Duke of Devonshire is a

title A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify either generation, an official position, or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may be inserted between the f ...

in the

Peerage of England The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. In that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were replaced by one Peerage of Great Britain. There are five peerages in t ...

held by members of the

Cavendish family The Cavendish (or de Cavendish) family ( ) is a British noble family, of Anglo-Norman origins (though with an Anglo-Saxon name, originally from a place-name in Suffolk). They rose to their highest prominence as Duke of Devonshire and Duke of Newc ...

. This (now the senior) branch of the Cavendish family has been one of the wealthiest British

aristocratic Aristocracy (, ) is a form of government that places strength in the hands of a small, privileged ruling class, the aristocrats. The term derives from the el, αριστοκρατία (), meaning 'rule of the best'. At the time of the word's ...

families since the 16th century and has been rivalled in political influence perhaps only by the

Marquesses of Salisbury A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman wi ...

and the

Earls of Derby Earl of Derby ( ) is a title in the Peerage of England. The title was first adopted by Robert de Ferrers, 1st Earl of Derby, under a creation of 1139. It continued with the Ferrers family until the 6th Earl forfeited his property toward the end ...

History

Although the Cavendish family estates are centred in

Derbyshire Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands, England. It includes much of the Peak District National Park, the southern end of the Pennine range of hills and part of the National Forest. It borders Greater Manchester to the nor ...

, they hold the titles of "Duke of

Devonshire Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is a ...

" and their subsidiary title of earldom of Devonshire (neither peerage is related to the ancient title of Earl of Devon). The first Earl may have chosen "Devonshire" simply because places and lands he was associated with were already attached to existing peerages at the

College of Arms The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional Officer of Arms, officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the ...

. The title remains associated with "Devonshire" even though in modern usage it is the

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devon is ...

. Another reason for the choice of a non-local or regional name was to avoid antagonising the powerful

Stanley family The Stanley family (or Audley-Stanley family) is an English family with many notable members, including the Earls of Derby and the Barons Audley who descended from the early holders of Audley and Stanley, Staffordshire. The two branches of the Au ...

from the

Midlands The Midlands (also referred to as Central England) are a part of England that broadly correspond to the Kingdom of Mercia of the Early Middle Ages, bordered by Wales, Northern England and Southern England. The Midlands were important in the Ind ...

who had strong associations with Derbyshire since their ancestors had been gifted estates in the county by

William the Conqueror William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first House of Normandy, Norman List of English monarchs#House of Norman ...

, and they had also been the

since the late 15th century. (See British peerage ranks) Every Duke of Devonshire has so far been appointed a Knight of the Garter, except () the present one.

Cavendish knights, and the 1st Earl of Devonshire

The Cavendish family descends from Sir John Cavendish, who took his name from the village of

Cavendish, Suffolk Cavendish is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the River Stour, Suffolk, Stour Valley in Suffolk, England. History It is believed that Cavendish is called so because a man called Cafa once owned an ''eddish'' (pasture ...

, where he held an estate in the 14th century. He served as

Chief Justice of the King's Bench Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the boa ...

from 1372 to 1381, and was killed in the

Peasants' Revolt The Peasants' Revolt, also named Wat Tyler's Rebellion or the Great Rising, was a major uprising across large parts of England in 1381. The revolt had various causes, including the socio-economic and political tensions generated by the Black ...

in 1381. Two of his great-grandsons were George Cavendish,

Thomas Cardinal Wolsey Thomas Wolsey ( – 29 November 1530) was an English statesman and Catholic bishop. When Henry VIII became King of England in 1509, Wolsey became the king's almoner. Wolsey's affairs prospered and by 1514 he had become the controlling figur ...

's biographer, and George's younger brother Sir William Cavendish. Sir William gained great wealth from his position in the Exchequer and also (allegedly) from unfairly taking advantage of the dissolution of the Monasteries. He married (1547) as his third wife the famous

Bess of Hardwick Elizabeth Cavendish, later Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury ( Hardwick; c. 1527 13 February 1608), known as Bess of Hardwick, of Hardwick Hall, Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire, was a notable figure of Elizabethan English society. By a series ...

, with whom he had eight children. One of their sons, Sir Charles Cavendish (1553–1617), was the father of William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (1592–1676; see

Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne Duke of Newcastle upon Tyne was a title that was created three times, once in the Peerage of England and twice in the Peerage of Great Britain. The first grant of the title was made in 1665 to William Cavendish, 1st Marquess of Newcastle ...

for more information on this branch of the family), while another son, Henry Cavendish, was the ancestor of the Barons Waterpark. Yet another son, William Cavendish (1552–1626), was a politician and a supporter of the colonization of

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

. In 1605 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Cavendish, of Hardwicke in the County of Derby, and in 1618 he was further honoured when he was made Earl of Devonshire. Both titles are in the

The 2nd Earl of Devonshire and the first five Dukes of Devonshire

He was succeeded by his eldest son, William Cavendish, 2nd Earl of Devonshire, who served as

Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire. Since 1689, all the Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Derbyshire. *Francis Hastings, 2nd Earl of Huntingdon *George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury 3 Jul ...

and was a patron of the philosopher

Thomas Hobbes Thomas Hobbes ( ; 5/15 April 1588 – 4/14 December 1679) was an English philosopher, considered to be one of the founders of modern political philosophy. Hobbes is best known for his 1651 book ''Leviathan'', in which he expounds an influent ...

(1588–1679). On his early death in 1628 the titles passed to his son,

William Cavendish, 3rd Earl of Devonshire William Cavendish, 3rd Earl of Devonshire, KB, FRS (c. 10 October 161723 November 1684) was an English nobleman and politician, known as a royalist supporter. Life The eldest son of William Cavendish, 2nd Earl of Devonshire and his wife Christi ...

, who also served as Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire. He was succeeded by his son, the fourth Earl. He was a strong supporter of the

Glorious Revolution The Glorious Revolution; gd, Rèabhlaid Ghlòrmhor; cy, Chwyldro Gogoneddus , also known as the ''Glorieuze Overtocht'' or ''Glorious Crossing'' in the Netherlands, is the sequence of events leading to the deposition of King James II and ...

of 1688 and later served under

William III William III or William the Third may refer to: Kings * William III of Sicily (c. 1186–c. 1198) * William III of England and Ireland or William III of Orange or William II of Scotland (1650–1702) * William III of the Netherlands and Luxembourg ...

and

Mary II Mary II (30 April 166228 December 1694) was Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland, co-reigning with her husband, William III & II, from 1689 until her death in 1694. Mary was the eldest daughter of James, Duke of York, and his first wife ...

Lord Steward of the Household The Lord Steward or Lord Steward of the Household is an official of the Royal Household in England. He is always a peer. Until 1924, he was always a member of the Government. Until 1782, the office was one of considerable political importance ...

. In 1694 he was created Marquess of Hartington and Duke of Devonshire in the Peerage of England. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Duke, who held political office as

Lord President of the Council The lord president of the Council is the presiding officer of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom and the fourth of the Great Officers of State (United Kingdom), Great Officers of State, ranking below the Lord High Treasurer but above the ...

and

Lord Privy Seal The Lord Privy Seal (or, more formally, the Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal) is the fifth of the Great Officers of State (United Kingdom), Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and abov ...

and was also Lord-Lieutenant of Devonshire. His eldest son, the third Duke, served as

, as Lord Steward of the Household and (from 1737 to 1745) as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. On his death the titles passed to his eldest son, the fourth Duke, who was a prominent politician. He was summoned to the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the Bicameralism, upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by Life peer, appointment, Hereditary peer, heredity or Lords Spiritual, official function. Like the ...

through a writ of acceleration in his father's junior title of Baron Cavendish, of Hardwicke in 1751 and served as First Lord of the Treasury and titular

Prime Minister of Great Britain The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, chairs the Cabinet and selects its ministers. As modern pri ...

from 1756 to 1757. Devonshire married Charlotte Boyle, 6th Baroness Clifford, daughter of the famous architect Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington (on whose death in 1753 the earldom of Burlington became extinct). Their third and youngest son Lord George Cavendish was recreated

Earl of Burlington Earl of Burlington is a title that has been created twice, the first time in the Peerage of England in 1664 and the second in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1831. Since 1858, Earl of Burlington has been a courtesy title used by the d ...

in 1831. Devonshire was succeeded by his eldest son, William Cavendish, who became the fifth Duke of Devonshire. He had already succeeded his mother as seventh Baron Clifford in 1754. He served as

from 1782 to 1811 but is best remembered for his first marriage (1774) to

Lady Georgiana Spencer Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (née Spencer; ; 7 June 1757 – 30 March 1806), was an English aristocrat, socialite, political organiser, author, and activist. Born into the Spencer family, married into the Cavendish family, she ...

(1757–1806), the celebrated beauty and society hostess.

The sixth, seventh and eighth Dukes

Their only son, the sixth Duke, served as Lord Chamberlain of the Household from 1827 to 1828 and from 1830 to 1834. Known as the "Bachelor Duke", he never married and on his death in 1858 the barony of Clifford fell into abeyance between his sisters. He was succeeded in the other titles by his first cousin once removed, the second Earl of Burlington, who became the seventh Duke (see the

for earlier history of this branch of the family). He was the son of William Cavendish, eldest son of the aforementioned first Earl of Burlington, youngest son of the fourth Duke. He was

Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire. The Lord Lieutenant is the King's personal representative in each county of the United Kingdom. Historically the Lord Lieutenant was responsible for organising the county's ...

and Derbyshire and Chancellor of the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...

and of the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

. He was succeeded by his second, but eldest surviving son, the eighth Duke. The eighth Duke was a noted statesman and the most famous member of the Cavendish family. Known under his

courtesy title A courtesy title is a title that does not have legal significance but rather is used through custom or courtesy, particularly, in the context of nobility, the titles used by children of members of the nobility (cf. substantive title). In some co ...

of Marquess of Hartington until 1891, he held political office for a period spanning 40 years, notably as

Secretary of State for India His (or Her) Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for India, known for short as the India Secretary or the Indian Secretary, was the British Cabinet minister and the political head of the India Office responsible for the governance of th ...

and as

Secretary of State for War The Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, which existed from 1794 to 1801 and from 1854 to 1964. The Secretary of State for War headed the War Office and ...

, and three times declined to become

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

. He married Louise, Dowager Duchess of Manchester, who became known as the "Double Duchess".

The ninth, tenth and eleventh Dukes

Devonshire died childless and was succeeded by his nephew, the ninth Duke. He was the eldest son of

Lord Edward Cavendish Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Edward Cavendish MP (28 January 1838 – 18 May 1891) was a 19th-century British politician, soldier, and nobleman. Born in Marylebone, Cavendish was the third son of William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire,''The An ...

, third son of the seventh Duke. He was a Conservative politician and served as

Governor-General of Canada The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm, t ...

from 1916 to 1921 and as

Secretary of State for the Colonies The secretary of state for the colonies or colonial secretary was the Cabinet of the United Kingdom, British Cabinet government minister, minister in charge of managing the United Kingdom's various British Empire, colonial dependencies. Histor ...

from 1922 to 1924. His elder son, the tenth Duke, also a Conservative politician, served as

Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs The position of Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs was a British ministerial position, subordinate to that of Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, created in 1925 to deal with British relations with the Dominions – Canada, Aust ...

, as

Under-Secretary of State for India and Burma This is a list of Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State and Permanent Under-Secretaries of State at the India Office during the period of British rule between 1858 and 1937 for India(and Burma by extension), and for India and Burma from 193 ...

and as

Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies was a junior Ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, subordinate to the Secretary of State for the Colonies and, from 1948, also to a Minister of State. Under-Secretaries of State for the Col ...

. He married Lady Mary Gascoyne-Cecil, who was Mistress of the Robes to

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...

from 1953 to 1966. Their elder son and heir apparent

William Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington William John Robert Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington (10 December 1917 – 9 September 1944) was a British politician and British Army officer. He was the elder son of Edward Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire, and therefore the heir to the Duke ...

, married Kathleen Kennedy, daughter of Joseph Kennedy and sister of the future

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United Stat ...

, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Lord Hartington was killed in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

in 1944 shortly after the marriage. The couple had no children. Devonshire was therefore succeeded by his second and only surviving son, the eleventh Duke. He sat on the Conservative benches in the House of Lords and held political office (under his uncle

Harold Macmillan Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, (10 February 1894 – 29 December 1986) was a British Conservative statesman and politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963. Caricatured as "Supermac", he ...

and later under

Sir Alec Douglas-Home Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel (; 2 July 1903 – 9 October 1995), styled as Lord Dunglass between 1918 and 1951 and being The 14th Earl of Home from 1951 till 1963, was a British Conservative Party (UK), Conse ...

) from 1960 to 1964. Devonshire married the Hon.

Deborah Mitford Deborah Vivien Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, (born Deborah Vivien Freeman-Mitford and latterly Deborah, Dowager Duchess of Devonshire; 31 March 1920 – 24 September 2014) was an English aristocrat, writer, memoirist, and socialite. She ...

, the youngest of the famous Mitford sisters. As of 2022, the titles are held by their second and only surviving son, Peregrine Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire, who succeeded in 2004. The ninth and tenth dukes both served as

Chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...

of the

University of Leeds , mottoeng = And knowledge will be increased , established = 1831 – Leeds School of Medicine1874 – Yorkshire College of Science1884 - Yorkshire College1887 – affiliated to the federal Victoria University1904 – University of Leeds , ...

Other notable members of the Cavendish family

Numerous other members of the Cavendish family have also gained distinction.

Lord Henry Cavendish Lord Henry Cavendish (1673 – 10 May 1700) was an English nobleman and politician, the second surviving son of William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire. Cavendish was educated abroad, traveling through Austria, Germany, and the Low Coun ...

(1673–1700), second son of the first Duke, was Member of Parliament for

Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby gai ...

. Lord James Cavendish (died 1751), third son of the first Duke, also represented this constituency in the House of Commons.

Lord Charles Cavendish Lord Charles Cavendish Fellow of the Royal Society, FRS (17 March 1704 – 28 April 1783) was a British nobleman and British Whig Party, Whig politician. Cavendish was the youngest son of William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire, and Rachel Rus ...

(1704–1783), second son of the second Duke, was a politician and scientist. His son Henry Cavendish (1731–1810) was an influential scientist noted for his discovery of

hydrogen Hydrogen is the chemical element with the symbol H and atomic number 1. Hydrogen is the lightest element. At standard conditions hydrogen is a gas of diatomic molecules having the formula . It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-toxic, an ...

. Lord James Cavendish (1701–1741), third son of the second Duke, was a soldier and briefly represented Malton in Parliament. Lord George Cavendish (died 1794), second son of the third Duke, was a long-standing Member of Parliament and served as

Comptroller of the Household The Comptroller of the Household is an ancient position in the British royal household, nominally the second-ranking member of the Lord Steward's department after the Treasurer of the Household. The Comptroller was an ''ex officio'' member of t ...

from 1761 to 1762.

Lord Frederick Cavendish Lord Frederick Charles Cavendish (30 November 1836 – 6 May 1882) was an English Liberal politician and ''protégé'' of the Prime Minister, William Ewart Gladstone. Cavendish was appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland in May 1882 but was m ...

, third son of the third Duke, was a

Field Marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army and as such few persons are appointed to it. It is considered as ...

in the Army.

Lord John Cavendish Lord John Cavendish (22 October 1732 – 18 December 1796) was a British nobleman and politician. Background Cavendish was the youngest son of William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire, and his wife Catherine, daughter of John Hoskins. Prime ...

, fourth son of the third Duke, was a politician and served as

Chancellor of the Exchequer The chancellor of the Exchequer, often abbreviated to chancellor, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom, and head of His Majesty's Treasury. As one of the four Great Offices of State, the Chancellor is ...

in 1782 and 1783. Lord Richard Cavendish, second son of the fourth Duke, represented Lancaster and

in the House of Commons. Lady Dorothy Cavendish, daughter of the fourth Duke, married Prime Minister

William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland William Henry Cavendish Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland, (14 April 173830 October 1809) was a British Whig and then a Tory politician during the late Georgian era. He served as Chancellor of the University of Oxford (1792–1809) an ...

(who assumed the additional surname of Cavendish). Augustus Clifford, illegitimate son by the fifth Duke and his mistress and later second wife Elizabeth Hervey, was a naval commander and was created a baronet in 1838 (see

Clifford baronets There have been two baronetcies created for a person with the surname Clifford. The Clifford Baronetcy, of the Navy, was created for Augustus William James Clifford, the illegitimate son of the 5th Duke of Devonshire (as son of the 6th Barone ...

). William Cavendish, eldest son of the first Earl of Burlington and father of the seventh Duke, represented

Aylesbury Aylesbury ( ) is the county town of Buckinghamshire, South East England. It is home to the Roald Dahl Children's Gallery, David Tugwell`s house on Watermead and the Waterside Theatre. It is in central Buckinghamshire, midway between High Wy ...

and Derby in Parliament.

George Henry Compton Cavendish Hon. George Henry Compton Cavendish (14 October 1784 – 22 January 1809) was an English Whig Party (UK), Whig politician and British Army officer, the son of George Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington, Lord George Cavendish, later Earl of Burli ...

, second son of the first Earl of Burlington, was Member of Parliament for Aylesbury. The Hon. Henry Frederick Compton Cavendish, third son of the first Earl of Burlington, was a

general A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers t ...

in the Army. The Hon. Charles Compton Cavendish, fourth son of the first Earl of Burlington, was created

Baron Chesham Baron Chesham, of Chesham in the County of Buckingham, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom created in 1858 for the Hon. Charles Cavendish, who had earlier represented Aylesbury, Newtown, East Sussex, Youghal and Buckinghamshire in t ...

in 1858.

, third son of the seventh Duke, was a

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

politician. He had just been appointed

Chief Secretary for Ireland The Chief Secretary for Ireland was a key political office in the British administration in Ireland. Nominally subordinate to the Lord Lieutenant, and officially the "Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant", from the early 19th century un ...

in 1882 when he was assassinated by nationalists in

Phoenix Park The Phoenix Park ( ga, Páirc an Fhionnuisce) is a large urban park in Dublin, Ireland, lying west of the city centre, north of the River Liffey. Its perimeter wall encloses of recreational space. It includes large areas of grassland and tre ...

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

. His wife Lady Frederick (Lucy) Cavendish was a pioneer of women's education.

, fourth and youngest son of the seventh Duke, sat as Member of Parliament for several constituencies. His second son Lord Richard Cavendish represented

North Lonsdale The Lonsdale Hundred is an historic hundred of Lancashire, England. Although named after the dale or valley of the River Lune, which runs through the city of Lancaster, for centuries it covered most of the north-western part of Lancashire aro ...

in Parliament. In 1911 he was one of the proposed recipients of peerages in case the Bill that was to become the

Parliament Act 1911 The Parliament Act 1911 (1 & 2 Geo. 5 c. 13) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is constitutionally important and partly governs the relationship between the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two Houses of Parlia ...

was not accepted by the House of Lords. His grandson Hugh Cavendish was created a

life peer In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the peerage whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers. In modern times, life peerages, always created at the rank of baron, are created under the Life Peerages ...

as Baron Cavendish of Furness in 1990. Lady Dorothy Cavendish, daughter of the ninth Duke, was the wife of Prime Minister

Courtesy titles and family seats

The Duke of Devonshire's eldest son may use the

''Marquess of Hartington'', whilst the eldest son of the eldest son may use the title ''Earl of Burlington'', and his eldest son may use the title ''Lord Cavendish''. St Peter's Churchyard, Edensor - Cavendish family plot1

St Peter's Churchyard, Edensor - Cavendish family plot1

The family seats are

Chatsworth House Chatsworth House is a stately home in the Derbyshire Dales, north-east of Bakewell and west of Chesterfield, Derbyshire, Chesterfield, England. The seat of the Duke of Devonshire, it has belonged to the House of Cavendish, Cavendish family sin ...

, Bolton Abbey in

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

, and Lismore Castle in

Co Waterford County Waterford ( ga, Contae Phort Láirge) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Munster and is part of the South-East Region. It is named after the city of Waterford. Waterford City and County Council is the local authority for t ...

, in the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. A ...

Compton Place Compton Place is a mansion house in the parish of Eastbourne, East Sussex, England. It was rebuilt from 1726 by Sir Spencer Compton (later 1st Earl of Wilmington), to the design of the architect Colen Campbell, and was completed after Campbel ...

Eastbourne Eastbourne () is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, east of Brighton and south of London. Eastbourne is immediately east of Beachy Head, the highest chalk sea cliff in Great Britain and part of the la ...

belongs to the family (which developed Eastbourne as a seaside resort in the 19th century) but is let. In 1908 Holker Hall, then in

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

, now in

Cumbria Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumb ...

, was left to a junior branch of the family. The family previously owned

Londesborough Hall Londesborough Hall is a country house in the village of Londesborough in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, close to the towns of Market Weighton and Pocklington. The original Elizabethan building was demolished in 1819 and replaced by th ...

;

Hardwick Hall Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire is an architecturally significant country house from the Elizabethan era, a leading example of the Elizabethan prodigy house. Built between 1590 and 1597 for Bess of Hardwick, it was designed by the architect Ro ...

;

Chiswick House Chiswick House is a Neo-Palladian style villa in the Chiswick district of London, England. A "glorious" example of Neo-Palladian architecture in west London, the house was designed and built by Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington (1694–1753 ...

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, historic county in South East England, southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the Ceremonial counties of ...

; and two

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

mansions on

Piccadilly Piccadilly () is a road in the City of Westminster, London, to the south of Mayfair, between Hyde Park Corner in the west and Piccadilly Circus in the east. It is part of the A4 road that connects central London to Hammersmith, Earl's Court, ...

Devonshire House Devonshire House in Piccadilly, was the London townhouse of the Dukes of Devonshire during the 18th and 19th centuries. Following a fire in 1733 it was rebuilt by William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire, in the Palladian style, to designs ...

and

Burlington House Burlington House is a building on Piccadilly in Mayfair, London. It was originally a private Neo-Palladian mansion owned by the Earls of Burlington and was expanded in the mid-19th century after being purchased by the British government. Toda ...

. In 1907 the Duke owned 192,322 acres across the

British Isles The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isles, ...

, principally in

County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns are ...

and

County Waterford County Waterford ( ga, Contae Phort Láirge) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster and is part of the South-East Region, Ireland, South-East Region. It is named ...

.H. Evans, 'Cavendish', ''Our old nobility'' (Рипол Классик), 132. The traditional burial place of the Dukes of Devonshire is at

St Peter's Church, Edensor St Peter's Church, Edensor, is a Grade I listed church in Edensor, Derbyshire. St Peter's is the closest parish church in the Church of England to Chatsworth House, home of the Dukes of Devonshire, most of whom are buried in the churchyard. St P ...

, in the closest village to

. The ducal graves can be found on the highest spot of Edensor's churchyard in the Cavendish family plot.

Earls of Devonshire (1618)

:''Other titles: Baron Cavendish of Hardwick, in the county of Derby (1605)'' * William Cavendish, 1st Earl of Devonshire (1552–1626) was an English courtier * William Cavendish, 2nd Earl of Devonshire (1591–1628), eldest son of the 1st Earl *

(1617–1684), elder son of the 2nd Earl * William Cavendish, 4th Earl of Devonshire (1640–1707) was created Duke of Devonshire in 1694

Dukes of Devonshire (1694)

:''Other titles: Marquess of Hartington, in the county of Derby (1694), Earl of Devonshire (1618) and Baron Cavendish of Hardwick, in the county of Derby (1605)'' *

William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire, (25 January 164018 August 1707) was an English soldier, nobleman, and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1661 to 1684 when he inherited his father's peerage as Earl of Devonshire. H ...

(1640–1707), only son of the 3rd Earl * William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire (1673–1729), eldest son of the 1st Duke * William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire (1698–1755), eldest son of the 2nd Duke * William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire (1720–1764), eldest son of the 3rd Duke ''Other titles (5th & 6th Dukes): Baron Clifford (1628)'' * William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire (1748–1811), eldest son of the 4th Duke *

William George Spencer Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire William George Spencer Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire, (21 May 1790 K. D. Reynolds, ‘Cavendish, William George Spencer, sixth duke of Devonshire (1790–1858)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; ...

(1790–1858), only son of the 5th Duke, was called "The Bachelor Duke" and died unmarried ''Other titles (7th Duke onwards): Earl of Burlington and Baron Cavendish of Keighley, in the county of York (1831)'' *

William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire, (27 April 1808 – 21 December 1891), styled as Lord Cavendish of Keighley between 1831 and 1834 and known as Earl of Burlington between 1834 and 1858, was a British landowner, benefactor, nobleman, ...

(1808–1891), eldest son of William Cavendish (1783–1812), eldest son of The 1st Earl of Burlington (by the second creation; 1754–1834), third son of the 4th Duke *

Spencer Compton Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire Spencer Compton Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire, (23 July 183324 March 1908), styled Lord Cavendish of Keighley between 1834 and 1858 and Marquess of Hartington between 1858 and 1891, was a British statesman. He has the distinction of having ...

(1833–1908), second son of the 7th Duke, died without issue * Victor Christian William Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire (1868–1938), eldest son of Lt.-Col.

(1838–1891), fourth son of the 7th Duke *

Edward William Spencer Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire Edward William Spencer Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire, (6 May 1895 – 26 November 1950), known as the Marquess of Hartington from 1908 to 1938, was a British politician. He was the head of the Devonshire branch of the House of Cavend ...

(1895–1950), eldest son of the 9th Duke **

William John Robert Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington William John Robert Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington (10 December 1917 – 9 September 1944) was a British politician and British Army officer. He was the elder son of Edward Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire, and therefore the heir to the duk ...

(1917–1944), elder son of the 10th Duke, was killed in action in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, without issue * Andrew Robert Buxton Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire (1920–2004), second and younger son of the 10th Duke **Mark Cavendish (born 1941), eldest son of the 11th Duke, died in infancy * Peregrine Andrew Morny "Stoker" Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire (born 1944), second son of the 11th Duke The

heir apparent An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...

is the present holder's only son, William "Bill Burlington" Cavendish, Earl of Burlington (born 1969), married to Laura Montagu (''née'' Roundell). The heir-in-line is Lord Burlington's second child and only son, James, Lord Cavendish (born 15 December 2010). Lord Burlington, although entitled to use the

Marquess of Hartington has continued to be styled by the Burlington title since his father succeeded as 12th Duke.

Family tree

Line of succession

'' William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire (1720–1764)'' ** Coronet of a British Earl

George Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington George Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington (31 March 1754 – 9 May 1834), styled Lord George Cavendish before 1831, was a British nobleman and politician. He built Burlington Arcade. Background Cavendish was the third son of William Cavendish, ...

(1754–1834)'' ***'' William Cavendish (1783–1812)'' **** Coronet of a British Duke

'' William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire, 7th Marquess of Hartington, 2nd Earl of Burlington (1808–1891)'' *****''Lt-Col.

(1838–1891)'' ****** Coronet of a British Duke

Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire Victor Christian William Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire (31 May 18686 May 1938), known as Victor Cavendish until 1908, was a British peer and politician who served as Governor General of Canada. A member of the Cavendish family, he was ed ...

(1868–1938)'' ******* Coronet of a British Duke

Edward Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire Edward William Spencer Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire, (6 May 1895 – 26 November 1950), known as the Marquess of Hartington from 1908 to 1938, was a British politician. He was the head of the Devonshire branch of the House of Cavend ...

(1895–1950)'' ******** Coronet of a British Duke

'' Andrew Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire (1920–2004)'' ********* Coronet of a British Duke

Peregrine Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire (born 1944) **********(1)

William Cavendish, Earl of Burlington William Cavendish, Earl of Burlington (born 6 June 1969), professionally also known by the name Bill Burlington, is a British nobleman, aristocrat, photographer, and the son and heir of the 12th Duke of Devonshire. He was styled Earl of Burling ...

(b. 1969) ***********(2) James, Lord Cavendish (b. 2010) ******'' Rt. Hon. Lord Richard Cavendish (1871–1946)'' *******''Richard Edward Osborne Cavendish (1917–1972)'' ******** Coronet of a British Baron

(3) Hugh Cavendish, Baron Cavendish of Furness (b. 1941) *********(4) Hon. Frederick Richard Toby Cavendish (b. 1972) **********(5)Henry Aurelian William Cavendish (b.2014) **********(6) Alfred George Augustus Cavendish (b. 2021) ********(7) Edward Osborne Cavendish (b. 1955) ***''General Hon. Henry Cavendish (1789–1873) ****''William Henry Frederick Cavendish (1817–1881)'' *****''Cecil Charles Cavendish (1855–1931)'' ******''Brigadier Ronald Valentine Cecil Cavendish (1896–1943)'' *******''Maj-Gen. Peter Boucher Cavendish (1925–2011)'' ********(8) Ronald Simon Constantine Cavendish (b. 1954) *********(9) Nicholas Peter Lancaster Cavendish (b. 1993) ********(10) Mark Francis Cavendish (b. 1955) ********(11) Rupert William John Cavendish (b. 1962) *********(12) Martin Alexander Cavendish (b. 1993) *******'' Robin Francis Cavendish (1930–1994)'' ********(13) Jonathon Stewart Cavendish (b. 1959) *********(14) Theodore Robin Cavendish (b. 1996) ****''Francis William Henry Cavendish (1820–1893)'' *****''Reginald Richard Frederick Cavendish (1857–1941) ******''Godfrey Lionel John Cavendish (1884–1914)'' *******''Hubert Gordon Compton Cavendish (1913–1993) ********(15) Richard Gordon John Cavendish (b. 1949) *********(16) Charles William Gordon Cavendish (b. 1975) *****''Ernest Lionel Francis Cavendish (1863–1946)'' ******''Alwyn Lionel Compton Cavendish (1890–1928)'' *******''Charles Francis Alwyn Compton Cavendish (1919–2009)'' ********(17) William Alwyn Charles Chichester Cavendish (b. 1956) *********(18) Myles Joseph Charles Cavendish (b. 1991) ********(19) Mark Andrew Lionel Compton Cavendish (b. 1958) *********(20) George Andrew Francis Stuart Cavendish (b. 1989) *********(21) Edward Charles Robert Pitcairn Cavendish (b. 1994) ****''George Henry Cavendish (1824–1889)'' *****''William Henry Alexander George Delmar Cavendish (1849–1919)'' ******''Charles Alfred William Delmar (1878–1939)'' *******''Richard Blake Delmar Cavendish (1916–1980)'' ********(22) Anthony Leigh Cable (b. 1942) ******''William Henry George Cavendish (1886–1965)'' *******''Edwin Pearson Delmar Cavendish (1908–1970)'' ********''Adrian Delmar Cavendish (1947–2019)'' *********(23) John Spencer Cavendish (b. 1987) *******''William Delmar Cavendish (1911–1997)'' ********(24) William Anthony Delmar Cavendish (b. 1952) *********(25) Edward William Henry Delmar Cavendish (b. 1987) *** Coronet of a British Baron

Charles Cavendish, 1st Baron Chesham Charles Compton Cavendish, 1st Baron Chesham (28 August 1793 – 12 November 1863) was a British Liberal politician. Early life Cavendish was the fourth son of George Augustus Henry Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington, third son of the former Pri ...

(1793–1863)'' **** Coronet of a British Baron

William Cavendish, 2nd Baron Chesham William George Cavendish, 2nd Baron Chesham (29 October 1815 – 26 June 1882) was a British Liberal politician. Early life Chesham was born on 29 October 1815 into the Cavendish family, headed by the Duke of Devonshire. He was the eldest son of ...

(1815–1882)'' ***** Coronet of a British Baron

'' Charles Cavendish, 3rd Baron Chesham (1850–1907)'' ****** Coronet of a British Baron

''John Cavendish, 4th Baron Chesham (1894–1952)'' ******* Coronet of a British Baron

'' John Cavendish, 5th Baron Chesham (1916–1989)'' ******** Coronet of a British Baron

Nicholas Cavendish, 6th Baron Chesham Nicholas Charles Cavendish, 6th Baron Chesham (7 November 1941–27 August 2009), was a British Conservative politician. A member of the Cavendish family headed by the Duke of Devonshire, Chesham was the son of John Cavendish, 5th Baron Chesha ...

(1941–2009)'' ********* Coronet of a British Baron

(24)

Charles Cavendish, 7th Baron Chesham Charles Gray Compton Cavendish, 7th Baron Chesham (born 11 November 1974 in Sydney, Australia), is the present Baron Chesham having succeeded to the title on 27 August 2009 on the death of his father, Nicholas Cavendish, 6th Baron Chesham. A mem ...

(b. 1974) **********(26) Hon. Oliver Nicholas Bruce Cavendish (b. 2007) *********(27) Hon. William George Grey Cavendish (b. 1980) ********(28) Hon. John Charles Gregory Cavendish (b. 1952) *****''Hon. William Adrian Cavendish (1862–1931)'' ******''Evan George Charles Cavendish (1891–1955)'' *******''Greville Adrian Cavendish (1925–2019)'' ********(29) Rupert Edward Greville Cavendish (b. 1955) ********(30) Piers Anthony Charles Cavendish (b. 1956) *********(31) Patrick Alexander Cavendish (b. 1990)

Earls of Devonshire

The earldom of Devonshire was originally granted as a recreation of the

held by the last

Baron Mountjoy The titles of Baron Mountjoy and Viscount Mountjoy have been created several times for members of various families, including the Blounts and their descendants and the Stewarts of Ramelton and their descendants. The first creation was for Walter ...

, which became extinct on his death in 1606. It is a separate

from that of Earl of Devon, which still belongs to the

Courtenay family The House of Courtenay is a medieval noble house, with branches in France, England and the Holy Land. One branch of the Courtenays became a Royal House of the Capetian Dynasty, cousins of the Bourbons and the Valois, and achieved the title o ...

In fiction

The fifth Duke and Duchess of Devonshire are portrayed in the 2008 film '' The Duchess'' directed by

Saul Dibb Saul Dibb (born 18 August 1968) is an English director and screenwriter. His father is the documentary maker Mike Dibb. Born in London, England, Saul Dibb is a graduate of the University of East Anglia. He is best known for co-writing and direct ...

. The film is based on Amanda Foreman's biography of the scandalous 18th-century English aristocrat

Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (née Spencer; ; 7 June 1757 – 30 March 1806), was an English aristocrat, socialite, political organiser, author, and activist. Born into the Spencer family, married into the Cavendish family, she wa ...

(portrayed by Keira Knightley) and her relationship with the

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...

( Ralph Fiennes) and his next wife,

Lady Elizabeth Foster Elizabeth Christiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (13 May 1758 – 30 March 1824) was an English aristocrat and letter writer. She is best known as Lady Elizabeth Foster, the close friend of Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire. Eliza ...

. Along with

Jane Austen Jane Austen (; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots of ...

, the fifth Duke and his second wife appear, soon after Georgiana's death, in ''Jane and the Stillroom Maid'', a murder mystery by

Stephanie Barron Francine Barron Mathews (born May 23, 1963) is an American writer of mystery and spy fiction who also writes historical mysteries under the name Stephanie Barron. She features in ''Great Women Mystery Writers'' (2007).page 161-164, ''Great Women M ...

. In

John Buchan John Buchan, 1st Baron Tweedsmuir (; 26 August 1875 – 11 February 1940) was a Scottish novelist, historian, and Unionist politician who served as Governor General of Canada, the 15th since Canadian Confederation. After a brief legal career ...

's novel '' The Three Hostages'' (1924), 'the late Duke of Devonshire' is cited as an epitome of Englishness. This probably refers to the eighth duke. In the episode 'The Man in the Killer Suit' in the 2014 tv series ''Forever'', a case occurs where someone masquerades as a 'viscount cavendish'. While the title is wrongly used, other references during the episode show that they are in fact referring to the Dukes of Devonshire.

References

Sources

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

External links

www.burkespeerage.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Devonshire Dukedoms in the Peerage of England Devonshire History of Devon 1694 establishments in England Noble titles created in 1694 British landowners *