Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Berkshire
Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Berkshire (8 October 1587 – 16 July 1669) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1605 and 1622. He was created Earl of Berkshire in 1626.
The Earl of Berkshire | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms of Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Berkshire | |
| Born | 8 October 1587 Saffron Walden, Essex |
| Died | 16 July 1669 (aged 81) |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Cecil |
| Children | Charles Howard, 2nd Earl of Berkshire Mary Howard Thomas Howard, 3rd Earl of Berkshire Henry Howard William Howard Robert Howard Elizabeth Howard Philip Howard Frances Howard James Howard Algernon Howard Edward Howard Diana Howard |
| Parent(s) | Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk Catherine Knyvet. |
Life
Howard was born in Saffron Walden, Essex, the second son of Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk and his wife Catherine Knyvet. He was educated at Magdalene College, Cambridge.[1] He was knighted in 1604. In 1605 he was elected Member of Parliament for Lancaster in a by-election. He was elected MP for Wiltshire in 1614. In 1621 he was elected MP for Cricklade. In 1621 he was created Baron Howard of Charlton, Wiltshire and on 7 February 1626, he was created Earl of Berkshire.[2] He inherited the Charlton Park estate in Wiltshire from his mother.
During the English Civil War he was a Royalist, but after the defeat of the Royalist cause Parliament left him in peace. Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon, who despised Berkshire, said that this was because he had no reputation and no understanding of public affairs, and so could do Parliament's cause no harm. After the Restoration of Charles II he was made a Gentleman of the Bedchamber.
Family
Howard married Elizabeth Cecil, daughter and co-heir of William Cecil, 2nd Earl of Exeter in 1614. They had thirteen children:
- Charles Howard, 2nd Earl of Berkshire (1615–1679).
- Mary Howard (1616–1679)
- Thomas Howard, 3rd Earl of Berkshire (1619–1706).
- Henry Howard (playwright)
- William Howard, Grandfather of 11th Earl of Suffolk and 4th of Berkshire
- Sir Robert Howard (1626–1698)
- Elizabeth Howard, married John Dryden
- Colonel Philip Howard (1629–1717)
- Frances Howard, who married Conyers Darcy, 2nd Earl of Holderness
- James Howard
- Algernon Howard
- Edward Howard[3]
- Diana Howard (1636–1713).
References
- "Howard, Thomas (HWRT598T2)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
- Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
- . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.