Duke of Grafton

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Coat of arms of the Dukes of Grafton: British royal coat of arms with bastard thread

Duke of Grafton is a hereditary British title of nobility in the Peerage of England , which since 1675 to today in the family FitzRoy (from fils du Roy King's = son) is inherited, which to the " bastard lines " of the Scottish and later British royalty Stuart counts .

The name of the title refers to the Honor of Grafton in the south-east of Northamptonshire , whose capital is now called Grafton Regis .

The Dukes' family home is Euston Hall in Euston , Suffolk .

Award

Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton
Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton
Hugh FitzRoy, 11th Duke of Grafton outside Euston Hall
Henry FitzRoy, 12th Duke of Grafton

The title was created on September 11, 1675 by the English King Charles II for his illegitimate son Henry FitzRoy , whom he had with his mistress Barbara Villiers, 1st Duchess of Cleveland . He was killed in the siege and conquest of the Irish city of Cork on October 9, 1690.

The best-known holder of the title is Augustus Henry FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton , Prime Minister between 1767 and 1770 , but many Dukes and other members of this family held various political offices, while others served in the military.

The Scott ( Dukes of Buccleuch and Queensberry ), Beauclerk ( Dukes of St. Albans ) and Lennox ( Dukes of Richmond and Gordon ) families also descended from the illegitimate sons of Charles II , as well as James II , the brother and successor of Charles II ., the Catholic Fitz-James (Dukes of Berwick, Dukes of Alba, etc.)

Subordinate title

The Duke of Grafton carries the three subordinate titles Earl of Euston , Viscount Ipswich and Baron Sudbury which the 1st Duke had already been awarded on August 16, 1672 in the Peerage of England. The eldest son of the respective duke carries the courtesy title Earl of Euston as heir apparent , the eldest son that of a Viscount Ipswich .

Other titles

The second Duke inherited the titles of 3rd Earl of Arlington , 3rd Viscount Thetford and 3rd Baron Arlington from his mother . These also belong to the Peerage of England and are all inheritable in the female line. When the ninth duke died, they did not pass on to the tenth bearer of the title, but rather rested, since the ninth duke had two sisters ( fell into abeyance ). The dormant barony has since been lifted in favor of a granddaughter, while the other two titles are still dormant.

List of the Dukes of Grafton (1675)

Heir apparent is the son of the 12th Duke, Alfred James Charles FitzRoy, Earl of Euston (* 2012).

literature

  • Bernard Falk: The Royal Fitz Roys; Dukes of Grafton through Four Centuries . Hutchinson, 1950.

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