Earl of Dorset is a title that has been created at least four times 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 ...

. Some of its holders have at various times also held the rank of

marquess 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, from 1720,

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 ...

. A possible first creation is not well documented. About 1070

Osmund Osmund (Latin ''Osmundus'') is a Germanic name composed of the word ''Os'' meaning "god" and ''mund'' meaning "protection." Osmund or Osmond may refer to: Pre-modern era :''Ordered chronologically'' * Osmund of Sussex (), a king of Sussex * Osmun ...

, or Osmer, is said to have been created earl of Dorset, but the authority is a very late one and Osmund described himself simply as bishop. William de Mohun appears as earl of Dorset or Somerset, these two shires being in early times united under a single

sheriff A sheriff is a government official, with varying duties, existing in some countries with historical ties to England where the office originated. There is an analogous, although independently developed, office in Iceland that is commonly transla ...

. It was later created in 1411 for Thomas Beaufort, who was later created

Duke of Exeter The title Duke of Exeter was created several times in England in the later Middle Ages. Exeter is the main town of Devon. It was first created for John Holland, the half-brother of King Richard II in 1397. That title was rescinded upon Henry IV ...

. The peerages became extinct on his death. It was next created in 1441 for Edmund Beaufort who was later created first

Marquess of Dorset The title Marquess of Dorset has been created three times in the Peerage of England. It was first created in 1397 for John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset, but he lost the title two years later. It was then created in 1442 for Edmund Beaufort, 1st ...

(1442) and then

Duke of Somerset 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 rank ...

(1446). These titles were forfeited by the second duke in 1464. The last creation was in 1604 for Thomas Sackville, 1st Baron Buckhurst. In 1720 the seventh earl was created

Duke of Dorset Duke of Dorset was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1720 for the politician Lionel Sackville, 7th Earl of Dorset. History The Sackville family descended from Sir Richard Sackville. His only surviving son, Thomas Sa ...

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 ...

. On the death of the fifth duke in 1843 the peerages became extinct.

Earls of Dorset; First creation (1070)

* Osmund de Sees, Earl of Dorset (died 1099)

Earls of Dorset: Second creation (1411)

*see

Earls of Dorset; Third creation (1441)

*see

Earls of Dorset: Fourth creation (1604)

*see

References

* *{{Rayment, date=February 2012

Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...

Noble titles created in 1070 Noble titles created in 1411 Noble titles created in 1441 Noble titles created in 1604