Horatio Townshend, 1st Viscount Townshend

Horatio Townshend, 1st Baron Townsend and 1st Viscount Townshend (pronounced /ˈtaʊnzənd/; 14 December 1630 – 10 December 1687), known as Sir Horatio Townshend, 3rd Baronet, of Raynham, from 1648 to 1661, was an English politician.

Townshend was the younger son of Sir Roger Townshend, 1st Baronet, He succeeded his elder brother in the baronetcy in 1648. Townshend was a supporter of King Charles II and played an important role in the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. He also sat as Member of Parliament for Norfolk from 1656 to 1658, in 1659 and 1660 and was Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk between 1661 and 1676. In 1661 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Townshend, of Lynn Regis in the County of Norfolk, and in 1682 he was further honoured when he was made Viscount Townshend, of Raynham in the County of Norfolk.

Lord Townshend died in December 1687, aged 56, and was succeeded in his titles by his son Charles, who became a prominent statesman. Other descendants of Townshend include George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend, Charles Townshend and Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney.

References

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages