Robert Pierrepont, 1st Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Robert Pierrepont, 1st Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull (1584 - July 25, 1643), second son of Sir Henry Pierrepont of Holme Pierrepont, Nottinghamshire, was member of parliament for Nottingham in 1601, and was created Baron Pierrepont and Viscount Newark in 1627, being made earl of Kingston-upon-Hull in the following year.

Pierrepont became an undergraduate of Oriel College, Oxford in 1596 and was a benefactor in the rebuilding of the college's Front Quad.

He remained neutral on the outbreak of the Civil War, declaring;

When I take arms with the King against parliament, or with the parliament against the King, let a cannon-ball divide me between them

He eventually became a Royalist, joining king, and was appointed lieutenant-general of the counties of Lincoln, Rutland, Huntingdon, Cambridge and Norfolk.

Whilst defending Gainsborough he was taken prisoner, and was accidentally killed on the 25th July 1643 while being conveyed to Hull. The earl had five sons, one of whom was Francis Pierrepont (d. 1659), a colonel in the parliamentary army and afterwards a member of the Long Parliament; and another was William Pierrepont, father-in-law of Gilbert Holles, 3rd Earl of Clare. He was succeeded by Henry.

Preceded by: New Creation

Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull

Followed by: Henry Pierrepont