Earl of Warwick

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The title Earl of Warwick (pronounced "Worrick") is one of the oldest English earldoms. The medieval earldom was held to be inheritable through a female line of descent, and thus was held by members of several families. It was traditionally associated with possession of Warwick Castle, and when the 11th Earl entailed the castle to his heirs male, he probably intended to entail the earldom as well.

It was held by several Earls, until Edward Plantagenet, the eighteenth Earl, whose title was attained due to his treason. The title was next conferred upon John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland. At Dudley's death the dukedom was forfeit for his treason, but the earldom passed to his son John, and then his other son Ambrose. At Ambrose's death, the earldom became extinct.

The Earldom was for a third time created for Robert Rich, 3rd Baron Rich. However, unlike previous holders of the title, the Rich family did not control Warwick Castle, ancient seat of the Earls of Warwick. This was in the hands of the Greville family, who were at the time Barons Brooke. At the death of the eighth Rich Earl, the title became extinct, and was granted to Francis Greville, 1st Earl Brooke, thus uniting again the title and castle. The new Earl, now The Earl Brooke and Earl of Warwick, applied for permission to use the more prestigious Warwick title alone, and although such permission was never granted ceased the use the Brooke Earldom in his style, and thus the Greville Earls have always been known (except in the House of Lords) simply as The Earl of Warwick. The fifth earl from the third creation was also the second Earl of Holland.

Contents

[edit] Earls of Warwick, First Creation (1088)

[edit] Earls of Warwick, Second Creation (1547)

[edit] Earls of Warwick, Third Creation (1618)

[edit] Earls of Warwick, Fourth Creation (1759)

Heir Apparent: Charles Fulke Chester Greville, Lord Brooke (b. 1982)

[edit] See also