Earl of Mornington is a title in the
Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1760 for the Anglo-Irish politician and composer
Garret Wellesley, 2nd Baron Mornington. On the death of the fifth earl in 1863, it passed to the
Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister of ...
; since that date, the title has generally been used
by courtesy for the heir apparent to the heir apparent to the dukedom.
History
The first earl was the eldest son of
Richard Wesley
Richard Wesley (born July 11, 1945) is an American playwright and screenwriter. He is an associate professor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in the Rita and Burton Goldberg Department of Dramatic Writing.
Early life
Wesley w ...
, the first Baron Mornington. Richard Wesley, born Richard Colley, was elevated to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Mornington, of Mornington, in 1746.
He had inherited the Dangan and Mornington estates in
County Meath
County Meath (; gle, Contae na Mí or simply ) is a county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. It is bordered by Dublin to the southeast, Louth to the northeast, Kildare to the south, Offaly to the sou ...
on the death of his first cousin Garret Wesley in 1728. In the same year he was granted by Royal licence the new surname of Wesley (see below for earlier history of the family).
His son, the second Baron, was made the first Earl of Mornington in 1760, and at the same time also became Viscount Wellesley, of
Dangan Castle in the County of Meath, also in the Peerage of Ireland.
Four of the first earl's sons gained distinction. The third son was
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister o ...
, who defeated
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
at the
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium). A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armie ...
in 1815 (see
Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister of ...
), while the fifth was the diplomat
Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley (see
Earl Cowley).
![Richard Wellesley](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Richard_Wellesley.jpeg)
The first earl was succeeded by his eldest son,
Richard
Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Frankish language, Old Frankish and is a Compound (linguistics), compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language, Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' an ...
, the second earl. He used the original family surname of Wellesley in lieu of Wesley. He was a prominent soldier, diplomat and politician. In 1797 he was created Baron Wellesley, of Wellesley in the County of Somerset, 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 ...
, which entitled him to a seat in the British
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 ...
. In 1799 he was further honoured when he was made Marquess Wellesley, of Norragh, in the Peerage of Ireland. However, he was said to be bitterly disappointed at not receiving a dukedom or at least an English peerage of high rank. He referred to his Irish marquessate as a "double-gilt potato". Lord Wellesley had several children by his French mistress,
Hyacinthe-Gabrielle Roland (they were married in 1794 after the birth of their children). One of them, Anne, married as her second husband
Lord Charles Bentinck. They were great-great-grandparents of
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 ...
.
![William Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley, 4th Earl of Mornington](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/William_Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley%2C_4th_Earl_of_Mornington.jpg)
As Lord Wellesley had no legitimate children, the English barony of 1797 and the marquessate became extinct on his death in 1842. He was succeeded in the other titles by his younger brother
William Wellesley-Pole, 1st Baron Maryborough
William Wellesley-Pole, 3rd Earl of Mornington, (20 May 1763 – 22 February 1845), known as Lord Maryborough between 1821 and 1842, was an Anglo-Irish politician and an elder brother of the Duke of Wellington. His surname changed twice: he was ...
, who became the third Earl of Mornington. He was also a politician and notably served as
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 ...
between 1809 and 1812 and as
Chancellor of the Irish Exchequer between 1811 and 1812. Born William Wesley, he assumed by Royal licence in 1781 the additional surname of Pole on succeeding to the estates of his cousin, William Pole. In 1798 he assumed by Royal licence the surname of Wellesley-Pole in lieu of Wesley-Pole. In 1821 he was raised to the
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom is one of the five Peerages in the United Kingdom. It comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Acts of Union 1800, Acts of Union in 1801, when it replaced the ...
as Baron Maryborough, of Maryborough in the Queen's County. He was succeeded by his son, the
fourth Earl. He married Catherine, daughter and coheir of
Sir James Tylney-Long, 7th Baronet (see
Tylney-Long Baronets
The Long, later Tylney-Long Baronetcy, of Westminster in the County of London, was a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created in 1662 for Robert Long.
History
The baronetcy was created for Robert Long, Member of Parliament from 16 ...
). She was known in London society as "The Wiltshire heiress" and was believed to be the richest commoner in England. On his marriage he assumed by Royal licence the additional surnames of Tylney and Long. Lord Mornington is chiefly remembered for his dissipated lifestyle which brought about the destruction of the Tylney family estate of
Wanstead House. He was succeeded by his eldest and only surviving son, the fifth Earl. He had been the subject of a bitter custody battle between his father and his two maternal aunts (who had wanted him to be placed under the guardianship of his great-uncle the Duke of Wellington) and later fought a legal battle with his father over the sale of contents of the family seat Draycot House. Lord Mornington died unmarried in 1863 when the barony of Maryborough became extinct. He left all his landed property to his father's cousin
Henry Wellesley, 1st Earl Cowley
Henry Richard Charles Wellesley, 1st Earl Cowley, (17 June 1804 – 15 July 1884), known as The Lord Cowley between 1847 and 1857, was a British diplomat. He served as British Ambassador to France between 1852 and 1867.
Background and educati ...
. He was succeeded in his Irish titles by his first cousin once removed,
Arthur Wellesley, 2nd Duke of Wellington
Arthur is a common male given name of Brythonic origin. Its popularity derives from it being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur. The etymology is disputed. It may derive from the Celtic ''Artos'' meaning “Bear”. Another theory, more w ...
. The title Earl of Mornington is now used as a
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 ...
by 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 ...
to the Marquess of Douro, himself the heir apparent to the Duke of Wellington. As of 2015, the title is held by courtesy by Arthur Wellesley, Earl of Mornington, son of
Arthur Wellesley, Marquess of Douro
Jemma Madeleine Wellesley, Countess of Mornington (née Kidd; born 20 September 1974), is a British make up artist, fashion model, and aristocrat.
She currently resides on the Stratfield Saye estate, Hampshire.
Biography
Early life
Lady Mo ...
and grandson of
Charles Wellesley, 9th Duke of Wellington.
![Dangan Castle, Co Meath, Ireland, 1840](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d4/Dangan_Castle%2C_Co_Meath%2C_Ireland%2C_1840.jpg)
The Wesley or Wellesley family descended from Sir Richard de Wellesley (15th century). His grandson Sir William Wellesley (died 1602) lived at
Dangan Castle,
County Meath
County Meath (; gle, Contae na Mí or simply ) is a county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. It is bordered by Dublin to the southeast, Louth to the northeast, Kildare to the south, Offaly to the sou ...
. The family estates passed down the male lines. One of Wellesley's daughters, Alison, married John Cusack. Their son Sir
Thomas Cusack served as
Lord Chancellor of Ireland
The Lord High Chancellor of Ireland (commonly known as Lord Chancellor of Ireland) was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801, it was also the highest political office of ...
between 1551 and 1554. His daughter, Katherine, married Sir Henry Colley (or Cowley) (16th century), of Castle Carbery,
County Kildare
County Kildare ( ga, Contae Chill Dara) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county, ...
. Their grandson Sir Henry Colley represented
Monaghan
Monaghan ( ; ) is the county town of County Monaghan, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It also provides the name of its Civil parishes in Ireland, civil parish and Monaghan (barony), barony.
The population of the town as of the 2016 census was 7 ...
in the Irish Parliament. One of Sir Henry's sons, Dudley Colley (or Cowley), was a member of the Irish Parliament for
Philipstown. His son Henry Colley (or Cowley) was the father of Henry Cowley, who represented
Strabane
Strabane ( ; ) is a town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.
Strabane had a population of 13,172 at the 2011 Census. It lies on the east bank of the River Foyle. It is roughly midway from Omagh, Derry and Letterkenny. The River Foyle marks ...
in the
Irish House of Commons, and of Garret Wesley, 1st Baron Mornington. The aforementioned Garret Wesley (died 1728) was a descendant of Sir William Wellesley (died 1602) as well as the son of Elizabeth, daughter of the aforementioned Dudley Colley, also the paternal grandfather of the first Baron Mornington.
The country seat of the Wellesley family was
Dangan Castle, near
Summerhill Summerhill or Summer Hill may refer to the following places:
Australia
* Summer Hill, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney
*Summerhill, Tasmania, a suburb of Launceston
* Summerhill (Mount Duneed), a prefabricated iron cottage in Victoria
Canada
* ...
,
County Meath
County Meath (; gle, Contae na Mí or simply ) is a county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. It is bordered by Dublin to the southeast, Louth to the northeast, Kildare to the south, Offaly to the sou ...
. The
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 ...
residence of the family was
Mornington House,
Merrion Street
Merrion Street (; ) is a major Georgian street on the southside of Dublin, Ireland, which runs along one side of Merrion Square. It is divided into Merrion Street Lower (north end), Merrion Square West and Merrion Street Upper (south end). It h ...
.
Barons Mornington (1746)
*
Richard Wesley, 1st Baron Mornington (1690–1758)
*
Garret Wesley, 2nd Baron Mornington (1735–1781) (created Earl of Mornington in 1760)
Earls of Mornington (1760)
*
Garret Wesley, 1st Earl of Mornington (1735–1781)
*
Richard Wellesley, 2nd Earl of Mornington
Richard Colley Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley, (20 June 1760 – 26 September 1842) was an Anglo-Irish politician and colonial administrator. He was styled as Viscount Wellesley until 1781, when he succeeded his father as 2nd Earl of M ...
(1760–1842) (created Baron Wellesley in 1797 and Marquess Wellesley in 1799)
Marquesses Wellesley (1799)
*
Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley, 2nd Earl of Mornington (1760–1842)
Earls of Mornington (1760; Reverted)
*
William Wellesley-Pole, 3rd Earl of Mornington
William Wellesley-Pole, 3rd Earl of Mornington, (20 May 1763 – 22 February 1845), known as Lord Maryborough between 1821 and 1842, was an Anglo-Irish politician and an elder brother of the Duke of Wellington. His surname changed twice: he was ...
(1763–1845)
*
William Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley, 4th Earl of Mornington (1788–1857)
*
William Richard Arthur Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley, 5th Earl of Mornington (1813–1863)
*
Arthur Richard Wellesley, 2nd Duke of Wellington, 6th Earl of Mornington (1807–1884)
''for further succession, see
Duke of Wellington (title)''
Barons Maryborough (1821)
*
William Wellesley-Pole, 1st Baron Maryborough
William Wellesley-Pole, 3rd Earl of Mornington, (20 May 1763 – 22 February 1845), known as Lord Maryborough between 1821 and 1842, was an Anglo-Irish politician and an elder brother of the Duke of Wellington. His surname changed twice: he was ...
(1763–1845) (succeeded as Earl of Mornington in 1842)
''see above for further succession''
Family tree
Line of succession
*
![Coronet of a British Baron](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Coronet_of_a_British_Baron.svg)
''
Richard Wesley, 1st Baron Mornington (1690–1758)''
**
![Coronet of a British Earl](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Coronet_of_a_British_Earl.svg)
''
Garret Wesley, 1st Earl of Mornington (1735–1831)''
***
![Coronet of a British Marquess](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Coronet_of_a_British_Marquess.svg)
''
Richard Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley
Richard Colley Wellesley, 1st Marquess Wellesley, (20 June 1760 – 26 September 1842) was an Anglo-Irish politician and colonial administrator. He was styled as Viscount Wellesley until 1781, when he succeeded his father as 2nd Earl of M ...
(1760–1842)''
***
![Coronet of a British Earl](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Coronet_of_a_British_Earl.svg)
''
William Wellesley-Pole, 3rd Earl of Mornington
William Wellesley-Pole, 3rd Earl of Mornington, (20 May 1763 – 22 February 1845), known as Lord Maryborough between 1821 and 1842, was an Anglo-Irish politician and an elder brother of the Duke of Wellington. His surname changed twice: he was ...
(1763–1845)''
****
![Coronet of a British Earl](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Coronet_of_a_British_Earl.svg)
''
William Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley, 4th Earl of Mornington (1788–1857)''
*****
![Coronet of a British Earl](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Coronet_of_a_British_Earl.svg)
''
William Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley, 5th Earl of Mornington
William Richard Arthur Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley, 5th Earl of Mornington (7 October 1813 – 25 July 1863) was a British nobleman.
Long-Wellesley, the son of the notorious spendthrift William Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley (later fourth Earl of M ...
(1813–1863)''
***** ''The Hon. James Pole-Tylney-Long-Wellesley (1815–1851)''
***
![Coronet of a British Duke](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/20/Coronet_of_a_British_Duke.svg)
''
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister o ...
(1769–1852)''
****
See Line of succession
*** ''Gerald Wellesley (1770–1848)''
**** ''Arthur Richard Wellesley (1804–1830)''
**** ''William Wellesley (1813–1888)''
***** ''Arthur Wellesley (1850–1893)''
****** ''Garret Wellesley (1880–1915)''
***** ''Gerald Wellesley (1852–1914)''
****** ''Cyril Wellesley (1879–1915)''
****** ''Frederick Wellesley (1880–1955)''
******* ''Frederic Wellesley (1908–1978)''
***** ''Edmond Wellesley (1858–1886)''
****** ''Gerald Wellesley (1885–1933)''
******* ''Edmund Wellesley (1919–1944)''
******* ''Philip Wellesley (1921–1992)''
****** ''Edmond Wellesley (1886–1916)''
***** ''Herbert Wellesley (1867–1905)''
****** ''Ronald Wellesley (1894–1914)''
****** ''Eric Wellesley (1896–1915)''
**** ''
George Wellesley (1814–1901)''
***
![Coronet of a British Baron](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Coronet_of_a_British_Baron.svg)
''
Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley (1773–1847)''
****
See Line of succession
See also
*
Earl Cowley
*
Tylney-Long baronets
The Long, later Tylney-Long Baronetcy, of Westminster in the County of London, was a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created in 1662 for Robert Long.
History
The baronetcy was created for Robert Long, Member of Parliament from 16 ...
*
Earl Tylney
Earl Tylney, of Castlemaine in the County of Kerry, was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 11 June 1731 for Richard Child, 1st Viscount Castlemaine. The Child family descended from the merchant, economist and colonial administr ...
References
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mornington
Earldoms in the Peerage of Ireland
Noble titles created in 1760
*