Margaret Jones, Countess of Ranelagh (née Cecil; 1672/1673 – 21 February 1728) was an English courtier. She is one of the

Hampton Court Beauties The Hampton Court Beauties are a series of eight portraits by Sir Godfrey Kneller, commissioned by Queen Mary II, depicting the most glamorous ladies from her court. They adorn the state rooms of King William III of England, William III at Hampt ...

painted by Sir

Godfrey Kneller Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1st Baronet (born Gottfried Kniller; 8 August 1646 – 19 October 1723) was a German-born British painter. The leading Portrait painting, portraitist in England during the late Stuart period, Stuart and early Georgian eras ...

for Queen

Mary II Mary II (30 April 1662 – 28 December 1694) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England, List of Scottish monarchs, Scotland, and Monarchy of Ireland, Ireland with her husband, King William III and II, from 1689 until her death in 1694. Sh ...

Family

Lady Margaret was the daughter of James Cecil, 3rd Earl of Salisbury and his wife

Margaret Margaret is a feminine given name, which means "pearl". It is of Latin origin, via Ancient Greek and ultimately from Iranian languages, Old Iranian. It has been an English language, English name since the 11th century, and remained popular thro ...

, a daughter of the Earl of Rutland. She first married John Stawell, 2nd

Baron Stawell Baron Stawell was a title that was created twice in British history. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1683 when Colonel Ralph Stawell was made Baron Stawell, of Somerton in the County of Somerset. The title became extinct on ...

; he died in 1692 leaving considerable debts and a daughter Anne, who married John Baber, esq. of Sunning Hill Park, Berkshire. Margaret subsequently married

Richard Jones, 1st Earl of Ranelagh Richard Jones, 1st Earl of Ranelagh (8 February 1641 – 5 January 1712), known as The Viscount Ranelagh between 1669 and 1677, was an Irish peer, politician both in the Parliaments of England and Ireland. Background He was born in Ireland th ...

(d. 1712) on 9 January 1696, who was expelled from the House of Commons for

embezzlement Embezzlement (from Anglo-Norman, from Old French ''besillier'' ("to torment, etc."), of unknown origin) is a type of financial crime, usually involving theft of money from a business or employer. It often involves a trusted individual taking ...

in 1703. She was his second wife and they had no children.

References

External links

"Margaret Cecil, Countess of Ranelagh (1672-1728)"
Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1690 1670s births 1728 deaths Irish countesses by marriage Daughters of English earls Date of birth unknown Place of birth missing Place of death missing

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