Henrietta Maria Wentworth, 6th Baroness Wentworth (11 August 1660 – 23 April 1686) was an English peeress. Henrietta Maria Wentworth was born as the only child of Thomas Wentworth, 5th Baron Wentworth, and his wife, Philadelphia Carey. Henrietta spent her early years at the family home, Toddington Manor, Bedfordshire. When her father died in 1665, she became

heir presumptive An heir presumptive is the person entitled to inherit a throne, peerage, or other hereditary honour, but whose position can be displaced by the birth of an heir apparent or a new heir presumptive with a better claim to the position in question. ...

to her grandfather,

Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Cleveland Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Cleveland (159125 March 1667), was an English landowner and Royalist general during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, described by one historian as a "much under-rated field commander". A distant relative of Thomas ...

. On his death two years later, she inherited the barony of Wentworth. In 1680 she became involved in scandal. Lady Wentworth was set to marry

Richard Tufton, 5th Earl of Thanet Richard Tufton, 5th Earl of Thanet (30 May 1640 or 1641 – 8 March 1684), styled The Honourable Richard Tufton until 1680, was an English nobleman. Tufton was the third son of John Tufton, 2nd Earl of Thanet and Lady Margaret, daughter of Richa ...

, but

James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, 1st Duke of Buccleuch, KG, PC (9 April 1649 – 15 July 1685) was a Dutch-born English nobleman and military officer. Originally called James Crofts or James Fitzroy, he was born in Rotterdam in the Netherlan ...

, proposed himself instead although he was already married. Lady Wentworth's mother swiftly brought her back to Toddington, but Monmouth followed her there and moved in with her. When Monmouth was implicated in the 1683

Rye House plot The Rye House Plot of 1683 was a plan to assassinate King Charles II of England and his brother (and heir to the throne) James, Duke of York. The royal party went from Westminster to Newmarket to see horse races and were expected to make the ...

to kill King Charles II (Monmouth's illegitimate father) and the king's brother, Lady Wentworth joined him in exile to

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former Provinces of the Netherlands, province on the western coast of the Netherland ...

and was received by the

Prince of Orange Prince of Orange (or Princess of Orange if the holder is female) is a title originally associated with the sovereign Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France and subsequently held by sovereigns in the Netherlands. The titl ...

as Monmouth's mistress. When Monmouth's uncle James II acceded to the English throne in 1685, the duke launched a

rebellion Rebellion, uprising, or insurrection is a refusal of obedience or order. It refers to the open resistance against the orders of an established authority. A rebellion originates from a sentiment of indignation and disapproval of a situation and ...

that was financed in part by Lady Wentworth's

jewellery Jewellery ( UK) or jewelry ( U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal adornment, such as brooches, rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and cufflinks. Jewellery may be attached to the body or the clothes. From a w ...

. After the short-lived rebellion failed, Monmouth was executed on

Tower Hill Tower Hill is the area surrounding the Tower of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is infamous for the public execution of high status prisoners from the late 14th to the mid 18th century. The execution site on the higher gro ...

but without final

eucharist The Eucharist (; from Greek , , ), also known as Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper, is a Christian rite that is considered a sacrament in most churches, and as an ordinance in others. According to the New Testament, the rite was institu ...

as he refused to acknowledge that his relationship with Lady Wentworth had been sinful.Macaulay, Thomas Babington, ''The History of England from the Accession of James II'', J. B. Lippincott & Co., Philadelphia, 1878, Vol. I, p. 491. A month after the execution, Lady Wentworth returned to

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

. Lady Wentworth died the following April, in 1686, at age 25. She was buried at Toddington church and her mother erected a monument to her in the north

transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform ("cross-shaped") building with ...

. The barony passed to her aunt, Anne Lovelace, 7th Baroness Wentworth.

Notes

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Wentworth *06 Hereditary women peers Female heirs apparent Wentworth, Henrietta Wentworth, 6th Baroness 1660 births 1686 deaths Daughters of barons People from Toddington, Bedfordshire 17th-century English women 17th-century English people

See also

Notes