Robert Bertie, 1st Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven PC (20 October 1660 – 26 July 1723), ''styled'' 17th Baron Willoughby de Eresby between 1666 and 1701, and known as 4th Earl of Lindsey between 1701 and 1706, and as 1st Marquess of Lindsey between 1706 and 1715, was a British statesman and nobleman.

Early life

Bertie was the eldest son of Robert Bertie, 3rd Earl of Lindsey and, his second wife, the Hon. Elizabeth Wharton, daughter of

Philip Wharton, 4th Baron Wharton Philip Wharton, 4th Baron Wharton (18 April 1613 – 4 February 1696) was an English soldier, politician and diplomat. He was a Parliamentarian during the English Civil War. Wharton was the son of Sir Thomas Wharton of Aske Hall and his wi ...

. Among his younger brothers were Hon. Peregrine Bertie (the Vice Chamberlain to King

William III William III or William the Third may refer to: Kings * William III of Sicily () * William III of England and Ireland or William III of Orange or William II of Scotland (1650–1702) * William III of the Netherlands and Luxembourg (1817–1890) N ...

and to Queen Anne,

Teller of the Exchequer The Teller of the Receipt of the Exchequer was an office in the English Exchequer. The Tellers of the Exchequer received any money to be paid into the Exchequer, noted the amount in a book, and sent a copy of the entry, called a Teller's Bill, to ...

), Hon. Philip Bertie (Auditor of the

Duchy of Cornwall A duchy, also called a dukedom, is a country, territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess, a ruler hierarchically second to the king or queen in Western European tradition. There once existed an important difference between "sovereign ...

, who married Lady Elizabeth Brabazon, eldest daughter of

William Brabazon, 3rd Earl of Meath William Brabazon, 3rd Earl of Meath (c. 1635 – March 1684), styled Lord Brabazon of Ardee between 1665 and 1675, was an Anglo-Irish peer. Brabazon was the son of Edward Brabazon, 2nd Earl of Meath and Mary Chambré. On 30 October 1665 he was su ...

), Hon. Norris Bertie (a Lt. of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

), and Hon. Albemarle Bertie (MP who also served as Auditor of the Duchy of Cornwall. Among his sisters were Lady Jane Bertie (wife of Maj.-Gen. Edward Mathew, Governor of

Grenada Grenada is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean Sea. The southernmost of the Windward Islands, Grenada is directly south of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and about north of Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad and the So ...

), Lady Caroline Bertie (second wife of Capt. George Dewar). From his father's first marriage to Mary (

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

Massingberd) Berkeley (widow of Hon. George Berkeley and second daughter John Massingberd, Treasurer of the

East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company that was founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to Indian Ocean trade, trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (South A ...

), he had an elder half-sister, Lady Arabella Bertie (second wife

Thomas Savage, 3rd Earl Rivers Major General (United Kingdom), Major General Thomas Savage, 3rd Earl Rivers ( – 14 September 1694) was an English nobleman and soldier. He was the first son of John Savage, 2nd Earl Rivers by his wife Catherine, daughter of William Parke ...

). His paternal grandparents were

Montagu Bertie, 2nd Earl of Lindsey Montagu Bertie, 2nd Earl of Lindsey, KG, PC (1608 – 25 July 1666), was an English soldier, courtier, and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1624 and 1626. He was created Baron Willoughby de Eresby by writ of acceleration in ...

, and the former Martha Cokayne. Among his large extended family were uncles Peregrine,

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 ...

, Vere, and Charles Bertie, and aunts Lady Elizabeth (wife of the 3rd Viscount Campden) and Lady Bridget (wife of the 1st Duke of Leeds). His mother was the only child of

and the former Elizabeth Wandesford (daughter of Sir Rowland Wandesford of Pickhill, an attorney of the

Court of Wards and Liveries The Court of Wards and Liveries was a court established during the reign of Henry VIII in England. Its purpose was to administer a system of feudalism, feudal dues; but as well as the revenue collection, the court was also responsible for wa ...

Career

Lord Willoughby entered Parliament as Member of Parliament for

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

in 1685, and sat in the

Loyal Parliament The Loyal Parliament was the only Parliament of England of King James II, in theory continuing from May 1685 to July 1687, but in practice sitting during 1685 only. It gained its name because at the outset most of its members were loyal to th ...

, from 1685 to 1687, and the Convention Parliament from 1689 to 1690. He was commissioned captain of an independent troop of horse raised to suppress the

Monmouth Rebellion The Monmouth Rebellion in June 1685 was an attempt to depose James II of England, James II, who in February had succeeded his brother Charles II of England, Charles II as king of Kingdom of England, England, Kingdom of Scotland, Scotland and ...

on 20 June 1685. In 1688, Bertie took part in the northern rising led by his kinsman, the Earl of Danby, in favour of William of Orange. He was rewarded with the chancellorship of the

Duchy of Lancaster The Duchy of Lancaster is an estate of the British sovereign. The estate has its origins in the lands held by the medieval Dukes of Lancaster, which came under the direct control of the monarch when Henry Bolingbroke, the then duke of Lancast ...

in 1689, a post which enabled him to secure a seat at Preston at the general election of 1690. In 1690, he was returned for Preston, but was soon forced to leave the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

for the

House of Lords The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the lower house, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. One of the oldest ext ...

after receiving a

writ of acceleration A writ in acceleration, commonly called a writ of acceleration, is a type of writ of summons that enabled the eldest son and heir apparent of a peer with more than one peerage to attend the British or Irish House of Lords, using one of his fathe ...

Baron Willoughby de Eresby Baron Willoughby de Eresby ( ) is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1313 for Robert de Willoughby. Since 1983, the title has been held by Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby. History The ...

. Lord Willougby inherited the earldom of Lindsey on his father's death in 1701, and was invested a

Privy Counsellor The Privy Council, formally His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the sovereign of the United Kingdom. Its members, known as privy counsellors, are mainly senior politicians who are current or former ...

one month later; along with the Earldom of Lindsey, he also inherited the offices of

Lord Great Chamberlain The Lord Great Chamberlain of England is the sixth of the Great Officers of State (United Kingdom), Great Officers of State, ranking beneath the Lord Privy Seal but above the Lord High Constable of England, Lord High Constable. The office of Lo ...

and

Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire The Lord-Lieutenant of Lincolnshire () is the British monarch's personal representative in the county of Lincolnshire. Historically, the lord-lieutenant was responsible for organising the county's militia. In 1871, the lord-lieutenant's responsibi ...

, both of which he would hold until his death and would pass onto his son, the 2nd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven. Lord Lindsey, as he was now styled, was then created Marquess of Lindsey in 1706, and was finally created Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven in 1715, with a special remainder failing the heirs male of his body, to the heirs male of the body of his father, Robert, late

Earl of Lindsey Earl of Lindsey is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1626 for the 14th Baron Willoughby de Eresby. He was First Lord of the Admiralty from 1635 to 1636 and also established his claim in right of his mother to the heredita ...

, by Elizabeth his wife, daughter of Philip, Lord Wharton. Also in 1715, he temporarily served as a Lord Justice. In 1715, he employed Sir

John Vanbrugh Sir John Vanbrugh (; 24 January 1664 (baptised) – 26 March 1726) was an English architect, dramatist and herald, perhaps best known as the designer of Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard. He wrote two argumentative and outspoken Restor ...

to design a baroque front to his house at

Grimsthorpe Grimsthorpe is a hamlet in the South Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. It is situated on the A151 road, and north-west from Bourne. Grimsthorpe falls within the civil parish of Edenham, which is governed by Edenham Grimsthorpe Elsth ...

to celebrate his ennoblement as first

Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven Earl of Lindsey is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1626 for the 14th Baron Willoughby de Eresby. He was First Lord of the Admiralty from 1635 to 1636 and also established his claim in right of his mother to the heredita ...

. This was in addition to the London mansion, Lindsey House, at 59-60

Lincoln's Inn Fields Lincoln's Inn Fields is located in Holborn and is the List of city squares by size, largest public square in London. It was laid out in the 1630s under the initiative of the speculative builder and contractor William Newton, "the first in a ...

, built for the Bertie family in 1640.

Personal life

On 30 July 1678, Lord Willoughby married Mary Wynn (d. 1689), a Welsh heiress and direct descendant of the princely house of

Aberffraw Aberffraw is a village and community (Wales), community on the south west coast of the Isle of Anglesey in Wales. The village is 9 miles from the island's county town, Llangefni, and is on the west bank of the Afon Ffraw (Ffraw River). The com ...

. She was the daughter, and sole heiress, of

Sir Richard Wynn, 4th Baronet Sir Richard Wynn, 4th Baronet (1625–1674) was a Welsh landowner who was Sheriff of Caernarvonshire and twice a member of Parliament for Caernarvonshire (UK Parliament constituency), the same county. Biography Sir Richard succeeded his father S ...

of Gwydyr Estate and the former Sarah Myddelton (daughter of Sir Thomas Myddelton of

Chirk Castle Chirk Castle () is a Grade I listed castle located in Chirk, Wrexham County Borough, Wales, from Chirk railway station, now owned and run by the National Trust. History The castle was built in 1295 by Roger Mortimer de Chirk, uncle of Roge ...

). They had five children, including: * Robert Bertie, Lord Willoughby (1683–1704), who died while studying at the

Wolfenbüttel Ritter-Akademie The Akademie Rudolph-Antoniana was an early modern Ritterakademie sited in Wolfenbüttel in what was then the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg in Germany. It was founded on 18 July 1687 by Rudolph Augustus and Anthony Ulrich, brothers and co-dukes o ...

Peregrine Bertie, 2nd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven Peregrine Bertie, 2nd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven (29 April 16861 January 1742), styled The Honourable Peregrine Bertie between 1686 and 1704, Lord Willoughby de Eresby between 1704 and 1715 and Marquess of Lindsey between 1715 and 1723, wa ...

(1686–1742), who married Jane Brownlow, third daughter of Sir John Brownlow, 3rd Baronet. * Lady Elizabeth Bertie, who died unmarried. * Lady Eleanor Bertie, who died unmarried. * Lady Mary Bertie, who died unmarried. After the death of his first wife in 1689, he married Albinia Farington on 6 July 1705. She was a daughter of Maj.-Gen. William Farington of

Chislehurst Chislehurst () is a suburban district of south-east London, England, in the London Borough of Bromley. It lies east of Bromley, south-west of Sidcup and north-west of Orpington, south-east of Charing Cross. Before the creation of Greater ...

and the former Theodosia Betenson (sister and co-heiress of Sir Edward Betenson, 1st Baronet). Together, they were the parents of: * Lord Vere Bertie (d. 1768), an MP for

who married Ann Casey, illegitimate daughter of Sir Cecil Wray, 11th Baronet, in 1736. * Capt. Lord Montagu Bertie (d. 1753), who married Elizabeth Piers, daughter of

William Piers William Piers may refer to: * William Piers (bishop), vice-chancellor of Oxford University, bishop of Peterborough, and of Bath and Wells * William Piers (constable) William Piers (c. 1510 – 1603) was an English constable, who spent most of ...

, MP in 1758. * Capt. Lord Thomas Bertie (1720–1749) * Lt.-Gen.

Lord Robert Bertie General Lord Robert Bertie (14 November 1721 – 10 March 1782) was a senior British Army officer and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1751 to 1782. Early life Bertie was the fifth son of Robert Bertie, 1st Duke of Ancaster and t ...

(1721–1782), the

Governor of Cork The Governor of Cork was a military officer who commanded the garrison at Cork in Ireland. The office became a sinecure and in 1833 was abolished from the next vacancy. List of governors of Cork Governors *1644: Major Muschamp *1651: Colonel R ...

who married Hon. Mary (née Blundell) Raymond, widow of

Robert Raymond, 2nd Baron Raymond Lord Raymond, Baron of Abbots Langley in the County of Hertford, was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created on 15 January 1731 for Sir Robert Raymond, Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench. The title became extinct on the deat ...

and third daughter of Montague Blundell, 1st Viscount Blundell, in 1762. * Lady Louisa Bertie, who married Thomas Bludworth,

Gentleman of the Horse Gentleman of the Horse was a position in the stables department of the British Royal Court, subordinate only to the Master of the Horse. It existed from 1693 until abolished in 1782, and carried a salary of £256. The post was revived in 1828, ...

to the

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...

and a

Groom of the Bedchamber Groom of the Chamber was a position in the Royal Household, Household of the monarch in early modern Kingdom of England, England. Other ''Ancien Régime'' royal establishments in Europe had comparable officers, often with similar titles. In King ...

, in 1736. Lord Ancaster died in July 1723, aged 62, an established but relatively unheralded statesman. He was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, Peregrine. His widow remarried to James Douglas and died in 1745.

Descendants

Through his son Lord Vere, he was a grandfather of Albinia Bertie (wife of George Hobart, 3rd Earl of Buckinghamshire) and Louisa Bertie (wife of Lt.-Gen. Hon. Sir Charles Stuart,

Governor of Minorca Below is a list of (known) governors of British Minorca from the time of the British occupation in 1708 until the British relinquished control of the island for the last time in 1802. Background It was commonplace for governors to be absent from ...

and fourth son of

John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute (; 25 May 1713 – 10 March 1792), styled Lord Mount Stuart between 1713 and 1723, was a British Tory statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1762 to 1763 under George III. He became the ...

). Through his son Lord Montagu, he was a grandfather of Augusta Bertie, who married John Fane, 9th Earl of Westmorland.

References

External links

BERTIE, Robert, Lord Willoughby de Eresby (1660-1723).
at the

History of Parliament Online The History of Parliament is a project to write a complete history of the United Kingdom Parliament and its predecessors, the Parliament of Great Britain and the Parliament of England. The history will principally consist of a prosopography, in w ...

ANCASTER AND KESTEVEN, DUKE OF
, - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Ancaster and Kesteven, Robert Bertie, 1st Duke of 1660 births 1723 deaths *17

101 101 may refer to: *101 (number), the number * AD 101, a year in the 2nd century AD * 101 BC, a year in the 2nd century BC It may also refer to: Entertainment * ''101'' (album), a live album and documentary by Depeche Mode * "101" (song), a 19 ...

Chancellors of the Duchy of Lancaster Lord Great Chamberlains Lord-lieutenants of Lincolnshire Members of the Privy Council of England

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, prais ...

English MPs 1685–1687 English MPs 1689–1690 English MPs 1690–1695 English army officers