Earl of Albemarle

Last updated

Earldom of Albemarle
Coronet of a British Earl.svg
Keppel arms.svg
Arms of Keppel, Earl of Albemarle: Gules, three escallops argent
Creation date10 February 1697
Created by William III
Peerage Peerage of England
First holder Arnold Joost van Keppel
Present holder Rufus Keppel, 10th Earl of Albemarle
Heir apparentAugustus Keppel, Viscount Bury
Remainder tothe 1st Earl's heirs male of the body lawfully begotten.
Subsidiary titlesViscount Bury
Baron Ashford
Former seat(s) Elveden Hall

Earl of Albemarle is a title created several times from Norman times onwards. The word Albemarle is derived from the Latinised form of the French county of Aumale in Normandy (Latin: Alba Marla meaning "White Marl", marl being a type of fertile soil), other forms being Aubemarle and Aumerle. It is described in the patent of nobility granted in 1697 by William III to Arnold Joost van Keppel as "a town and territory in the Dukedom of Normandy." [1]

Contents

The family seat is Hurst Barns Farm, near East Chiltington, East Sussex.

Early creations

Aumale was raised by William the Conqueror into a county for his half-sister, Adelaide, and in England translated to an earldom for her husband and their descendants. The earldom became extinct with the death of Aveline, daughter of the 4th earl, in 1274. The title was twice raised to a dukedom, in 1385 and in 1397, before being recreated as an earldom in 1412 for Thomas, 2nd son of Henry IV.

In 1660 the title, anglicized as Albemarle, was revived in the peerage by King Charles II for General George Monck, who became Duke of Albemarle. The title became extinct in 1688, on the death of Christopher, 2nd Duke of Albemarle. [1]

Early counts, earls and dukes of Aumale

See Counts and dukes of Aumale

1697 creation

George Keppel,
3rd Earl of Albemarle Earl of Albemarle.jpg
George Keppel,
3rd Earl of Albemarle

In 1697, King William III created his Dutch favourite Arnold Joost van Keppel Earl of Albemarle in the Peerage of England. He was made Baron Ashford, of Ashford in the County of Kent, and Viscount Bury, in the County of Lancaster, at the same time. [1] The motive for choosing this title was probably that, apart from its traditions, it avoided the difficulty created by the fact that the Keppels had as yet no territorial possessions in the British Islands. Lord Albemarle was succeeded by his only son, the second Earl. He was a general in the army and also served as titular Governor of Virginia and as Ambassador to France. Albemarle County in Virginia is named in his honour, even though he never set foot in North America (but, instead, saw plenty of "North Britain" after the Battle of Culloden in 1746). He married Lady Anne Lennox, daughter of Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond, illegitimate son of King Charles II.

His eldest son, the third Earl, was also a successful military commander, best known as the commander-in-chief of the invasion and occupation of Havana and west Cuba in 1762. He was succeeded by his son, the fourth Earl. He served as Master of the Buckhounds and as Master of the Horse. His second but eldest surviving son, the fifth Earl, was also a soldier and fought at the Battle of Waterloo at an early age. He later represented Arundel in the House of Commons. He was childless and was succeeded by his younger brother, the sixth Earl [2] who lived on his estate at Drumsna in County Leitrim, Ireland, for much of his life. He also fought at Waterloo in early life and was later promoted to general. Albemarle also sat as Member of Parliament for East Norfolk and Lymington. [3]

His only son, the seventh Earl, [4] was a soldier and politician. At first a Liberal, he held minor office under Lord Palmerston and Lord Russell from 1859 to 1866. In 1876, he was summoned to the House of Lords through a writ of acceleration in his father's junior title of Baron Ashford. He had previously joined the Conservative Party and served under Benjamin Disraeli and Lord Salisbury as Under-Secretary of State for War. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the eighth Earl. He was a colonel in the army and also briefly represented Birkenhead in Parliament. As of 2017 the titles are held by his great-grandson, the tenth Earl, who succeeded his grandfather in 1979. Lord Albemarle is also in remainder to the ancient barony of de Clifford as the great-great-great-great-grandson Elizabeth Southwell, daughter of Edward Southwell, 20th Baron de Clifford and wife of the fourth Earl of Albemarle.

Several other members of the Keppel family have also gained distinction. Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel, second son of the second Earl, was a prominent naval commander, when he passed his home Elveden Hall to his nephew the 1st Earl Albemarle, who sold it. [5] William Keppel, third son of the second Earl, was a lieutenant-general in the army. Frederick Keppel, fourth son of the second Earl, was Bishop of Exeter. Sir Henry Keppel, fourth son of the fourth Earl, was an admiral in the Royal Navy. Sir Derek Keppel, second son of the seventh Earl, was a soldier and prominent member of the Royal household. George Keppel, third son of the seventh Earl, was the husband of Alice Edmondstone, one of the many mistresses of King Edward VII, and the father (although his paternity has been questioned) of the writer and socialite Violet Trefusis and of Mrs. Sonia Cubitt. The latter was the grandmother of Queen Camilla.

Coat of arms

The heraldic blazon for the coat of arms of the Keppel family is: Gules, three escallops argent.

Earls of Albemarle (1697)

The heir apparent is the present holder's son, Augustus Sergei Darius Keppel, Viscount Bury (born 2003).

Male-line family tree

Male-line family tree, Earls of Albemarle.
Arnold van Keppel
1st Earl of Albemarle

1670–1718
Willem van Keppel
2nd Earl of Albemarle

1702–1754
George Keppel
3rd Earl of Albemarle

1724–1772
William Keppel
4th Earl of Albemarle

1772–1849
William Keppel
Viscount Bury
1793–1804
Augustus Keppel
5th Earl of Albemarle

1794–1851
George Keppel
6th Earl of Albemarle

1799–1891
William Keppel
7th Earl of Albemarle

1832–1894
Arnold Keppel
8th Earl of Albemarle

1858–1942
Walter Keppel
9th Earl of Albemarle

1882–1979
Derek Keppel
Viscount Bury
1911–1968
Rufus Keppel
10th Earl of Albemarle

born 1965
Augustus Keppel
Viscount Bury
born 2003

Line of succession

Earls of Albemarle line of succession

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Cork</span> Title in the peerage of Ireland

Earl of Cork is a title in the Peerage of Ireland, held in conjunction with the Earldom of Orrery since 1753. It was created in 1620 for Richard Boyle, 1st Baron Boyle. He had already been created Lord Boyle, Baron of Youghal, in the County of Cork, in 1616, and was made Viscount of Dungarvan, in the County of Waterford, at the same time he was given the earldom. These titles are also in the Peerage of Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arnold van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle</span> Dutch military leader

Arnold Joost van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle,, and lord of De Voorst in Guelders (Gelderland), was a Dutch military leader who fought for King William III of England and became the first Earl of Albemarle. He was the son of Oswald van Keppel and his wife Anna Geertruid van Lintelo. De Voorst is a large country house near Zutphen, financed by William III, and not unlike the royal palace Het Loo in Apeldoorn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duke of Atholl</span> Title in the Peerage of Scotland held by the head of Clan Murray

Duke of Atholl, named for Atholl in Scotland, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland held by the head of Clan Murray. It was created by Queen Anne in 1703 for John Murray, 2nd Marquess of Atholl, with a special remainder to the heir male of his father, the 1st Marquess.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marquess of Huntly</span>

Marquess of Huntly is a title in the Peerage of Scotland that was created on 17 April 1599 for George Gordon, 6th Earl of Huntly. It is the oldest existing marquessate in Scotland, and the second-oldest in the British Isles; only the English marquessate of Winchester is older. The Marquess holds the following subsidiary titles: Lord Gordon of Strathaven and Glenlivet and Earl of Aboyne, and Baron Meldrum, of Morven in the County of Aberdeen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Leicester</span> Title of nobility

Earl of Leicester is a title that has been created seven times. The first title was granted during the 12th century in the Peerage of England. The current title is in the Peerage of the United Kingdom and was created in 1837.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Viscount Cobham</span> Viscountcy in the Peerage of Great Britain

Viscount Cobham is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain that was created in 1718. Owing to its special remainder, the title has passed through several families. Since 1889, it has been held by members of the Lyttelton family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Lindsey</span> Title in the Peerage of England

Earl of Lindsey is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1626 for the 14th Baron Willoughby de Eresby. He was First Lord of the Admiralty from 1635 to 1636 and also established his claim in right of his mother to the hereditary office of Lord Great Chamberlain of England. Lord Lindsey fought on the Royalist side in the Civil War and was mortally wounded at the Battle of Edgehill on 23 October 1642. He was succeeded by his son, the second earl. He also fought at Edgehill and surrendered to the Parliamentarians in order to attend his mortally wounded father. Lord Lindsey later fought at the First Battle of Newbury, Second Battle of Newbury, and at Naseby. His son from his second marriage, James, was created Earl of Abingdon in 1682. He was succeeded by his son from his first marriage to Martha Cockayne, the third Earl. He represented Boston in the House of Commons and served as Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Carlisle</span> Title in the Peerage of England

Earl of Carlisle is a title that has been created three times in the Peerage of England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duke of Albemarle</span> Title in the Peerage of England

The Dukedom of Albemarle has been created twice in the Peerage of England, each time ending in extinction. Additionally, the title was created a third time by James II in exile and a fourth time by his son the Old Pretender, in the Jacobite peerage. The name Albemarle is derived from the Latinised form of the French commune of Aumale in Normandy, other forms being Aubemarle and Aumerle. It arose in connection with the ancient Norman Counts of Aumale of Aumale in Normandy. See also Earl of Albemarle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Coventry</span> Title in the Peerage of England

Earl of Coventry is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of England. The first creation for the Villiers family was created in 1623 and took its name from the city of Coventry. It became extinct in 1687. A decade later, the second creation was for the Coventry family and is still extant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Jersey</span> Title in the Peerage of England

Earl of Jersey, is a title in the Peerage of England. It is held by a branch of the Villiers family, which since 1819 has been the Child Villiers family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Macclesfield</span> Earldom in the Peerage of Great Britain

Earl of Macclesfield is a title that has been created twice. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1679 in favour of the soldier and politician Charles Gerard, 1st Baron Gerard. He had already been created Baron Gerard, of Brandon in the County of Suffolk, in 1645, and was made Viscount Brandon, of Brandon in the County of Suffolk, at the same time as he was given the earldom. These titles are also in the Peerage of England. Lord Macclesfield was the great-grandson of the distinguished judge Sir Gilbert Gerard, Master of the Rolls from 1581 to 1594. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Earl. He was involved in the Rye House Plot of 1683, was sentenced to death but later pardoned by the King. On his death without legitimate issue in 1701 the titles passed to his younger brother, the third Earl. He had earlier represented Yarmouth, Lancaster and Lancashire in the House of Commons. When he died in 1702 the titles became extinct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Guilford</span> Earldom in the Peerage of Great Britain

Earl of Guilford is a title that has been created three times in history. The title was created for the first time in the Peerage of England in 1660 for Elizabeth Boyle. She was a daughter of William Feilding, 1st Earl of Denbigh, and the widow of Lewis Boyle, 1st Viscount Boyle of Kinalmeaky. The title was for life only and became extinct on her death in 1667. The title was created for a second time in the Peerage of England in 1674 for John Maitland, 1st Duke of Lauderdale. For more information on this creation, see the article on him as well as the Earl of Lauderdale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl Cadogan</span> Title in the Peerage of Great Britain

Earl Cadogan is a title that has been created twice in the Peerage of Great Britain for the Cadogan family. The second creation, in 1800, was for Charles Cadogan, 3rd Baron Cadogan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Burlington</span> Earldom in the Peerage of the United Kingdom

Earl of Burlington is a title that has been created twice, the first time in the Peerage of England in 1664 and the second in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1831. Since 1858, Earl of Burlington has been a courtesy title used by the dukes of Devonshire, traditionally borne by the duke's grandson, who is the eldest son of the duke's eldest son, the marquess of Hartington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl Howe</span> Earldom in the Peerage of Great Britain

Earl Howe is a title that has been created twice in British history, for members of the Howe and Curzon-Howe family respectively. The first creation, in the Peerage of Great Britain, was in 1788 for Richard Howe, 4th Viscount Howe, but it became extinct upon his death in 1799. The second creation, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom, was in 1821 for Richard Curzon-Howe, 2nd Viscount Curzon, and it remains extant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Munster</span> Extinct earldom in the Peerage of the United Kingdom

Earl of Munster was a title created twice, once in the Peerage of Ireland and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first creation came in 1789 in favour of Prince William, the third son of King George III. He was made Duke of Clarence and St Andrews at the same time. When William succeeded to the throne as King William IV in 1830 the titles merged with the crown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Keppel, 7th Earl of Albemarle</span> Soldier, politician (1832–1894)

Lieutenant-Colonel William Coutts Keppel, 7th Earl of Albemarle,, MP, ADC, styled Viscount Bury between 1851 and 1891, was a British soldier and politician. He served in the British Army before entering Parliament in 1857. Initially a Liberal, he served as Treasurer of the Household between 1859 and 1866 in the Liberal administrations headed by Lord Palmerston and Lord Russell. He later switched to the Conservatives and held office as Under-Secretary of State for War under Lord Beaconsfield between 1878 and 1880 and under Lord Salisbury between 1885 and 1886.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Keppel, 4th Earl of Albemarle</span> British Whig politician

William Charles Keppel, 4th Earl of Albemarle, GCH, PC, briefly styled Viscount Bury between May and October 1772, was a British Whig politician.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Keppel, 6th Earl of Albemarle</span>

General George Thomas Keppel, 6th Earl of Albemarle,, styled The Honourable from birth until 1851, was a British soldier, Liberal politician and writer.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Chisholm 1911, p. 492.
  2. "Earl of Albemarle". 19thcenturyphotos.com.
  3. Chisholm 1911, p. 493.
  4. "William Coutts Keppel, 7th Earl of Albemarle". geni.com. 15 April 1832.
  5. History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Suffolk, and the Towns Near Its Borders (White, William, 1844)

Attribution: