William Wentworth, 2nd Earl of Strafford (8 June 1626 – 16 October 1695), KG, of Wentworth Woodhouse in Yorkshire, was a prominent landowner.
Memorial to William Wentworth, 2nd Earl of Strafford and one of his two wives. York MinsterInscription on the above monument to William Wentworth, 2nd Earl of Strafford, describing his ancestry and succession
He studied at Trinity College Dublin. When his father was executed for treason in 1641, William left England for several years, mainly for fear of reprisals (although most of his father's enemies bore no ill-will to his widow or children), and lived for a while in France. He is said to have acted as a Royalist agent in Germany and Denmark, in partnership with Henry Coventry, which ended in a bitter quarrel, and a duel.
He led a rather "obscure, undistinguished and uninteresting life",[3] however his 1667 speech in the House of Lords was praiseworthy,[4] protesting against the banishment of Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon, on the grounds that no crime had been proved against him; his attitude is the more creditable since Clarendon had been one of his father's bitterest enemies.[5] He became a member of the Privy Council in 1674, and attended the crucial meeting in 1678 when Titus Oates first revealed his fabricated Popish Plot.[6] During the Exclusion Crisis he supported the future King James II, and made a point of calling on him when James travelled through Yorkshire on his way to Scotland in 1679.
He may be summed up as "rather indolent and lacking in character",[7] but was much loved by his family, especially by his father, whose last letter was to "dearest Will" from "a father that tenderly loves you".[8]
Secondly, he married Henrietta de la Rochefoucauld, a daughter of Frederic Charles de Roye de la Rochefoucauld, Count de Roye.[2] The Dowager Countess was buried at St James, Westminster, London, on 14 November 1732.[12]
Death and legacyEdit
He died in Yorkshire on 16 October 1695, aged 69, and was buried in York Minster.
Having no children nor surviving brothers, the earldom became extinct, but his title of Baron Raby was inherited by his first cousin once-removed Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford (1672-1739), the grandson of a younger brother of the 1st Earl, who became Earl of Strafford in a new creation. His vast estates, however, including Wentworth Woodhouse, passed to his younger nephew Thomas Watson, the third son of his sister Anne Wentworth, who in accordance with the bequest adopted the additional surname of Wentworth.
william, wentworth, earl, strafford, later, earl, strafford, same, name, 1722, 1791, other, people, with, same, name, william, wentworth, june, 1626, october, 1695, wentworth, woodhouse, yorkshire, prominent, landowner, memorial, wives, york, minsterinscriptio. For the later Earl of Strafford of the same name see William Wentworth 2nd Earl of Strafford 1722 1791 For other people with the same name see William Wentworth William Wentworth 2nd Earl of Strafford 8 June 1626 16 October 1695 KG of Wentworth Woodhouse in Yorkshire was a prominent landowner Memorial to William Wentworth 2nd Earl of Strafford and one of his two wives York MinsterInscription on the above monument to William Wentworth 2nd Earl of Strafford describing his ancestry and succession Contents 1 Origins 2 Career 3 Marriages 4 Death and legacy 5 Succession 6 ReferencesOrigins EditHe was born at Wentworth Woodhouse the only surviving son of Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl of Strafford d 1641 by his second wife Arabella Holles a daughter of John Holles 1st Earl of Clare 1 His mother died in childbirth when he was five years old after which his father remarried to Elizabeth Rhodes who was a kindly stepmother to William and his sisters Career EditHe studied at Trinity College Dublin When his father was executed for treason in 1641 William left England for several years mainly for fear of reprisals although most of his father s enemies bore no ill will to his widow or children and lived for a while in France He is said to have acted as a Royalist agent in Germany and Denmark in partnership with Henry Coventry which ended in a bitter quarrel and a duel Strafford Attainder Act 1662Act of Parliament nbsp Parliament of EnglandLong titleAn Act for the reversing the Earle of Strafford his Attainder Citation14 Cha 2 c 29 Ruffhead 13 amp 14 Cha 2 c 29 DatesRoyal assent19 May 1662Commencement7 January 1662Repealed30 July 1948Other legislationRepealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1948Status RepealedText of statute as originally enactedIn 1652 he was allowed to return to England on taking an oath of abjuration In 1662 the bill of attainder against his father was reversed by Parliament and he regained the title of Earl of Strafford and was invested as a Knight of the Garter in 1661 He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1668 but was expelled in 1685 2 He led a rather obscure undistinguished and uninteresting life 3 however his 1667 speech in the House of Lords was praiseworthy 4 protesting against the banishment of Edward Hyde 1st Earl of Clarendon on the grounds that no crime had been proved against him his attitude is the more creditable since Clarendon had been one of his father s bitterest enemies 5 He became a member of the Privy Council in 1674 and attended the crucial meeting in 1678 when Titus Oates first revealed his fabricated Popish Plot 6 During the Exclusion Crisis he supported the future King James II and made a point of calling on him when James travelled through Yorkshire on his way to Scotland in 1679 He may be summed up as rather indolent and lacking in character 7 but was much loved by his family especially by his father whose last letter was to dearest Will from a father that tenderly loves you 8 Marriages EditHe married twice Firstly on 27 February 1654 to Lady Henrietta Mary Stanley a daughter of James Stanley 7th Earl of Derby by his wife Charlotte de La Tremoille d 1685 9 a daughter of Claude de La Tremoille 2nd Duke of Thouars by his wife Countess Charlotte Brabantina of Nassau 2nd daughter of William I Prince of Orange 1533 1584 great grandfather of King William III of England The marriage was childless and Henrietta predeceased him There were riots associated with her funeral why 10 She was buried in York Minster where he erected an impressive monument to her memory which still stands 11 Secondly he married Henrietta de la Rochefoucauld a daughter of Frederic Charles de Roye de la Rochefoucauld Count de Roye 2 The Dowager Countess was buried at St James Westminster London on 14 November 1732 12 Death and legacy EditHe died in Yorkshire on 16 October 1695 aged 69 and was buried in York Minster Strafford County New Hampshire in the United States is named in his honour Succession EditHaving no children nor surviving brothers the earldom became extinct but his title of Baron Raby was inherited by his first cousin once removed Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl of Strafford 1672 1739 the grandson of a younger brother of the 1st Earl who became Earl of Strafford in a new creation His vast estates however including Wentworth Woodhouse passed to his younger nephew Thomas Watson the third son of his sister Anne Wentworth who in accordance with the bequest adopted the additional surname of Wentworth References Edit Burke Extinct Peerages Reprinted 1978 p 576 a b Library and Archive catalogue Royal Society Retrieved 25 February 2012 Wegdwood C V Thomas Wentworth 1st Earl of Strafford 1593 1641 a revaluation Phoenix Press 1961 p 395 Wegdwood C V Wedgwood pp 394 5 Kenyon J P The Popish Plot 2nd Edition Phoenix Press 2000 p 77 Wedgwood p 394 Wedgwood p 384 Burke p 577 Citizens Soldiers and Urban Culture in Restoration England ehr oxfordjournals org Accessed 28 December 2022 Wedgwood p 395 The Register of Burials in the Parish of St James within the Liberty of Westminster 1723 1754 14 November 1732 Peerage of EnglandVacantAttaintedTitle last held byThomas Wentworth Earl of Strafford1st creation1662 1695 ExtinctRe created in 1711 for his kinsman Thomas WentworthPreceded byThomas Wentworth Baron Raby1st creation1662 1695 Succeeded byThomas Wentworth Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Wentworth 2nd Earl of Strafford amp oldid 1168424861, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
