Earl of Bedford

Last updated

Arms of Enguerrand de Coucy, 1st Earl of Bedford: Quarterly, 1st & 4th: Barry of six vair and gules (Coucy); 2nd & 3rd: Gules a fess argent (Austria) Blason Enguerrand VII, Seigneur de Coucy.svg
Arms of Enguerrand de Coucy, 1st Earl of Bedford: Quarterly, 1st & 4th: Barry of six vair and gules (Coucy); 2nd & 3rd: Gules a fess argent (Austria)

Earl of Bedford is a title that has been created three times in the Peerage of England and is currently a subsidiary title of the Dukes of Bedford. The first creation came in 1138 in favour of Hugh de Beaumont. He appears to have been degraded from the title three or four years after its creation. The existence of his title altogether has been doubted. It is discussed by R. H. C. Davis on the basis of the chronicle evidence. [1] However, it now appears to be accepted by historians that Hugh did receive the earldom of Bedford in 1138. [2]

Contents

The second creation came in 1366 in favour of the French nobleman Enguerrand VII, Lord of Coucy. After Richard II came to the throne in 1377, Bedford resigned the title to the Crown. The third creation came in 1550 in favour of John Russell, 1st Baron Russell. For more information on this creation, see Duke of Bedford (1694 creation).

Earls of Bedford, first creation (1138)

Earls of Bedford, second creation (1366)

Earls of Bedford, third creation (1551)

Related Research Articles

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

Marquess of Normanby is a title that has been created twice, once in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first creation came in 1694 in the Peerage of England in favour of John Sheffield, 3rd Earl of Mulgrave. He was a notable Tory politician of the late Stuart period, who served under Queen Anne as Lord Privy Seal and Lord President of the Council. In 1703 this first Marquess of Normanby was further honoured when he was made Duke of Buckingham and Normanby. These titles became extinct on the death of the 2nd Duke in 1735.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Duke of Hamilton</span> Scottish nobility

Duke of Hamilton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, created in April 1643. It is the senior dukedom in that peerage, and as such its holder is the premier peer of Scotland, as well as being head of both the House of Hamilton and the House of Douglas. The title, the town of Hamilton in Lanarkshire, and many places around the world are named after members of the Hamilton family. The ducal family's surname, originally "Hamilton", is now "Douglas-Hamilton". Since 1711, the dukedom has been held together with the Dukedom of Brandon in the Peerage of Great Britain, and the dukes since that time have been styled Duke of Hamilton and Brandon, along with several other subsidiary titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Warwick</span> Title in the United Kingdom

Earl of Warwick is one of the most prestigious titles in the peerages of the United Kingdom. The title has been created four times in English history, and the name refers to Warwick Castle and the town of Warwick.

<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">Duke of Bedford</span> Title in the Peerage of England

Duke of Bedford is a title that has been created six times in the Peerage of England. The first and second creations came in 1414 and 1433 respectively, both in favour of Henry IV's third son, John, who later served as regent of France. He was made Earl of Kendal at the same time and was made Earl of Richmond later the same year. The titles became extinct on his death in 1435. The third creation came in 1470 in favour of George Neville, nephew of Warwick the Kingmaker. He was deprived of the title by Act of Parliament in 1478. The fourth creation came in 1478 in favour of George, the third son of Edward IV. He died the following year at the age of two. The fifth creation came in 1485 in favour of Jasper Tudor, half-brother of Henry VI and uncle of Henry VII. He had already been created Earl of Pembroke in 1452. However, as he was a Lancastrian, his title was forfeited between 1461 and 1485 during the predominance of the House of York. He regained the earldom in 1485 when his nephew Henry VII came to the throne and was elevated to the dukedom the same year. He had no legitimate children and the titles became extinct on his death in 1495.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford</span> English nobleman, soldier and politician

Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford, KG of Chenies in Buckinghamshire and of Bedford House in Exeter, Devon, was an English nobleman, soldier, and politician. He was a godfather to the Devon-born sailor Sir Francis Drake. He served as Lord Lieutenant of Devon (1584-5).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baron de Clifford</span> Title in the Peerage of England

Baron de Clifford is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1299 for Robert de Clifford (c.1274–1314), feudal baron of Clifford in Herefordshire, feudal baron of Skipton in Yorkshire and feudal baron of Appleby in Westmoreland. The title was created by writ, which means that it can descend through both male and female lines. The Norman family which later took the name de Clifford settled in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066 and was first seated in England at Clifford Castle in Herefordshire. The first Baron served as Earl Marshal of England but was killed at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. His 8th generation descendant the 11th Baron, was created Earl of Cumberland in 1525, whose grandson the 3rd Earl was a noted naval commander. On the latter's death in 1605, the earldom passed to his younger brother, the 4th Earl.

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

Earl Russell, of Kingston Russell in the County of Dorset, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 30 July 1861 for the prominent Liberal politician Lord John Russell. He was Home Secretary from 1835 to 1839, Foreign Secretary from 1852 to 1853 and 1859 to 1865 and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1852 and 1865 to 1866. At the same time as he was given the earldom of Russell, he was made Viscount Amberley, of Amberley in the County of Gloucester and of Ardsalla in the County of Meath. A member of the prominent Russell family, he was the third son of John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford.

The County of Aumale, later elevated to a duchy, was a medieval fief in Normandy, disputed between France and England during parts of the Hundred Years' War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Worcester</span>

Earl of Worcester is a title that has been created five times in the Peerage of England. Worcester is a cathedral city in Worcestershire, England.

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

Earl of Londonderry is a title that has been created three times in the Peerage of Ireland. The first creation came in 1622 in favour of Thomas Ridgeway, 1st Baron Ridgeway, who served as Treasurer of Ireland and was involved in the colonisation of Ulster. He had already been created a Baronet, of Torrington in the County of Devon, in 1611, Lord Ridgeway, Baron of Gallen-Ridgeway, in the Peerage of Ireland, in 1616, and was made Viscount Gallen-Ridgeway at the same time as he was granted the earldom, also in the Peerage of Ireland. The titles became extinct on the death of his great-grandson, the fourth Earl, in 1714.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earl of Middlesex</span> English peerage title

Earl of Middlesex was a title that was created twice in the Peerage of England. The first creation came in 1622 for Lionel Cranfield, 1st Baron Cranfield, the Lord High Treasurer. He had already been created Baron Cranfield, of Cranfield in the County of Bedford, the year before, also in the Peerage of England. He was succeeded by his elder son, the second Earl. On his early death in 1651 the titles passed to his younger brother, the third Earl. The titles became extinct when the latter died childless in 1674.

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

Earl of Orford is a title that has been created three times.

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

Earl of Norwich was a title that was created four times in British history, three times in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of Great Britain. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1626 in favour of the courtier and politician Edward Denny, 1st Baron Denny. He had already been created Baron Denny, of Waltham in the County of Essex, in 1604, also in the Peerage of England. Lord Norwich was the grandson of Sir Anthony Denny, confidant of Henry VIII, and the nephew of Sir Edward Denny. He had no sons and the titles became extinct on his death in 1630.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enguerrand VII de Coucy</span> 14th-century French nobleman

Enguerrand VII de Coucy,, also known as Ingelram de Coucy and Ingelram de Couci, was a medieval French nobleman and the last Lord of Coucy. He became a son-in-law of King Edward III of England following his marriage to the king's daughter, Isabella of England, and the couple was subsequently granted several English estates, among them the title Earl of Bedford. Coucy fought in the Battle of Nicopolis in 1396 as part of a failed crusade against the Ottoman Empire, but was taken prisoner and contracted the bubonic plague. He died in captivity the following year at Bursa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lord of Lorne</span> Scottish title peerage

For the Child ballad, see The Lord of Lorn and the False Steward.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lords of Coucy</span>

The Lords of Coucy, also spelt Couci, were a medieval lordship based on the barony of Coucy located in the current commune of Coucy-le-Château-Auffrique, Picardy. The château de Coucy was founded by Hervé, archbishop of Rheims, and remained under the fluctuating control of these archbishops for some time until probably the later part of the 10th century. The exact status of Coucy becomes obscure for nearly a century before the emergence of Lord Aubrey, Earl of Northumbria. Though the Lords of Coucy were entitled to the title of baron, they preferred the rarer Sire.

Isabella of England was the eldest daughter of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault, and the wife of Enguerrand de Coucy, Earl of Bedford, by whom she had two daughters. She was made a Lady of the Garter in 1376.

Hugh de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Bedford was Earl of Bedford from 1137 to 1141. The grant of the earldom was by Stephen of England; this was the first of his numerous creations. Hugh was known as Hugh the Pauper or Hugh the Poor.

References

  1. King Stephen (1967), p. 135.
  2. Crouch, David (1986). The Beaumont Twins: The Roots and Branches of Power in the Twelfth Century . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p.  41. ISBN   9780521090131.