Earl of Warwick

Earl of Warwick [ˈwɒɹɪk] is a hereditary British title of nobility , bestowed four times, and is one of the most prestigious titles in Great Britain.

First award (1088)

The earliest dignity was established in the Peerage of England in the second half of 1088 for Henry de Beaumont , younger son of Roger de Beaumont and brother of Robert de Beaumont, 1st Earl of Leicester . The title and the corresponding fiefdom were hereditary in the female line. Earl dignity was traditionally associated with Warwick Castle , and when the 11th Earl restricted the castle's inalienable inheritance to his male descendants, he probably intended the same thing with earl dignity itself. The 14th Earl became Duke on April 14, 1445 of Warwick . Since he had no sons, the dukedom was extinguished on his death on June 11, 1446, while the earldom fell to his daughter Anne Beauchamp as the 15th countess. Edward of York, 17th Earl of Warwick , was executed for high treason in 1499 and formally stripped of his title by a parliamentary resolution ( Bill of Attainder ) in January 1504.

Second award (1547)

The second bestowal of the title was created on February 16, 1547 in the Peerage of England for the powerful politician and military officer John Dudley, 1st Viscount Lisle . This had already been raised to Viscount Lisle on March 12, 1543 . On October 11, 1551, he was finally awarded the title Duke of Northumberland . His execution for treason on August 22, 1553 left the Viscountcy and the Dukedom forfeited, but not the Earldom of Warwick, so that Dudley's eldest son John and then his brother Ambrose could succeed. With his death, the title expired on February 21, 1590.

Third award (1618)

The third bestowal of the title was on August 6, 1618 in the Peerage of England to Robert Rich, 3rd Baron Rich , although this was not in the possession of Warwick Castle. In 1581 he had inherited the title of Baron Rich , of Leez, from his father , which had been bestowed on his grandfather, the lawyer and politician Sir Richard Rich , in the Peerage of England in 1547 . His second son, the Hon. Henry Rich , was promoted to Baron Kensington in 1623 and Earl of Holland in 1624 . The sons of the 2nd Earl of Warwick, the 3rd and 4th Earl, died without offspring, whereby their cousin Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Holland , united the titles of 5th Earl of Warwick in 1673. With the childless death of his grandson, the 7th Earl of Warwick, the titles fell to his second cousin as the 8th Earl of Warwick in 1721 and finally expired on his death on September 7, 1759.

Fourth award (1759)

After the death of the last earl's third award, the title was newly created on November 30, 1759 in the Peerage of Great Britain for Francis Greville, 1st Earl Brooke . He had already inherited the title of Baron Brooke and was elevated to Earl Brooke , of Warwick Castle, on July 7, 1746 in the Peerage of Great Britain . The earliest dignity and Warwick Castle were now reunited in one hand. Today's title holder has been his descendant Guy Greville, 9th Earl of Warwick , since 1996 .