Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland
Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland, 1st Duke of Southampton , KG (born Charles Palmer, Lord Limerick , born June 18, 1662 in London , † September 9, 1730 in London) was an illegitimate son of King Charles II of Scotland, England and Ireland and Barbara Villiers .
At his birth he was considered the son of his mother's husband, Roger Palmer, 1st Earl of Castlemaine (1634-1705), and received his family name Palmer and as his marriage apparently the courtesy title of Lord Limerick . After he was born, his mother separated from her husband. Lord Castlemaine had him baptized a Roman Catholic like himself . Six days later the King had him re-baptized according to the rite of the Church of England .
After his mother was raised to the Duchess of Cleveland in 1670 , he carried the courtesy title of Earl of Southampton as her designated heir . In addition, he was now recognized as the illegitimate son of the king and henceforth used the family name FitzRoy . In 1673 his father took him on as a Knight Companion in the Order of the Garter and in 1675 he made him Duke of Southampton , Earl of Chichester and Baron Newbury . He began in 1675 to study at Christ Church College of Oxford University and graduated in 1678 as a Master of Arts from. When his mother died, he inherited her titles as 2nd Duke of Cleveland , 2nd Earl of Southampton and 2nd Baron Nonsuch . In 1716 he was given the court office of Chief Butler of England .
Marriages and offspring
In 1670, at the age of eight, he was engaged to be married to Mary Wood, the only child of Sir Henry Wood, 1st Baronet (1597–1671), with the condition that the marriage would wait until his sixteenth birthday. After the death of her father, Mary was kidnapped by the Duchess of Cleveland. The wedding with Mary Wood took place in 1679. But she died of smallpox a few months later .
In 1694 he married Anne Pulteney, the daughter of Sir William Poultney, lord of Misterton in Leicestershire , and had six children with her:
- Lady Grace FitzRoy (1697–1763), ⚭ 1725 Henry Vane, 1st Earl of Darlington ;
- William FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Cleveland , 2nd Duke of Southampton (1698-1774);
- Lord Charles FitzRoy (1698-1723);
- Lord Henry FitzRoy (1701-1709);
- Lady Anne FitzRoy (* 1702), ⚭ Francis Paddy, Esq .;
- Lady Barbara FitzRoy, died unmarried.
He died on September 9, 1730 and was buried in Westminster Abbey . His eldest son William inherited his title of nobility. Since he remained childless, all titles expired with his death in 1774.
Literature and web links
- James McMullen Rigg: Fitzroy Charles (1662-1730) . In: Leslie Stephen (Ed.): Dictionary of National Biography . Volume 19, Smith, Elder & Co., London 1889, p. 201.
- Charles Fitzroy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland on thepeerage.com
Individual evidence
- ^ Thomas Christopher Banks: The Dormant and Extinct Baronage of England. Supplement, 1826, p. 442.
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Barbara Palmer |
Duke of Cleveland 1709-1730 |
William FitzRoy |
| New title created |
Duke of Southampton 1670-1730 |
William FitzRoy |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | FitzRoy, Charles, 2nd Duke of Cleveland |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Palmer, Charles, Lord Limerick; FitzRoy, Charles, 1st Duke of Southampton; FitzRoy, Charles, Earl of Southampton |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | illegitimate son of King Charles II. |
| DATE OF BIRTH | June 18, 1662 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | London |
| DATE OF DEATH | September 9, 1730 |
| Place of death | London |