Rachel Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (née Russell; 1674–1725) was a British noblewoman and the wife of

William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire (1672 – 4 June 1729) was a British nobleman and politician. He was the eldest son of William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire and Lady Mary Butler. A prominent Whig, he was sworn of the Privy Cou ...

Biography

Rachel Russell was born in 1674, the daughter of

William Russell, Lord Russell William Russell, Lord Russell (29 September 163921 July 1683) was an English Country Party politician and nobleman. He was a leading member of the Country Party, forerunners of the Whigs, who during the reign of Charles II of England laid th ...

and his wife

Rachel Rachel () was a Bible, Biblical figure, the favorite of Jacob's two wives, and the mother of Joseph (Genesis), Joseph and Benjamin, two of the twelve progenitors of the tribes of Israel. Rachel's father was Laban (Bible), Laban. Her older siste ...

(née Wriothesley). In 1683, Russell's father was executed for treason for his alleged role in the

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 r ...

. In 1688, Russell married

William Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington William John Robert Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington (10 December 1917 – 9 September 1944) was a British politician and British Army officer. He was the elder son of Edward Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire, and therefore the heir to the du ...

, heir apparent to the Dukedom of Devonshire. Under her courtesy title Marchioness of Hartington, Cavendish was made a

Lady of the Bedchamber Lady of the Bedchamber is the title of a lady-in-waiting holding the official position of personal attendant on a British queen regnant or queen consort. The position is traditionally held by the wife of a peer. A lady of the bedchamber would gi ...

to Queen Anne in 1702. She died in 1725. The Duke and Duchess of Devonshire had ten children: # Lady Mary Cavendish (18 August 1696 – 15 June 1719) #

William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire, (26 September 1698 – 5 December 1755) was a British nobleman and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1721 to 1729 when he inherited the Dukedom. Life Cavendish was the son of Wi ...

(26 September 1698 – 5 December 1755) #Lady Rachel Cavendish (4 October 1699 – 18 June 1780) married Sir William Morgan on 14 May 1723 #Lady Elizabeth Cavendish (27 September 1700 – 7 November 1747) married Sir Thomas Lowther, 2nd Baronet # Lord James Cavendish (23 November 1701 – 14 December 1741) #

Lord Charles Cavendish Lord Charles Cavendish FRS (17 March 1704 – 28 April 1783) was a British nobleman, Whig politician, and scientist. Cavendish was the youngest son of William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire, and Rachel Russell. On 9 January 1727, Lord C ...

(17 March 1704 – 28 April 1783) married Anne Grey on 9 January 1727, father of

Henry Cavendish Henry Cavendish ( ; 10 October 1731 – 24 February 1810) was an English experimental and theoretical chemist and physicist. He is noted for his discovery of hydrogen, which he termed "inflammable air". He described the density of inflammable a ...

# Lady Anne Cavendish (died 23 August 1780 aged 70) # Lady Katherine Cavendish (died 12 September 1715 aged 9) # Lord John Cavendish (died 11 May 1720 aged 12) # Lady Diana Cavendish (died 12 February 1722)

References

{{UK-noble-stub

English duchesses by marriage 1674 births 1725 deaths