Baron Sydney (an alternative spelling of the surname Sidney) was a title that was created three times in British history. The title was later elevated twice into a

viscounty A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicial ...

, and from there, once more into an

earldom Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant " chieftain", particula ...

First creation (1603)

The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1603 when Robert Sidney was made Baron Sydney, of

Penshurst Penshurst is a historic village and civil parish located in a valley upon the northern slopes of the Kentish Weald, at the confluence of the River Medway and the River Eden, within the Sevenoaks district of Kent, England. The village is situ ...

. In 1618, he was also granted the recreated title of

Earl of Leicester Earl of Leicester is a title that has been created seven times. The first title was granted during the 12th century in the Peerage of England. The current title is in the Peerage of the United Kingdom and was created in 1837. Early creatio ...

List of Barons Sydney (first creation)

Robert Sidney, 1st Earl of Leicester Robert Sidney, 1st Earl of Leicester (19 November 1563 – 13 July 1626), second son of Sir Henry Sidney, was a statesman of Elizabethan and Jacobean England. He was also a patron of the arts and a poet. His mother, Mary Sidney ''née' ...

(1563–1626) *

Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester (1 December 1595 – 2 November 1677) was an English diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1614 and 1625 and then succeeded to the peerage as Earl of Leicester. Life Sidney was born ...

(1595–1677) *

Philip Sidney, 3rd Earl of Leicester Philip Sidney, 3rd Earl of Leicester (10 January 1619 – 6 March 1698) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1640 and 1659 and became Earl of Leicester in 1677. He supported the Parliamentarian caus ...

(1619–1698) In 1689, the barony was elevated to a viscountcy and granted to

Henry Sydney, 1st Earl of Romney Henry Sidney, 1st Earl of Romney (also spelt Sydney; March 1641 – 8 April 1704) was an English Whig politician, soldier and administrator. He is now best remembered as one of the Immortal Seven who drafted the Invitation to William of Oran ...

(younger brother of the 3rd Earl of Leicester).

Second creation (1768)

The second creation came in 1768 when

Dudley Cosby Dudley is a large market town and administrative centre in the county of West Midlands, England, southeast of Wolverhampton and northwest of Birmingham. Historically an exclave of Worcestershire, the town is the administrative centre of the ...

(–1774), Minister Plenipotentiary to Denmark between 1763 and 1765, was made Baron Sydney, of Stradbally in the Queen's County, in the

Peerage of Ireland The Peerage of Ireland consists of those titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. It is one of the five divisi ...

. He was the grandson and namesake of

, who represented the Queen's County in the

Irish House of Commons The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords. The membership of the House of Commons was directly elected, but on a highly restrictive fran ...

, and the great-nephew of

William Cosby Brigadier-General William Cosby (1690–1736) was an Irish soldier who served as the British colonial governor of New York from 1732 to 1736. During his short term, Cosby was portrayed as one of the most oppressive governors in the Thirteen Co ...

. This creation, however, soon became extinct on Sydney's death in 1774.

Third creation (1783)

The third creation came on 6 March 1783 when Thomas Townshend was created Baron Sydney, of Chiselhurst in the County of Kent, in the

Peerage of Great Britain The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain between the Acts of Union 1707 and the Acts of Union 1800. It replaced the Peerage of England and the Peerage of Scotland, but was itself r ...

, and entered the House of Lords. He was soon elevated to Viscount Sydney of Chislehurst on 11 June 1789, and his grandson was eventually created

Earl Sydney Caricature, published in '' Vanity Fair'' in 1869. Earl Sydney, of Scadbury in the County of Kent, was a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1874 for John Townshend, 3rd Viscount Sydney. Earl Sydney (1874) The tit ...

in 1874.

References

External links

Dudley Alexander Sydney Cosby, Baron Sydney
at the National Gallery {{DEFAULTSORT:Sydney Extinct baronies in the Peerage of Ireland Extinct baronies in the Peerage of Great Britain Extinct baronies in the Peerage of England Noble titles created in 1603 Noble titles created in 1768 Noble titles created in 1783