Heirs male of the first earl's body lawfully begotten; with special remainder to heirs male of his grandfather (Sir Robert Harley) failing heirs male[1]
Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1711 for the statesman Robert Harley, with remainder, failing heirs male of his body, to those of his grandfather, Sir Robert Harley. He was made Baron Harley, of Wigmore in the County of Hereford, at the same time, also in the Peerage of Great Britain and with similar remainder as for the earldom. Harley was the eldest son of Sir Edward Harley and the grandson of the aforementioned Sir Robert Harley.[1]
The style Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer was chosen because the ancient earldom of Oxford, held for many centuries by the de Vere family, had become dormant but not extinct in 1703, meaning a descendant could conceivably have stepped forward to claim his title. Harley claimed the Oxford title because of his relationship through marriage to the de Veres. Despite its form (unique in the history of the peerages of the British Isles), it was a single peerage.[3]
History
The Harley family traces its origin prior to the Norman conquest of England, and was prominent in Shropshire (taking their name from the town of Harley, Shropshire)[4] and Radnorshire.[5] It was so eminent that the House de Harlai (or de Harley, de Harlay) family of France descended from the English branch. Their titles included Marquis de Champvallon and Comte de Beaumont in the French peerage.[2][6][7]
The Harley family acquired Brampton Castle in Herefordshire when Sir Robert de Harley (died 1349), eldest son of Sir Richard de Harley, married Margaret de Brampton. Margaret was the eldest daughter and co-heir of Sir Bryan de Brampton, Lord of Kinlet, and Maud de Braose, widow of The 1st Baron Mortimer. Sir Robert's great-grandson Sir John Harley was knighted by Edward IV at the battlefield at Gaston during the Battle of Tewkesbury. In 1481, Sir John was appointed Sheriff of Shropshire.[2]
In the 17th century, Thomas Harley of Brampton Castle obtained a grant from King James I, of the honour of Wigmore and Wigmore Castle. He married firstly, Margaret, daughter of Sir Andrew Corbet; and secondly, Anne, daughter of Walter Griffith of Burton Agnes. His only surviving son, from his first marriage, was Sir Robert Harley, who was Master of the Mint for King Charles I. Sir Robert married firstly Anne, daughter of Charles Barret, of Belhouse, Essex; secondly, to Mary, daughter of Sir Francis Newport, and had no surviving children with either wife. His third wife was Lady Brilliana, a celebrated letter-writer and daughter of The 1st Viscount Conway. Her mother, Dorothy, was the daughter of Sir John Tracy, and the sister of Mary, wife of General The 1st Baron Vere of Tilbury, through whom the Harley family became connected with the de Veres of the Earls of Oxford.[2]
Sir Robert's eldest son was Sir Edward Harley, who was a Member of Parliament for Hereford and Governor of Dunkirk. Sir Edward married first in 1654, Mary, daughter of Sir William Button of Parkgate, by whom he had several daughters. He married secondly Abigail, daughter of Nathaniel Stephens, by whom he had Robert Edward, who became a prominent political figure and was elevated to the peerage as Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer in 1711.[2]
The second Earl was succeeded according to the special remainder by his first cousin, Edward Harley, the third Earl. He was the son of Edward Harley, brother of the first Earl, and sat as Member of Parliament for Leominster and Droitwich. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Edward, the fourth Earl. He notably served as a Lord of the Bedchamber and Lord-Lieutenant of Radnorshire. He was childless and was succeeded by his nephew, Edward, the fifth Earl. He was the son of the Right Reverend John Harley, second son of the third Earl. The fifth Earl was succeeded by his second and only surviving son, Alfred, the sixth Earl.[1] He died childless in 1853 when the titles became extinct.[2][8]
Earl of Essex is a title in the Peerage of England which was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England. The title has been recreated eight times from its original inception, beginning with a new first Earl upon each new creation. Possibly the most well-known Earls of Essex were Thomas Cromwell, chief minister to King Henry VIII, and Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex (1565–1601), a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I who led the Earl of Essex Rebellion in 1601.
Sir Robert Harley was an English statesman who served as Master of the Mint for Charles I. A devout Puritan, he supported Parliament in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.
Robert Harley, 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer, KG PC FRS was an English statesman and peer of the late Stuart and early Georgian periods. He began his career as a Whig, before defecting to a new Tory ministry. He was raised to the peerage of Great Britain as an earl in 1711. Between 1711 and 1714 he served as Lord High Treasurer, effectively Queen Anne's chief minister. He has been called a prime minister, although it is generally accepted that the de facto first minister to be a prime minister was Robert Walpole in 1721.
Viscount Hereford is the oldest and only extant viscountcy in the Peerage of England, making the holder the Premier Viscount of England. The title was created in 1550 for Walter Devereux, 10th Baron Ferrers of Chartley.
Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Mortimer of Wigmore, of Wigmore Castle in Herefordshire, was a marcher lord who was a loyal ally of King Henry III of England and at times an enemy, at times an ally, of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, Prince of Wales.
Earl of Powis (Powys) is a title that has been created three times. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1674 in favour of William Herbert, 3rd Baron Powis, a descendant of William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke. In 1687, he was further honoured when he was made Marquess of Powis.
Edmund Mortimer, 2nd Baron Mortimer of Wigmore was the second son and eventual heir of Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Mortimer of Wigmore. His mother was Maud de Braose.
Sir Henry Lingen, Lord of Sutton, Lingen and Stoke Edith, was a Royalist military commander in Herefordshire during the English Civil War, and later a member of parliament. He was the son of Edward Lingen and Blanche Bodenham. He fathered 2 sons, Henry and William and 7 daughters, Elizabeth, Joan, Blanch, Mary (Dobbyns), Cecilia, Frances (Unett), and Alice (Herring). Both sons died without issue but the daughters left considerable posterity.
Wigmore Castle is a ruined castle about 1 km (0.62 mi) from the village of Wigmore in the northwest region of Herefordshire, England.
Brampton Bryan is a small village and civil parish situated in north Herefordshire, England close to the Shropshire and Welsh borders.
Sir Edward Harley was an English politician from Herefordshire. A devout Puritan who fought for Parliament in the First English Civil War, Harley belonged to the moderate Presbyterian faction, which opposed the involvement of the New Model Army in the peace negotiations that followed victory in 1646. Elected MP for Herefordshire in 1646, he was one of the Eleven Members forced into temporary exile by the army in 1647.
Edward Harley, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer, styled Lord Harley between 1711 and 1724, was a British politician, bibliophile, collector and patron of the arts.
Edward Harley was a British Tory politician. He sat as Member of Parliament for twenty seven years supporting the group led by his brother, Robert Harley. He was also Auditor of the Imprests. Because of this, and to distinguish him from other family members of the same name, is frequently known as Auditor Harley.
Edward Harley, 3rd Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer was a British peer and Member of Parliament. He was the nephew of Britain's First Minister between 1710 and 1714 Robert Harley.
John Harley was a British bishop.
Edward Harley, 4th Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer,, styled Lord Harley from 1741 to 1755, was a British peer and Tory politician.
Alice de Warenne, Countess of Arundel was an English noblewoman and heir apparent to the Earldom of Surrey. In 1305, she married Edmund FitzAlan, 9th Earl of Arundel.
Maud de Braose, Baroness Mortimer of Wigmore was a noble heiress, and one of the most important, being a member of the powerful de Braose family which held many lordships and domains in the Welsh Marches. She was the wife of Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Mortimer of Wigmore, a celebrated soldier and Marcher baron.
Edward Harley, 5th Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer was an English nobleman.
Alfred Harley, 6th Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer, styled Lord Harley between 1828 and 1849, was a British peer and the last holder of the title of Earl of Oxford and Mortimer.
↑ "Eywood". Historic England. Retrieved 17 November 2016.
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