Louisa Petty, Marchioness of Lansdowne (; later Petty Fitzmaurice; 1755 – 7 August 1789), known as the Countess of Shelburne from 1779–84, was an Anglo-Irish aristocrat from the Mac Giolla Phádraig dynasty. She was the wife of

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne William Petty Fitzmaurice, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne (2 May 17377 May 1805), known as the Earl of Shelburne between 1761 and 1784, by which title he is generally known to history, was an Anglo-Irish Whig (British political party), Whig states ...

Biography

The Marchioness was the youngest daughter of

John FitzPatrick, 1st Earl of Upper Ossory John FitzPatrick, 1st Earl of Upper Ossory (1719 – 23 September 1758), styled Lord Gowran from 1727–51, was an Anglo-Irish nobleman and politician from County Cork, Ireland. Biography Fitzpatrick was the son of Richard FitzPatrick, 1st ...

, and his wife, Lady Evelyn (''née'' Leveson-Gower; daughter of

John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower, PC (10 August 1694 – 25 December 1754) was a British Tory politician who served as Lord Privy Seal from 1742 to 1743 and again from 1744 to 1754. Leveson-Gower also served in the Parliament of Great Brita ...

). Her eldest brother was

John FitzPatrick, 2nd Earl of Upper Ossory John FitzPatrick, 2nd Earl of Upper Ossory FRS DL ( – 13 February 1818), styled Lord Gowran from 1751–8, was an Anglo-Irish peer, soldier, and member of parliament. Early life Hon. John FitzPatrick was born in 1745 at his family's home ...

. She had a younger brother

Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic language">Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'st ...

, who also became a noted statesman and soldier, and an elder sister,

Lady Mary Fox Lady Mary Fox (née FitzClarence; 19 December 1798 – 13 July 1864) was an illegitimate daughter of King William IV of the United Kingdom by his mistress Dorothea Jordan. In later life she became a writer. Marriage Mary FitzClarence ...

(Baroness Holland), the subject of paintings by

Thomas Gainsborough Thomas Gainsborough (; 14 May 1727 (baptised) – 2 August 1788) was an English portrait and landscape painter, draughtsman, and printmaker. Along with his rival Sir Joshua Reynolds, he is considered one of the most important British artists o ...

, Sir

Joshua Reynolds Sir Joshua Reynolds (16 July 1723 – 23 February 1792) was an English painter who specialised in portraits. The art critic John Russell (art critic), John Russell called him one of the major European painters of the 18th century, while Lucy P ...

, and

Pompeo Batoni Pompeo Girolamo Batoni (25 January 1708 – 4 February 1787) was an Italian painter who displayed a solid technical knowledge in his portrait work and in his numerous Allegory, allegorical and mythological pictures. The high number of foreign vis ...

. She married, as his second wife,

, who served as

for 10 months in 1782–83, and was afterwards created

Marquess of Lansdowne Marquess of Lansdowne is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain created in 1784, and held by the head of the Petty-Fitzmaurice family. The first Marquess served as Prime Minister of Great Britain. Origins This branch of the Fitzmaurice family ...

. The couple were married on 8 July 1779 * Lady Louisa Fitzmaurice Petty, died young * Lord Henry Petty (1780–1863), who succeeded his elder half-brother as 3rd Marquess She died on 7 August 1789.

References

* 1755 births 1789 deaths 18th-century Irish nobility 18th-century Irish women FitzPatrick dynasty Spouses of prime ministers of Great Britain British marchionesses Daughters of Irish earls Wives of knights William Petty, 2nd Earl of Shelburne {{UK-noble-stub