Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Berkshire

The Earl of Berkshire
The Earl of Berkshire
Born	8 October 1587; Saffron Walden, Essex
Died	16 July 1669 (aged 81)
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Cecil
Children	Charles Howard, 2nd Earl of Berkshire ; Mary Howard ; Thomas Howard, 3rd Earl of Berkshire ; Henry Howard ; William Howard ; Robert Howard ; Elizabeth Howard ; Philip Howard ; Frances Howard ; James Howard ; Algernon Howard ; Edward Howard ; Diana Howard
Parent(s)	Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk ; Catherine Knyvet.

Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Berkshire (8 October 1587 – 16 July 1669) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1605 and 1622. He was created Earl of Berkshire in 1626.

Life

Charlton Park, Malmesbury, Wiltshire

Howard was born in Saffron Walden, Essex, the second son of Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk and his wife Catherine Knyvet. He was educated at Magdalene College, Cambridge.[1] He was knighted in 1604. In 1605 he was elected Member of Parliament for Lancaster in a by-election. He was elected MP for Wiltshire in 1614. In 1621 he was elected MP for Cricklade. In 1621 he was created Baron Howard of Charlton, Wiltshire and on 7 February 1626 he was created Earl of Berkshire.[2] He inherited the Charlton Park estate in Wiltshire from his mother.

During the English Civil War he was a Royalist, but after the defeat of the Royalist cause Parliament left him in peace. Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon, who despised Berkshire, said that this was because he had no reputation and no understanding of public affairs, and so could do Parliament's cause no harm. After the Restoration of Charles II he was made a Gentleman of the Bedchamber.

Family

Howard married Elizabeth Cecil, daughter and co-heir of William Cecil, 2nd Earl of Exeter in 1614. They had thirteen children:

Charles Howard, 2nd Earl of Berkshire (1615–1679).
Mary Howard (1616–1679)
Thomas Howard, 3rd Earl of Berkshire (1619–1706).
Henry Howard (playwright)
William Howard
Sir Robert Howard (1626–1698)
Elizabeth Howard, married John Dryden
Colonel Philip Howard (1629–1717)
Frances Howard, who married Conyers Darcy, 2nd Earl of Holderness
James Howard
Algernon Howard
Edward Howard[3]
Diana Howard (1636–1713).

References

"Howard, Thomas (HWRT598T2)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Berkshire, Thomas Howard" . Encyclopædia Britannica. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
"Howard, Edward (fl.1669)" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.

Parliament of England
Preceded by Sir Thomas Hesketh Thomas Fanshawe	Member of Parliament for Lancaster 1605–1611 With: Thomas Fanshawe	Succeeded by Thomas Fanshawe William Fanshawe
Preceded by Sir Francis Popham John Thynne	Member of Parliament for Wiltshire 1614 With: Sir Henry Poole	Succeeded by Sir Francis Seymour Sir Edward Bayntun
Preceded by Sir Thomas Monson Sir John Eyre	Member of Parliament for Cricklade 1621–1622 With: Sir Carew Reynell	Succeeded by Sir William Howard Sir Neville Poole
Political offices
Preceded by The Earl of Banbury	Lord Lieutenant of Oxfordshire 1628–1646 With: The Earl of Banbury 1628–1632	English Interregnum
Preceded by The Earl of Banbury	Custos Rotulorum of Oxfordshire 1628 – 1646, 1660	Succeeded by The Viscount Falkland
Honorary titles
English Interregnum	Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex 1660–1662 With: The Earl of Dorset	Succeeded by The Duke of Albemarle
Peerage of England
New creation	Earl of Berkshire 1626–1669	Succeeded by Charles Howard
	Baron Howard of Charlton (descended by acceleration) 1621–1640
	Viscount Andover 1622–1640

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[1] "Howard, Thomas (HWRT598T2)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.

[2] Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Berkshire, Thomas Howard" . Encyclopædia Britannica. 3 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

[3] "Howard, Edward (fl.1669)" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900.