Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester (1 December 1595 – 2 November 1677) was an English diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1614 and 1625 and then succeeded to the peerage as Earl of Leicester.
Sidney served in the army in the Netherlands during his father's governorship of Flushing, and was given command of an English regiment in the Dutch service in 1616. In 1618 he became a member of Gray's Inn.
In 1620 he had a disagreement with James Hay, Viscount Doncaster, who was his brother-in-law, having married Lucy Percy. He wrote that Hay seemed cold to him, despite their wives being friendly. They argued at Petworth, Sidney struggled with Hay's servants and left his hat behind. Other guests made him feel at fault for arguing with a privy councillor.[3]
He was elected one of the two knights of the shire for Kent in 1621. In 1624 he was elected as the member for Monmouthshire and was re-elected for that county in 1625. In 1626, he succeeded his father as Earl of Leicester[2] In 1631, he began the construction of Leicester House, a huge mansion on the site of what is now Leicester Square in London. He was employed on a diplomatic mission to Denmark–Norway in 1632 and undertook further diplomatic work in France from 1636 to 1641.
Philip and Algernon supported the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War.
References
^Arthur Collins, Letters and Memorials of State, vol. 1 (London, 1746), pp. 120–1, 370–1.
^ abcdW R Williams Parliamentary History of the Principality of Wales
^Arthur Collins, Letters and Memorials of State, vol. 1 (London, 1746), pp. 121–7.
^Arthur Collins, Letters and Memorials of State, vol. 1 (London, 1746), pp. 121.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Leicester, Robert Sidney, Earl of". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 392.
Further reading
Michael G. Brennan (2005). The Sidneys of Penshurst and the monarchy, 1500–1700, Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. ISBN0-7546-5060-X, 9780754650607. pp. 140–149
robert, sidney, earl, leicester, december, 1595, november, 1677, english, diplomat, politician, house, commons, between, 1614, 1625, then, succeeded, peerage, earl, leicester, earl, leicesterpersonal, detailsborn1, december, 1595died2, november, 1677, 1677, ag. Robert Sidney 2nd Earl of Leicester 1 December 1595 2 November 1677 was an English diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1614 and 1625 and then succeeded to the peerage as Earl of Leicester The Earl of LeicesterPersonal detailsBorn1 December 1595Died2 November 1677 1677 11 02 aged 81 PenshurstSpouseLady Dorothy Percy m 1615 died 1659 wbr ChildrenDorothy Spencer Countess of Sunderland Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester Algernon Sidney Henry Sydney 1st Earl of Romney Robert Sidney Lady Lucy PelhamParent s Robert Sidney 1st Earl of LeicesterBarbara GamageAlma materChrist Church Oxford Contents 1 Life 2 Family 3 References 4 Further readingLife EditSidney was born at Baynard s Castle in London 1 the son of Robert Sidney 1st Earl of Leicester and his first wife Barbara Gamage 2 He was educated at Christ Church Oxford In 1610 he was created Knight of the Bath when Prince Henry was created Prince of Wales He was elected Member of Parliament for Wilton in 1614 2 Sidney served in the army in the Netherlands during his father s governorship of Flushing and was given command of an English regiment in the Dutch service in 1616 In 1618 he became a member of Gray s Inn In 1620 he had a disagreement with James Hay Viscount Doncaster who was his brother in law having married Lucy Percy He wrote that Hay seemed cold to him despite their wives being friendly They argued at Petworth Sidney struggled with Hay s servants and left his hat behind Other guests made him feel at fault for arguing with a privy councillor 3 He was elected one of the two knights of the shire for Kent in 1621 In 1624 he was elected as the member for Monmouthshire and was re elected for that county in 1625 In 1626 he succeeded his father as Earl of Leicester 2 In 1631 he began the construction of Leicester House a huge mansion on the site of what is now Leicester Square in London He was employed on a diplomatic mission to Denmark Norway in 1632 and undertook further diplomatic work in France from 1636 to 1641 Lord Leicester was then appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in place of The Earl of Strafford When the governorship of Dublin became vacant Leicester appointed George Monck Charles I however overruled the appointment in favour of Lord Lambart In 1643 he resigned without having set foot in Ireland Lord Leicester died at Penshurst at the age of nearly 81 He was esteemed of great learning observation and veracity 2 Family EditIn 1615 Sidney married Lady Dorothy Percy the daughter of Henry Percy 9th Earl of Northumberland and Dorothy Devereux who was a daughter of Robert Devereux 2nd Earl of Essex 4 They had twelve children including Lady Dorothy 1617 1683 married firstly Henry Spencer 1st Earl of Sunderland died 1643 and secondly Sir Robert Smith or Smythe Philip 1619 1697 the 3rd Earl married Lady Catherine Cecil daughter of William Cecil 2nd Earl of Salisbury Henry Sidney 1st Earl of Romney 1641 1704 died unmarried and without issue Algernon 1622 3 1683 executed for his share in the Rye House Plot died unmarried and without issue Robert died young Lady Lucy d 1685 married Sir John Pelham 3rd Baronet Philip and Algernon supported the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War References Edit Arthur Collins Letters and Memorials of State vol 1 London 1746 pp 120 1 370 1 a b c d W R Williams Parliamentary History of the Principality of Wales Arthur Collins Letters and Memorials of State vol 1 London 1746 pp 121 7 Arthur Collins Letters and Memorials of State vol 1 London 1746 pp 121 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Leicester Robert Sidney Earl of Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 16 11th ed Cambridge University Press p 392 Further reading EditMichael G Brennan 2005 The Sidneys of Penshurst and the monarchy 1500 1700 Ashgate Publishing Ltd ISBN 0 7546 5060 X 9780754650607 pp 140 149Parliament of EnglandPreceded bySir Thomas EdmondesHugh Sandford Member of Parliament for Wilton1614 With Thomas Morgan Succeeded byHenry Nevill 9th Baron BergavennySir Thomas TracyPreceded bySir Peter ManwoodSir Thomas Walsingham Member of Parliament for Kent1621 With Sir George Fane Succeeded byNicholas TuftonSir Edwin SandysPreceded bySir Edmund MorganCharles Williams Member of Parliament for Monmouthshire1624 1625 With Sir William Morgan Succeeded byNicholas ArnoldWilliam HerbertPolitical officesPreceded byThe Earl of Strafford Lord Lieutenant of Ireland1640 1641 Succeeded byThe Marquess of OrmondeHonorary titlesPreceded byThe Earl of Pembroke Custos Rotulorum of Kent1642 1646 VacantInterregnumPeerage of EnglandPreceded byRobert Sidney Earl of Leicester1626 1677 Succeeded byPhilip Sidney Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Robert Sidney 2nd Earl of Leicester amp oldid 1121663596, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
