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Earl of Kingston is a title 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 ...
. It was created in 1768 for Edward King, 1st Viscount Kingston. The Earl holds the subsidiary titles Baron Kingston, of Rockingham in the County of
Roscommon Roscommon (; ) is the county town and the largest town in County Roscommon in Ireland. It is roughly in the centre of Ireland, near the meeting of the N60, N61 and N63 roads. The name Roscommon is derived from Coman mac Faelchon who built ...
(created in 1764), Viscount Kingston, of Kingsborough in the County of Sligo (created in 1766), Baron Erris, of Boyle in the County of Roscommon (created in 1801), and Viscount Lorton, of Boyle in the County of Roscommon (created in 1806), also in the Peerage of Ireland. He is also a
baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...
in the
Baronetage of Ireland Baronets are a rank in the British aristocracy. The current Baronetage of the United Kingdom has replaced the earlier but existing Baronetages of England, Nova Scotia, Ireland, and Great Britain. Baronetage of England (1611–1705) James I of E ...
. Between 1821 and 1869 the earls also held the title Baron Kingston, of
Mitchelstown Mitchelstown () is a town in County Cork, Ireland with a population of approximately 3,740. Mitchelstown is situated in the valley to the south of the Galtee Mountains, 12 km south-west of the Mitchelstown Caves, 28 km from Cahir, 50& ...
in the County of Cork (created in 1821), in 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 ...
.


Family history until 1755

The King family descends from Robert King, younger brother of
John King, 1st Baron Kingston John King, 1st Baron Kingston (died 1676) was an Anglo-Irish soldier during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms who served the Commonwealth government during the Interregnum and government of Charles II after the Restoration. Biography John King wa ...
(a title which became extinct in 1761; see Baron Kingston). In 1682 Robert King was created a baronet, of Boyle Abbey in the County of Roscommon. He subsequently represented
County Roscommon "Steadfast Irish heart" , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Roscommon.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Connacht , subdi ...
and
Boyle Boyle is an English, Irish and Scottish surname of Gaelic, Anglo-Saxon or Norman origin. In the northwest of Ireland it is one of the most common family names. Notable people with the surname include: Disambiguation *Adam Boyle (disambiguation), ...
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 fra ...
. He was succeeded by his son, John, the second Baronet, who also represented County Roscommon and Boyle in the Irish Parliament. John died childless and was succeeded by his younger brother, Henry, the third Baronet, who like his father and brother represented County Roscommon and Boyle in Parliament. Henry was succeeded by his eldest son, Robert, the fourth Baronet, who sat as
Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
for Boyle. In 1748, aged 24, Robert was created Baron Kingsborough 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 died unmarried only seven years later, at which time the barony became extinct.


Family history 1755–1869

Lord Kingsborough was succeeded in the baronetcy by his younger brother, Edward, the fifth Baronet, who represented Boyle and
County Sligo County Sligo ( , gle, Contae Shligigh) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the Border Region and is part of the province of Connacht. Sligo is the administrative capital and largest town in the county. Sligo County Council is the local ...
in the Irish Parliament. In 1764 Edward was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Kingston, of Rockingham in the County of
Roscommon Roscommon (; ) is the county town and the largest town in County Roscommon in Ireland. It is roughly in the centre of Ireland, near the meeting of the N60, N61 and N63 roads. The name Roscommon is derived from Coman mac Faelchon who built ...
, a revival of the barony held by his kinsmen which had become extinct three years earlier. He was further honoured when he was made Viscount Kingston, of Kingsborough in the County of Sligo, in 1766, and Earl of Kingston in 1768, also in the Peerage of Ireland. He was succeeded by his son,
Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...
, the second Earl, who represented
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 ...
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 fra ...
. He married his kinswoman, the heiress Caroline Fitzgerald (died 1823), daughter of Richard FitzGerald by the Honourable Margaret King, daughter of James King, 4th Baron King (of the first creation). Some detail is known about the lives of the second Earl and his wife, as they hired the pioneer educator and proto-feminist
Mary Wollstonecraft Mary Wollstonecraft (, ; 27 April 1759 – 10 September 1797) was a British writer, philosopher, and advocate of women's rights. Until the late 20th century, Wollstonecraft's life, which encompassed several unconventional personal relationsh ...
as governess to their daughters. Her books ''
Thoughts on the Education of Daughters ''Thoughts on the education of daughters: with reflections on female conduct, in the more important duties of life'' is the first published work of the British feminist Mary Wollstonecraft. Published in 1787 by her friend Joseph Johnson, ''Tho ...
'' and ''
Original Stories from Real Life ''Original Stories from Real Life; with Conversations Calculated to Regulate the Affections, and Form the Mind to Truth and Goodness'' is the only complete work of children's literature by the 18th-century English feminist author Mary Wollstone ...
'' draw on her experiences under their roof at
Mitchelstown Castle Mitchelstown Castle, the former home of the Anglo Irish Earls of Kingston, was located in the north County Cork town of Mitchelstown in Ireland. 15th to 18th century ''White Knights, Dark Earls'' is to date the most extensive published accoun ...
. The daughter she influenced the most was
Margaret King Margaret King (1773–1835), also known as Margaret King Moore, Lady Mount Cashell and Mrs Mason, was an Anglo-Irish hostess, and a writer of female-emancipatory fiction and health advice. Despite her wealthy aristocratic background, she had re ...
, who, as Lady Mount Cashell, undertook a
Grand Tour The Grand Tour was the principally 17th- to early 19th-century custom of a traditional trip through Europe, with Italy as a key destination, undertaken by upper-class young European men of sufficient means and rank (typically accompanied by a tuto ...
on the Continent, accompanied by her friend
Catherine Wilmot Katherine (or Catherine) Wilmot (c.1773 – 28 March 1824) was an Irish traveller and diarist. She made a Grand Tour from 1801 to 1803 and documented her experiences through letters, including encounters with notable figures like Napoleon B ...
, whose diaries were eventually published as ''An Irish Peer on the Continent, 1801–03'' (1920). The second Earl was succeeded by his eldest son, George, the third Earl, who represented County Roscommon in the Irish Parliament and later sat 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 ...
as an
Irish Representative peer This is a list of representative peers elected from the Peerage of Ireland to sit in the British House of Lords after the Kingdom of Ireland was brought into union with the Kingdom of Great Britain. No new members were added to the House after ...
. In 1821 he was created Baron Kingston, of
Mitchelstown Mitchelstown () is a town in County Cork, Ireland with a population of approximately 3,740. Mitchelstown is situated in the valley to the south of the Galtee Mountains, 12 km south-west of the Mitchelstown Caves, 28 km from Cahir, 50& ...
in the County of Cork, in 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 ...
, which gave him and his descendants an automatic seat in the House of Lords. His eldest son, Edward, Viscount Kingsborough, was an antiquarian and also represented
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 ...
in the British Parliament. Lord Kingsborough predeceased his father, unmarried, and the earldom devolved on his younger brother, Robert, the fourth Earl. Robert sat as Member of Parliament for County Cork but was later declared to be of an "unsound mind". He died unmarried and was succeeded by his younger brother, James, the fifth Earl, who died childless in 1869, when the barony of Kingston created in 1821 became extinct.


Family history, 1869–present

The fifth Earl was succeeded in the remaining titles by his first cousin, Robert King, 2nd Viscount Lorton, who became the sixth Earl. Robert was the son of
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 ...
the Honourable Robert King, fourth son of the second Earl, who had been created Viscount Lorton 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 ...
in 1806 (see
Viscount Lorton Viscount Lorton, of Boyle in the County of Roscommon, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 28 May 1806 for General Robert King, 1st Baron Erris. He had already been made Baron Erris, of Boyle in the County of Roscommon, on 29 ...
for earlier history of this branch of the family). Robert, the sixth Earl, had previously represented
County Roscommon "Steadfast Irish heart" , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Roscommon.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Connacht , subdi ...
in Parliament. He died in October 1869, only a month after he succeeded in the earldom. He was succeeded by his elder son, Robert, the seventh Earl, who died two years later at the age of forty, without any male issue. The seventh Earl was succeeded by his younger brother, Henry, the eighth Earl, who was Lord-Lieutenant of County Roscommon and sat in the House of Lords as an Irish Representative peer. Henry married Frances Margaret Christina King-Tenison, daughter of Edward King-Tenison, of Kilronan Castle,
County Roscommon "Steadfast Irish heart" , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Roscommon.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Connacht , subdi ...
, and assumed in 1883 by Royal licence the additional surname of Tenison. He was succeeded by his second but only surviving son, Henry, the ninth Earl, who fought in both the
Second Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the Sout ...
and the
First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
and sat in the House of Lords as an Irish Representative peer. As of 2002 the titles are held by the ninth Earl's great-grandson, Robert, the twelfth Earl, who succeeded in 2002, the titles having descended from father to son. As of 31 July 2002, the twelfth Earl has not successfully proven his succession to the baronetcy and is therefore not on the Official Roll of the Baronetage. The baronetcy is considered dormant.


Other family members

Several other members of the King family may also be mentioned. The Honourable Sir Henry King, fourth son of the second Earl, was a politician and soldier. The Honourable James William King, younger son of the second Earl, was a
rear-admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarded ...
in the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
. George King, son of Reverend the Honourable Richard FitzGerald King, younger son of the second Earl, was a
major-general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
in the
British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...
. The Honourable Laurence Harman King-Harman, younger son of the first Viscount Lorton, was the father of Edward King-Harman, a politician (see also Stafford-King-Harman baronets), and Sir Charles King-Harman, High Commissioner to Cyprus.


Seats

The former seat of the King family was
Mitchelstown Castle Mitchelstown Castle, the former home of the Anglo Irish Earls of Kingston, was located in the north County Cork town of Mitchelstown in Ireland. 15th to 18th century ''White Knights, Dark Earls'' is to date the most extensive published accoun ...
in
Mitchelstown Mitchelstown () is a town in County Cork, Ireland with a population of approximately 3,740. Mitchelstown is situated in the valley to the south of the Galtee Mountains, 12 km south-west of the Mitchelstown Caves, 28 km from Cahir, 50& ...
,
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 ...
which was burned down by the IRA in 1922. It was home of 1st. Lord Kingston. Mitchelstown Castle 4th Lord Kingston in 1750 had a grand house, which was probably not the original castle. Mitchelstown Castle (built 1776) a Georgian house was built by 2nd Earl Kingston. Subsequently demolished in 1823. Mitchelstown Castle (built 1823) was designed by James and George Richard Pain for 3rd. Earl of Kingston to be the largest house in Ireland. it was home for 4th and 5th Earls. King House, Boyle Co. Roscommon, Built for Henry King 3rd. Bt. in 1739, possibly incorporating an earlier 17th c. house. Abandoned by the family in early 19th c. Rockingham, Boyle, Co. Roscommon built in 1810 by John Nash for Robert King, younger son of 2nd. Earl Kingston. Burnt accidentally 1957. Kilronan Castle, Keadue, north
County Roscommon "Steadfast Irish heart" , image_map = Island of Ireland location map Roscommon.svg , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Ireland , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = Connacht , subdi ...
. Kilronan, reconstruction of Castle Tenison, in 1880s for 8th. Earl of Kingston. Also the home of 9th Earl of Kingston. Abandoned in 1940s following its acquisition by the Irish Land Commission.Burke's Guide to Country Houses, Vol 1 Ireland, by Mark Bence-Jones. Reconstructed in 2000s for use as a hotel.


King baronets, of Boyle Abbey (1682)

* Sir Robert King, 1st Baronet (died 1707) * Sir John King, 2nd Baronet (died 1720) * Sir Henry King, 3rd Baronet (died 1740) * Sir Robert King, 4th Baronet (1724–1755) (created Baron Kingsborough in 1748)


Barons Kingsborough (1748)

*
Robert King, 1st Baron Kingsborough Robert King, 1st Baron Kingsborough (18 February 1724 – 22 May 1755), known as Sir Robert King, Bt, between 1740 and 1748, was an Irish landowner and politician. King was the elder son of Sir Henry King, 3rd Baronet, by Isabella Wingfield, dau ...
(1724–1755)


King baronets, of Boyle Abbey (1682; Reverted)

* Sir Edward King, 5th Baronet (1726–1797) (created Earl of Kingston in 1768)


Earls of Kingston (1768)

*
Edward King, 1st Earl of Kingston Edward King, 1st Earl of Kingston PC (I) (29 March 1726 – 8 November 1797) was an Anglo-Irish politician and peer. He was the eldest son of Sir Henry King, 3rd Baronet and Isabella Wingfield, daughter of Edward Wingfield. He had a twin sister ...
(1726–1797) *
Robert King, 2nd Earl of Kingston Robert King, 2nd Earl of Kingston (1754 – 17 April 1799) was an Anglo-Irish peer. He was styled Viscount Kingsborough between 1768 and 1797. Biography He was the eldest surviving son of Edward King, 1st Earl of Kingston and Jane Caulfeild. From ...
(1754–1799) *
George King, 3rd Earl of Kingston George King, 3rd Earl of Kingston (9 April 1771 – 18 October 1839), styled Viscount Kingsborough from 1797 to 1799, was an Irish nobleman. He was the son of Robert King, 2nd Earl of Kingston of Mitchelstown Castle, who he succeeded in 1799. ...
(1771–1839) (elected a Representative Peer in 1807) **
Edward King, Viscount Kingsborough Edward King, Viscount Kingsborough (16 November 1795 – 27 February 1837) was an Irish antiquarian who sought to prove that the indigenous peoples of the Americas were a Lost Tribe of Israel. His principal contribution was in making availab ...
(1795–1837) * Robert Henry King, 4th Earl of Kingston (1796–1867) * James King, 5th Earl of Kingston (1800–1869) *
Robert King, 6th Earl of Kingston Robert King, 6th Earl of Kingston (17 July 1804 – 16 October 1869), styled The Honourable until 1854, was an Anglo-Irish politician and peer. Biography He was the son of Robert King, 1st Viscount Lorton and Lady Frances Parsons, daughter of ...
(1804–1869) *Robert Edward King, 7th Earl of Kingston (1831–1871) * Henry Ernest Newcomen King-Tenison, 8th Earl of Kingston (1848–1896) (elected a Representative Peer in 1887) **Edward King, Viscount Kingsborough (1873–1873) * Henry Edwyn King-Tenison, 9th Earl of Kingston (1874–1946) (elected a Representative Peer in 1917) *Robert Henry Ethelbert King-Tenison, 10th Earl of Kingston (1897–1948) *Barclay Robert Edwin King-Tenison, 11th Earl of Kingston (1943–2002) *Robert Charles Henry King-Tenison, 12th Earl of Kingston (born 1969) 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 son Charles Avery Edward King-Tenison, Viscount Kingsborough (born 2000).


See also

*
Viscount Lorton Viscount Lorton, of Boyle in the County of Roscommon, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created on 28 May 1806 for General Robert King, 1st Baron Erris. He had already been made Baron Erris, of Boyle in the County of Roscommon, on 29 ...
* Baron Kingston


References


Sources

* *Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). ''Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage'' (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990, *''Rebel Daughters: Ireland in conflict 1798'' (2003) by
Janet Todd Janet Margaret Todd OBE (born 10 September 1942) is a British academic and author. She was educated at Cambridge University and the University of Florida, where she undertook a doctorate on the poet John Clare. Much of her work concerns Ma ...


External links

* *
Brief biography of George King, 3rd Earl of Kingston
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kingston Earldoms in the Peerage of Ireland King family (Anglo-Irish aristocracy) Noble titles created in 1768