlands. Several years before he died in 1588, Dudley introduced Robert to the Elizabethan court, and Elizabeth I increasingly became interested in the young man. Robert spent much time in the company of Elizabeth I and succeeded his stepfather in royal favor. Although Elizabeth I was thirty-two years older than Robert, she found it very pleasant to be adored by such a young man. In June 1587, Robert replaced Dudley as Master of the Horse. After Dudley died in 1588, Elizabeth I transferred Dudley’s royal monopoly on sweet wines to Robert, providing him with lucrative revenue. In 1593, Robert was made a member of the Privy Council.

Frances Walsingham and her son Robert; Credit – Wikipedia

In 1590, Robert married Frances Walsingham, the only surviving child of Sir Francis Walsingham, Secretary of State and spymaster for Queen Elizabeth I, and Ursula St. Barbe. The marriage greatly displeased Queen Elizabeth I because the couple had not asked for permission beforehand, but she forgave them relatively quickly.

Robert and Frances had five children:

• Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex (1592 – 1646), married (1) Frances Howard, no children, marriage annulled (2) Elizabeth Paulet, no children
• Penelope Devereux (1593/4 – 1599), died in childhood
• Henry Devereux (born and died 1596), died in infancy
• Frances Devereux (1599 – 1674), married William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset, had eight children
• Dorothy Devereux (1600 – 1636), married Sir Henry Shirley, 2nd Baronet, had three children

Robert in 1590; Credit – Wikipedia

Robert had a petulant nature, acted on whims, and often acted disdainfully and disrespectfully. His behavior would ultimately lead to his downfall. At court, he dueled with Sir Walter Raleigh, among others, which displeased Elizabeth I. In 1591, Robert was given command of an army that was to come to the aid of Henri IV, King of France but he defied Elizabeth’s instructions. In the summer of 1596, Robert managed to easily take the Spanish port of Cadiz. However, because the Spanish were able to burn their ships before the attack, there was nearly no loot but Robert’s bold act made him famous throughout Europe. However, the next year, an expedition to the Azores with Sir Walter Raleigh was a complete failure.

In 1599, Robert reluctantly accepted the post of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. At that time, the Irish revolutionary Hugh O’Neill, Earl of Tyrone was rebelling against the English rule in Ireland. After several costly battles and an armistice that was disadvantageous for England, Robert disregarded an explicit order from Elizabeth I to remain at his post in Ireland. He left Ireland in September 1599 and reached London four days later where he gained access to the chambers of the not-yet-fully-dressed Queen Elizabeth I. After interrogation by the Privy Council, Robert was placed under house arrest for ten months.

Robert was released from house arrest in August 1600 but the source of his income, the monopoly on sweet wines, was not renewed. His financial situation became more and more desperate. Robert had inherited large debts from his father, and he had amassed his own large debts. Essex House, Robert’s London mansion, became a meeting place for people who were upset with Elizabeth I’s government. On February 3, 1601, five conspiracy leaders met at the home of Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton. Hoping to avoid suspicion, Robert was not present. The group discussed Robert’s proposals for seizing the court, the Tower of London, and the City of London. Their goal was to force Queen Elizabeth I to change the leaders in her government, particularly Robert Cecil, Secretary of State.

Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton; Credit – Wikipedia

On February 8, 1601, four messengers including Lord Keeper Thomas Egerton,1st Viscount Brackley came to Essex House in the name of Queen Elizabeth I to try to persuade Robert to surrender. Robert seized the four messengers and held them hostage. Then Robert and about 200 followers made their way to the City of London. Meanwhile, Robert Cecil sent a warning to the Lord Mayor of London denouncing Robert as a traitor and ordered the heralds to spread the warning throughout London. Once the word traitor was used, many of Robert’s followers disappeared, and none of the citizens joined him as he had expected. Robert’s position was desperate, and he returned to Essex House. When he got there, he found the hostages gone. Soldiers under Lord High Admiral Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham, besieged Essex House and rescued the hostages. By that evening, after burning incriminating evidence, Robert surrendered and was arrested along with the Earl of Southampton and the other conspirators.

On February 19, 1601, Robert and Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton were tried on charges of treason. The trial lasted only a day and it was no surprise that the verdict was guilty. Robert had burned incriminating evidence to save his followers before his arrest but he was convinced by a minister he needed to reveal the identity of his conspirators to save his soul. He revealed everyone involved including his sister Penelope Blount, Countess of Devonshire on whom he put a great deal of the blame but no action was taken against her. Robert, the Earl of Southampton, and four others were sentenced to death. Other conspirators were fined. Through the efforts of Robert Cecil, Southampton’s sentence was reduced to life imprisonment. Southampton and one other conspirator remained imprisoned in the Tower of London and were freed when King James I succeeded to the throne in 1603 upon the death of Queen Elizabeth I.

Site of the scaffold in front of St. Peter’s Chapel at the Tower of London; Credit – By August – originally posted to Flickr as Off with their Heads!, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4530234

Robert’s wife Frances attempted to see Queen Elizabeth I to plead for clemency but the queen refused to see her. On February 25, 1601, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, aged 34, was beheaded on Tower Green within the Tower of London. Beheading in the privacy of Tower Green was considered a privilege of rank and those executed there were spared insults from the jeering crowd. He was buried in the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula at the Tower of London. Robert’s conviction for treason meant that his earldom was forfeit and his son did not inherit the title. However, after Queen Elizabeth I’s death, King James I reinstated the earldom in favor of Robert’s disinherited son, Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex.

Plaque in the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula; Credit – https://elizregina.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/q1-i-was-here.jpg

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

• De.wikipedia.org. 2020. Robert Devereux, 2. Earl Of Essex. [online] Available at: <https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Devereux,_2._Earl_of_Essex> [Accessed 8 December 2020].
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