Earl of Warwick

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Earl of Warwick (pronounced "Worrick") is a title that has been created four times in British history and is one of the most prestigious titles in the peerages of the British Isles.

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[edit] 1088 creation

The medieval earldom created in 1088 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 seventeenth Earl, whose title was attainted due to his treason in 1499.

[edit] 1547 creation

The title was next conferred upon the powerful statesman and soldier John Dudley, 1st Viscount Lisle. He had already been created Viscount Lisle in 1543 and was made Earl of Warwick in the Peerage of England in 1547. In 1551 he was further honoured when he was created Duke of Northumberland. On Dudley's execution for high treason in 1553 the viscountcy and dukedom was forfeit, but the earldom passed to his eldest son John, the second Earl. He died young and was succeeded by his younger brother Ambrose, the third Earl. He notably served as Master of the Horse, Master-General of the Ordnance and Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire. On his death in 1590 the earldom became extinct.

[edit] 1618 creation

Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick
Robert Rich,
2nd Earl of Warwick

The Rich family descended from Richard Rich, a wealthy mercer who served as Sheriff of the City of London in 1441. His great-grandson and namesake Sir Richard Rich was a prominent lawyer and politician. He served as Solicitor General and Speaker of the House of Commons. In 1547 he was raised to the Peerage of England as Baron Rich, of Leez, and was then Lord Chancellor of England from 1547 to 1551. He was succeeded by his son, the second Baron. He was the first husband of Catherine Knyvet and supported the Reformation. His son Robert Rich, 3rd Baron Rich, was created Earl of Warwick in the Peerage of England in 1618. This was despite the fact that the Rich family were not in possession of Warwick Castle (this was in the hands of the Greville family; see the 1759 creation below). His second son the Hon. Henry Rich was created Baron Kensington in 1623 and Earl of Holland in 1624. Lord Warwick was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Earl. He represented Maldon in the House of Commons and served as Lord Lieutenant of Essex.

His eldest son, the third Earl, sat as Member of Parliament for Essex. He died without surviving male issue and was succeeded by his younger brother, the fourth Earl. He represented Sandwich and Essex in Parliament. On his death the line of the second Earl of Warwick failed and the titles were inherited by his first cousin Robert Rich, 2nd Earl Holland, who became the fifth Earl of Warwick as well. He was the son of the aforementioned Henry Rich, 1st Earl of Holland, younger son of the first Earl of Warwick (see the Earl of Holland for earlier history of this branch of the family). This line of the family failed on the early death of his grandson, the seventh Earl, in 1721. The late Earl was succeeded by his second cousin Edward Rich, the eighth Earl. He was the grandson of the Hon. Cope Rich, younger son of the first Earl of Holland. On his death in 1759 all the titles became extinct.

Lady Mary Rich, daughter of the first Earl of Holland, married Sir John Campbell, 5th Baronet, who was created Earl of Breadalbane and Holland in 1681. Also, Lady Elizabeth Rich, only daughter and heiress of the fifth Earl of Warwick and second Earl of Holland, married Francis Edwardes. Their son William Edwardes succeeded to parts of the Rich estates and was created Baron Kensington in the Peerage of Ireland in 1776.

[edit] 1759 creation

Warwick Castle
Warwick Castle

The Greville family descends from Sir Fulke Greville (d. 1569), who married Elizabeth Willoughby, 3rd Baroness Willoughby de Broke. Their son Fulke Greville succeeded as fourth Baron. His son and namesake, Fulke Greville, the fifth Baron, was a favourite courtier of Queen Elizabeth and served under her and King James I as Treasurer of the Navy and as Chancellor of the Exchequer. He was also a poet and dramatist. Greville obtained from James I a grant of Warwick Castle. In 1621 he was raised to the Peerage of England as Baron Brooke, of Beauchamps Court in the County of Warwick, with remainder to his second cousin once removed and adopted son, Robert Greville. Lord Brooke never married and on his death in 1628 the barony of Willoughby de Broke was passed on to his sister Margaret (see the Baron Willoughby de Broke for further history of this title).

He was succeeded in the barony of Brooke according to the special remainder by the aforementioned Robert Greville, the second Baron. He was the grandson of Robert Greville, younger son of Sir Fulke Greville (d. 1569) and Elizabeth, 3rd Baroness Willoughby de Broke. He was a prominent Parliamentarian commander in the Civil War. Lord Brooke was killed during the siege of Lichfield Cathedral in 1643. His younger son, the fourth Baron, was one of the six commissioners deputed to invite the return of Charles II in 1660 and also served as Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire. He outlived all of his six sons and was succeeded by his younger brother, the fifth Baron. He represented Warwick in the House of Commons.

His grandson and successor, the sixth Baron, died from fever at an early age and was succeeded by his younger brother, the seventh Baron. His third but eldest surviving son, the eighth Baron, was Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire. In 1746 he was created Earl Brooke, of Warwick Castle, in the Peerage of Great Britain. The earldom of Warwick created in 1618 for a member of the Rich family became extinct in September 1759, and in November of the same year Lord Brooke was created Earl of Warwick in the Peerage of Great Britain. The earldom of Warwick and Warwick Castle were now united under one holder for the first time in centuries. In 1767 the Earl petitioned the House of Lords for permission to use just the more prestigious title and style of "Earl of Warwick" only, with the precedence of 1746. Such permission was never granted but the Earls nevertheless ceased to use the Brooke earldom in style, and have always been known (except in the House of Lords) simply as The Earl of Warwick.

The Earl was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Earl. He represented Warwick in Parliament and served as a Lord of Trade and as Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire. His eldest son from his second marriage, the third Earl, sat as Member of Parliament for Warwick and held minor office in the second administration of Sir Robert Peel. He was also Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire. He was succeeded by his son, the fourth Earl. He represented Warwickshire South in the House of Commons. His eldest son, the fifth Earl, was Conservative Member of Parliament for Somerset East and served as Lord Lieutenant of Essex. As of 2007 the titles are held the latter's great-great-grandson, the eighth earl, who succeeded his father in 1996.

Another member of the Greville family was the Liberal politician Fulke Southwell Greville-Nugent, 1st Baron Greville. He was a descendant of the fifth Baron Brooke.

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

Coat of arms of the 11th Earl
Coat of arms of the 11th Earl
Coat of arms of "Warwick the Kingmaker"
Coat of arms of "Warwick the Kingmaker"

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

[edit] Barons Rich (1537)

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

[edit] Barons Brooke (1621)

[edit] Earls of Warwick, Fourth Creation (1759; also Earls Brooke (1746)

The Heir Apparent is the present holder's son Charles Fulke Chester Greville, Lord Brooke (b. 1982)

The Beauchamp name lives on with the family seat in Lancaster. Annie Beauchamp while attending Glasgow University met the Duke of South Belfast- Arlington Beach. It is unsure, if an heir is produced, what title it will have. Annie, with her pert behind, is a pin up and Beach is notoriously protective vowing to "chop off the balls of anyone who comes near her- that means you Universe."

[edit] See also

[edit] References