Earl of Oxford and Asquith is a title 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 in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great ...

. It was created in 1925 for the Liberal politician

H. H. Asquith Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith, (12 September 1852 – 15 February 1928), generally known as H. H. Asquith, was a British statesman and Liberal Party politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom ...

. He was

Home Secretary The secretary of state for the Home Department, otherwise known as the home secretary, is a senior minister of the Crown in the Government of the United Kingdom. The home secretary leads the Home Office, and is responsible for all nationa ...

from 1892 to 1895,

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 HM Treasury, His Majesty's Treasury. As one of the four Great Offices of State, the Ch ...

from 1905 to 1908, Leader of the Liberal Party from 1908 to 1926 and

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom 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 p ...

from 1908 to 1916. Asquith was made Viscount Asquith, of Morley in the West Riding of the County of York, at the same time, also in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. This title is 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 con ...

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 earldom. Asquith had originally wanted to be created simply

Earl of Oxford Earl of Oxford is a dormant title in the Peerage of England, first created for Aubrey de Vere by the Empress Matilda in 1141. His family was to hold the title for more than five and a half centuries, until the death of the 20th Earl in 1703 ...

. However, this greatly offended the collaterals of the de Vere family, members of which had been earls of Oxford, for centuries and of the Harley family, members of which had been

earls of Oxford and earls Mortimer Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1711 for the statesman Robert Harley, with remainder, failing heirs male of his body, to those of his grandfather, Sir Robert Harley. He was mad ...

. In the face of opposition from them, another title had to be selected – the formal title 'Earl of Oxford and Asquith' was finally decided as a compromise, with it being abbreviated to 'Earl of Oxford' in everyday conversation and letters, which still irritated the other families. The first Earl was succeeded in 1928 by his grandson, his eldest son Raymond Asquith having been killed in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

. The second Earl was a diplomat and administrator and served as Governor of the Seychelles from 1962 to 1967. He died in 2011 and was succeeded by his son, the third Earl and current holder of the title. The current Lord Oxford and Asquith is a retired diplomat. Several other members of the Asquith family have also gained distinction. Raymond Asquith, eldest son of the first Earl and father of the second, was a barrister and intellectual. Herbert Asquith, second son of the first Earl, was a poet, novelist and lawyer.

Arthur Melland Asquith Brigadier General The Honourable Arthur Melland Asquith, (24 April 1883 – 25 August 1939) was a senior officer of the Royal Naval Division, a Royal Navy land detachment attached to the British Army during the First World War. His father, H. ...

(1883–1939), third son of the first Earl, was a

Brigadier-General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed t ...

in the Army. Cyril Asquith, fourth son of the first Earl, was a

Lord of Appeal in Ordinary Lords of Appeal in Ordinary, commonly known as Law Lords, were judges appointed under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 to the British House of Lords, as a committee of the House, effectively to exercise the judicial functions of the House o ...

and was created a life peer as Baron Asquith of Bishopstone in 1951. Violet Asquith, better known under her married name of Violet Bonham Carter, was a Liberal politician and was created a life peer as Baroness Asquith of Yarnbury in 1964. Her eldest son

Mark Bonham Carter Mark Raymond Bonham Carter, Baron Bonham-Carter (11 February 1922 – 4 September 1994) was an English publisher and politician. He was created a life peer in 1986. Early life He was the son of the Liberal activists Sir Maurice Bonham-Ca ...

was a publisher and politician and was created a life peer as Baron Bonham-Carter in 1986. His daughter is the life peer

Jane Bonham Carter, Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury Jane Bonham Carter, Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury (born 20 October 1957) is a British Liberal Democrat politician, and member of the House of Lords. Background Family Bonham Carter hails from the Bonham Carter family. Her great-grandfath ...

Raymond Bonham Carter Raymond Henry Bonham Carter (19 June 1929 – 17 January 2004) was a British banker and a member of the prominent Bonham Carter family. Early life He was born in Paddington, London, to Sir Maurice Bonham-Carter (1880–1960), a politician and ...

, second son of Baroness Asquith of Yarnbury, was a banker and the father of the noted actress Helena Bonham Carter and of Edward Bonham Carter. Elizabeth Asquith (better known by her married name of Elizabeth Bibesco), the only daughter from the second marriage of the first Earl, was a moderately celebrated author who, for a short while, dated the Spanish grandee

José Antonio Primo de Rivera José Antonio Primo de Rivera y Sáenz de Heredia, 1st Duke of Primo de Rivera, 3rd Marquess of Estella (24 April 1903 – 20 November 1936), often referred to simply as José Antonio, was a Spanish politician who founded the falangist Falang ...

(founder of

FET y de las JONS The Falange Española Tradicionalista y de las Juntas de Ofensiva Nacional Sindicalista (FET y de las JONS; ), frequently shortened to just "FET", was the sole legal party of the Francoist regime in Spain. It was created by General Francisco ...

) before marrying the Romanian lawyer, diplomat and writer Prince Antoine Bibesco in 1919.

Anthony Asquith Anthony William Landon Asquith (; 9 November 1902 – 20 February 1968) was an English film director. He collaborated successfully with playwright Terence Rattigan on ''The Winslow Boy'' (1948) and '' The Browning Version'' (1951), among oth ...

, only son from the second marriage of the first Earl, became a successful film director.

Dominic Asquith Sir Dominic Anthony Gerard Asquith (born 7 February 1957) is a British career diplomat and former Ambassador to Iraq, Egypt, and Libya. He was First Secretary at the British Embassy in Washington DC. He was most recently the British High ...

, second son of the second Earl, is a prominent diplomat and served as British Ambassador to Iraq from 2006 to 2007.

Margot Asquith Emma Margaret Asquith, Countess of Oxford and Asquith (' Tennant; 2 February 1864 – 28 July 1945), known as Margot Asquith, was a British socialite, author. She was married to H. H. Asquith, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, from 18 ...

(''née'' Tennant), second wife of the first Earl, a socialite, author and wit, became the Countess of Oxford and Asquith upon her husband's becoming the first Earl. The family seat is Mells Manor, near Mells, Somerset.

Earls of Oxford and Asquith (1925)

* Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith (1852–1928) ** Raymond Asquith (1878–1916) *

Julian Edward George Asquith, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Asquith Julian Edward George Asquith, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Asquith, (22 April 1916 – 16 January 2011) was a British colonial administrator and hereditary peer. Background and education Asquith was the only son of Katharine (née Horner) and Raym ...

(1916–2011) * Raymond Benedict Bartholomew Michael Asquith, 3rd Earl of Oxford and Asquith (b. 1952) The

is the present holder's only son, Mark Julian Asquith, Viscount Asquith (b. 1979), who is married to Helen, daughter of Christopher Prentice.
The heir apparent's heir apparent is his son, George Hannibal Asquith (b. 2011).

Line of succession and other titles held by descendants of the 1st Earl

'' Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith (1852–1928)'' ** '' Raymond Herbert Asquith (1878–1916)'' *** Coronet of a British Earl

'' Edward Julian George Asquith, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Asquith (1916–2011)'' **** Coronet of a British Earl

Raymond Benedict Bartholomew Michael Asquith, 3rd Earl of Oxford and Asquith (born 1952) ***** (1) Mark Julian Asquith, ''Viscount Asquith'' (b. 1979) ****** (2) ''Hon.'' George Hannibal Asquith (b. 2011) **** (3) ''Hon.'' Sir Dominic Antony Gerard Asquith (b. 1957) ***** (4) Thomas Anthony Gerard Asquith (b. 1992) ***** (5) William Raphael Augustine Asquith (b. 1994) ** ''Hon. Herbert Dixon Asquith (1881–1947)'' *** ''Michael Henry Asquith (1914-2004)'' **** (6) Stephen Andrew Romilly Michael Asquith (b. 1944) ***** (7) Daniel Asquith (b. 1964) ***** (8) Portis Asquith (b. 1978) ***** (9) Thomas Ivo Asquith (b. 1980) **** (10) Peter Edward Asquith (b. 1947) *** ''Simon Anthony Roland Asquith (1919–1973)'' **** (11) Conrad Robin Asquith (b. 1945) **** (12) Ivon Shaun Asquith (b. 1946) ***** (13) Thomas Asquith (b. 1982) ***** (14) William Asquith (b. 1985) ** Coronet of a British Baron

'' Helen Violet Bonham Carter, Baroness Asquith of Yarnbury ''née Violet Asquith'' (1887–1969)'' *** Coronet of a British Baron

'' Mark Raymond Bonham Carter, Baron Bonham-Carter (1922–1994)'' **** Coronet of a British Baron

Jane Mary Bonham Carter, Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury (b. 1957) ** Coronet of a British Baron

Cyril Asquith, Baron Asquith of Bishopstone Cyril Asquith, Baron Asquith of Bishopstone, PC (5 February 1890 – 24 August 1954) was an English barrister and judge who served as a Lord of Appeal in Ordinary from 1951 until his death three years later. The youngest child of British prim ...

(1890–1954)'' *** ''Hon. Paul Asquith (1927–1984)'' **** (15) Jonathan Paul Asquith (b. 1956) ***** (16) Paul William Asquith (b. 1988) ***** (17) Matthew Henry George Asquith (b. 1994) **** (18) Rupert Asquith (b. 1965)

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Oxford And Asquith Earldoms in the Peerage of the United Kingdom

Earl 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", particu ...

*Earl *Earl of Oxford and Asquith

Noble titles created in 1925 Noble titles created for UK MPs Peerages created for the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Earls of Oxford and Asquith (1925)

Line of succession and other titles held by descendants of the 1st Earl

See also

Notes