Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond
Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond KG (born July 29, 1672 in London , † May 27, 1723 in Goodwood ), was an illegitimate son of King Charles II of England.
Life
Charles was the son of King Charles II of England and his mistress Louise de Kérouaille , Duchess of Portsmouth. At the age of three he was raised to Duke of Richmond in the Peerage of England in 1675 and a month later in the Peerage of Scotland to Duke of Lennox . In addition, his father guaranteed him £ 2,000 a year plus income from coal mining in Newcastle . He was described as a very handsome boy and was considered his father's favorite.
After Charles II's death he went to France with his mother. Louis XIV allowed him to use his mother's title and made him the French duc d'Aubigny. He converted to the Roman Catholic faith here in 1685. Dissatisfied with his position at the French court, he returned seven years later to England and also to the Church of England .
Initially partisan of the Jacobites , he later sided with King Wilhelm III. Master of a lodge in Chichester , he is one of the few high nobles known as Freemasons in the 17th century . Among other things, he held the office of Lord High Admiral of Scotland and Lord of the Bedchamber of King George I.
progeny
Despite the rejection of the royal couple, in 1693 he married Lady Anne Belasyse (around 1662-1722), daughter of Francis Brudenell, Lord Brudenell, and widow of Henry Belasyse, 2nd Baron Belasyse . He had three children with her:
- Lady Louisa Lennox (1694-1716), ⚭ 1711 James Berkeley, 3rd Earl of Berkeley ;
- Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond (1701-1750);
- Lady Anne Lennox (1703–1789), ⚭ 1722 Willem van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle .
He also had an illegitimate daughter with his mistress Jacqueline de Mézières:
- Renée Lennox (1709–1774), mistress of Charles Beauclerk, 2nd Duke of St. Albans .
Web links
- Charles Lennox, 1st Duke of Richmond on thepeerage.com
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| New title created |
Duke of Richmond 1675-1723 |
Charles Lennox |
| New title created |
Duke of Lennox 1675-1723 |
Charles Lennox |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Lennox, Charles, 1st Duke of Richmond |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Richmond, Charles Lennox 1st Duke of; Lennox, Charles Lennox 1st Duke of |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | illegitimate son of King Charles II, Lord High Admiral of Scotland |
| DATE OF BIRTH | July 29, 1672 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | London |
| DATE OF DEATH | May 27, 1723 |
| Place of death | Goodwood House |