Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham

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Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, 1747, by Jacobus Houbraken
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Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, 1747, by Jacobus Houbraken

Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham, 7th Earl of Winchilsea (July 2, 1647January 1, 1730), son of Heneage Finch, 1st Earl of Nottingham.

[edit] Political career

Daniel Finch entered parliament for Lichfield in 1679. He was one of the privy councillors who in 1685 signed the order for the proclamation of the duke of York, but during the whole of the reign of James II he kept away from the court. At the last moment he hesitated to join in the invitation to William of Orange, and after the abdication of James II he was the leader of the party who were in favour of a regency.

He declined the office of Lord Chancellor under William and Mary, but accepted that of secretary of state, retaining it till December 1693. Under Anne he in 1702 again accepted the same office in the ministry of Godolphin, but finally retired in 1704. On the accession of George I he was made Lord President of the Council, but in 1716 he finally withdrew from office. He succeeded to the Earldom of Winchilsea (with which the Nottingham title now became united) on 9 September 1729, and died on the 1 January 1730.

[edit] Marriages and children

Daniel first married Lady Essex Rich on January 1, 1707/1708. Essex was daughter of Robert Rich, 3rd Earl of Warwick and Anne Cheeke. Anne was daughter of Sir Thomas Cheeke of Pirgo and a senior Essex Rich.

The elder Essex was daughter of Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick and Penelope Devereux, Lady Rich. Essex was probably named after her maternal grandfather Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex. Her maternal grandmother was Lettice Knollys.

Daniel and Essex had a single daughter: Mary Finch, later married to Robert Ker, 2nd Duke of Roxburghe. Mary was also a lover of William Savile, 2nd Marquess of Halifax, mother of Lady Dorothy Saville and mother-in-law of Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington.

Daniel was secondly married to Anne Hatton, daughter of Christopher Hatton, Viscount Hatton. They had ten children:

Political offices
Preceded by:
Sir Henry Capell
First Lord of the Admiralty
1681–1684
Succeeded by:
King Charles II
(Lord High Admiral)
Preceded by:
The Earl of Shrewsbury
Secretary of State for the Southern Department
1690–1693
Succeeded by:
Sir John Trenchard
Preceded by:
The Viscount Sydney of Sheppey
Secretary of State for the Northern Department
1692–1693
Succeeded by:
Sir John Trenchard
Preceded by:
The Earl of Manchester
Secretary of State for the Southern Department
1702–1704
Succeeded by:
Sir Charles Hedges
Preceded by:
The Duke of Buckingham and Normanby
Lord President of the Council
1714–1716
Succeeded by:
The Duke of Devonshire
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by:
John Finch
Earl of Winchilsea Succeeded by:
Daniel Finch
Preceded by:
Heneage Finch
Earl of Nottingham
In other languages