Algernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland
Encyclopedia
Algernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland, 4th Baron Percy, KG
(29 September 1602 – 13 October 1668) was an English
military leader and a prominent supporter of constitutional monarchy
.
, 9th Earl of Northumberland
, the so-called 'Wizard Earl.' His mother was Dorothy Percy née Devereux, Countess of Northumberland
, daughter of Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex
and sister of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
, one of Elizabeth I
's favourite
s who was executed for treason in 1601. In 1605, the 9th Earl was accused of either participation or complicity in the Gunpowder Plot
, and as a result, he was imprisoned in the Tower of London
until 1621. The 9th Earl exerted influence on young Algernon's education in spite of his imprisonment, and Algernon frequently stayed with the 9th Earl in the Tower for 4 or 5 days at a time. On the model of King James I
's Basilikon Doron
, the 9th Earl wrote an essay of advice to his son in 1609.
His sister, Lucy Hay née Percy
, dowager countess of Carlisle
, and his younger brother, Henry Percy, were members of the household of Charles I
's queen, Henrietta Maria
. Another sister, Dorothy
, was married to Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester
.
, and in 1616 he was admitted to the Middle Temple
in London
. He received his MA in 1616 and was made a Knight of the Bath, meaning he was now Sir Algernon Percy.
In 1618, Algernon and his tutor, Edward Douse, began a six-year tour of continental Europe, visiting the Netherlands
, Italy
, and France
. Algernon returned to England in 1624 and joined his father, recently released from the Tower, at court.
for Sussex
during the "Happy Parliament" of 1624-25 and as MP for Chichester
during the "Useless Parliament" of 1625-26.
In March 1626, Algernon was summoned
to the House of Lords
, assuming his father's barony and becoming known as "Lord Percy." In November 1626, he was appointed joint Lord Lieutenant
of Cumberland
, Westmorland
, and Northumberland
. Percy became a leader in the House of Lords of the faction opposed to Charles I
's favourite, George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
.
, "in spite of his father's deep disapproval, who said that 'the blood of a Percy would not mix with the blood of a Cecil if you poured it on a dish" (Percy family history). (The 9th Earl blamed the 1st Earl of Salisbury
for his imprisonment in the Tower
.) The marriage, however, produced five daughters, including Anne (d.1654), who married Philip Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Chesterfield
, no issue, and Elizabeth
(1636-1718), who married Arthur Capell, 1st Earl of Essex
.
Upon the death of the 9th Earl in 1632, Algernon Percy became the 10th Earl of Northumberland.
in 1635. By 1636-37, he was in good enough standing at court to be appointed admiral
of the ship money
fleet. Northumberland attempted to initiate naval reforms, often bypassing the lords of the admiralty
and submitting his proposals directly to Charles I and the Privy Council. Although most historians would not consider Northumberland a Puritan
, he did enforce the Oath of Supremacy
on his fleet and removed three Catholic officers who refused to take the oath.
Northumberland's first expedition as admiral in 1636 was to force Dutch
ships fishing in waters claimed by England to purchase English fishing licenses, in exchange for which the English fleet would offer protection from the Dunkirkers
. If Dutch sea captains refused to purchase the licenses, their nets were cut.
Northumberland was less enthusiastic about his second expedition as admiral, which was to transport Spanish money to the Netherlands in 1637. Northumberland's political faction was strongly pro-French and anti-Spanish, so he rankled at the thought of aiding the Spaniards.
and Archbishop of Canterbury
William Laud
- used their influence at court to have Northumberland made Lord High Admiral of England
, a position which had been vacant since the assassination of the 1st Duke of Buckingham in 1628. At the time he was appointed, it was understood that Charles I's son James
would become Lord High Admiral upon attaining his majority, although the Civil Wars occurred before this could happen and Charles removed Northumberland from the post in 1642.
in Scotland in 1637, Charles I appointed an eight-man subcommittee of the Privy Council to deal with the issue. Northumberland's patron, Thomas Wentworth, favoured war with Scotland, while Northumberland did not want to go to war, and feared that his estates in northern England would be occupied during the hostilities. As such, when Wentworth had Northumberland appointed general of the English forces during the second of the Bishops' Wars
in January 1640, Northumberland was happy to let illness prevent him from joining the army in the field, and Northumberland was entirely defeatist about the prospect of defeating the Covenanters militarily. In May 1640, Northumberland was one of only two members of a subcommittee of the Privy Council who opposed the dissolution of the Short Parliament
, a move that confirmed his break with Wentworth (whom Charles had recently named Earl of Strafford) and earned him the displeasure of the king.
When the Long Parliament
met, Northumberland became one of the leading critics of royal policy. During Strafford's trial for high treason
and the subsequent bill of attainder
against him, Northumberland gave evidence at his trial which, though favourable on the important point of bringing the Irish army to England, was on the whole damaging.
Northumberland's brother Henry was involved in the First Army Plot of 1641, an attempt to rescue Strafford from the Tower of London and to forcibly dissolve the Long Parliament. Northumberland encouraged his brother to write a letter exposing the royalist plot to rescue Strafford, and then, at John Pym
's urging, agreed to allow Denzil Holles
and John Hampden
to publish this letter.
, Northumberland became the highest-ranking member of Charles I's government to side with the Parliamentarians
.
His first action in open defiance of royal authority came in November 1641, when he obeyed Parliament
's instruction to prepare four ships to take men and arms under parliamentary control to Ireland
to suppress the rebellion there. He did not, however, support the Grand Remonstrance
. However, when James Stewart, 1st Duke of Richmond
suggested in January 1642 that the parliament adjourn for six months, Northumberland led a protest which favoured sanctioning Richmond for breach of privilege. In February, Parliament named Northumberland Lord Lieutenant of Sussex
, Pembrokeshire
, and Anglesey
. Northumberland subsequently voted in favour of the Militia Ordinance
. During the subsequent fighting between royalist and parliamentary forces, Northumberland's control of the navy was a crucial factor in securing parliamentary victory As a result, Charles I removed Northumberland from the post of Lord High Admiral in late June 1642 and Northumberland relinquished the position. In July, he accepted a position on the parliamentary committee of public safety
.
Northumberland's support for the war wavered shortly thereafter, however, in the wake of setbacks faced by parliamentary forces in 1642-43. Northumberland was also disappointed that Parliament chose Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick
rather than himself as the new Lord High Admiral. Northumberland was apparently appalled by the violence of the Battle of Edgehill
and the Battle of Turnham Green, and became the leader of a party favouring peace by early-to-mid-1643.
in 1637. In October 1642, he remarried, to Lady Elizabeth, daughter of Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk
and thus his first wife's cousin.
, but Charles was willing to grant little. Returning to London, Northumberland's peace party was increasingly attacked by the party favouring continued war: for example, in June, Northumberland was accused of complicity in Waller's Plot, though he was never prosecuted. In August, a leading hawk, Isaac Penington, the Lord Mayor of London
instigated a plot whereby a number of lords were physically threatened, in the hopes that he would be able to have Northumberland arrested. After Northumberland was unable to convince his cousin, Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex
to support further peace negotiations with the royalists, he retired to his estates at Petworth
(unlike other "peace lords", who joined the king at Oxford at this time).
in September 1643, Northumberland returned to the capital and took the Covenant. He was soon appointed to the newly-created Committee of Both Kingdoms
, serving as its first chairman. Northumberland would gain a reputation as a supporter of the Scots on the committee - many speculated that this was because Scottish forces were occupying his lands in the north. Thus, although he continued to favour negotiations with Charles I, Northumberland was quickly coming around to the war party's position. Northumberland was one of only four lords to vote in favour of the Self-denying Ordinance
. Soon, Northumberland would prove to be one of the greatest supporters of the New Model Army
, with Northumberland's servant Robert Scawen chairing parliament's army committee.
In March 1645, Parliament made Northumberland guardian of Charles' two young children, Princess Elizabeth
and the Duke of Gloucester
(and also the Duke of York
in July 1646), and there was talk that Northumberland might be made king if negotiations with Charles failed. Following the failure of the negotiations at Uxbridge
, Northumberland was thoroughly behind the war party, now known as the Independents
. In spite of Northumberland's political conversion, he did not vote in favour of the bill of attainder against his old patron, Archbishop Laud.
and the Presbyterian party against the Independents as they attempted to draw up terms acceptable to the king.
In the emerging dispute between parliament and the army, Northumberland sided with the army, and in July 1647, Northumberland was one of nine peers who left Parliament for the army following riots around Westminster. Meetings were subsequently held between Northumberland and the army at Northumberland's property, Syon House
.
Northumberland led a final attempt to negotiate with Charles I in December 1647, but this failed.
, most parliamentarians became increasingly disillusioned with Charles I and began to favour his execution. Northumberland attempted to halt this movement, opposing the Vote of No Addresses
in January 1648, and attempting to negotiate terms with the king at Newport
until the end of 1648.
Northumberland would prove to be one of Charles I's greatest supporters in the Rump Parliament
. When Parliament moved to try Charles I for treason in January 1649, Northumberland was the leader of the forces in the House of Lords opposed to trying the king.
Northumberland was briefly placed under house arrest in 1655 after John Thurloe
accused him of encouraging his northern tenants to participate in the Penruddock uprising
.
Northumberland refused requests from both Oliver Cromwell
and Richard Cromwell
to sit in the upper house of their parliaments.
in 1660, Northumberland attempted to re-enter politics by organizing the Suffolk House cabal, which included Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester
, Denzil Holles
, Oliver St John
, and William Pierrepont
, and which hoped to force on Charles II
the terms offered to Charles I at Newport. This cabal collapsed when General Monck
chose to support the Convention Parliament in April 1660.
With Charles II's return to England in May 1660, Northumberland rushed to curry favour with the new king. He did however oppose the bill to execute the regicides responsible for Charles I's death.
Charles II appointed Northumberland to his Privy Council in late May 1660, and Northumberland was named Lord Lieutenant of Sussex
in August and Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland
in September. His return to politics was completed with his service as Lord High Constable of England
at Charles II's coronation
in April 1661. Northumberland gained a reputation as a diligent enforcer of the Clarendon Code and as an efficient organizer of the militias.
During the period of Restoration politics, Northumberland's closest ally at court was Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester
, while Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon
remained a constant enemy, a rivalry which climaxed with Northumberland voting in favour of Clarendon's impeachment in 1667.
Northumberland died at Petworth on 13 October 1668 and was buried there in September 1668. His son Joceline succeeded him as 11th Earl of Northumberland
.
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
(29 September 1602 – 13 October 1668) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
military leader and a prominent supporter of constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy
Constitutional monarchy is a form of government in which a monarch acts as head of state within the parameters of a constitution, whether it be a written, uncodified or blended constitution...
.
Family background
Algernon Percy was the third, but eldest surviving, son of Henry PercyHenry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland
Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland KG was an English aristocrat. He was a grandee and one of the wealthiest peers of the court of Elizabeth I. Under James I, Henry was a long-term prisoner in the Tower of London. He is known for the circles he moved in as well as for his own achievements...
, 9th Earl of Northumberland
Earl of Northumberland
The title of Earl of Northumberland was created several times in the Peerages of England and Great Britain, succeeding the title Earl of Northumbria. Its most famous holders were the House of Percy , who were the most powerful noble family in Northern England for much of the Middle Ages...
, the so-called 'Wizard Earl.' His mother was Dorothy Percy née Devereux, Countess of Northumberland
Dorothy Percy, Countess of Northumberland
Dorothy Percy, Countess of Northumberland was the younger daughter of Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex by Lettice Knollys, and the wife of Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland.-Family:...
, daughter of Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex
Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex
Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex, KG , an English nobleman and general. From 1573 until his death he fought in Ireland in connection with the Plantation of Ulster, where he ordered the massacre of Rathlin Island...
and sister of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, KG was an English nobleman and a favourite of Elizabeth I. Politically ambitious, and a committed general, he was placed under house arrest following a poor campaign in Ireland during the Nine Years' War in 1599...
, one of Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
's favourite
Favourite
A favourite , or favorite , was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In medieval and Early Modern Europe, among other times and places, the term is used of individuals delegated significant political power by a ruler...
s who was executed for treason in 1601. In 1605, the 9th Earl was accused of either participation or complicity in the Gunpowder Plot
Gunpowder Plot
The Gunpowder Plot of 1605, in earlier centuries often called the Gunpowder Treason Plot or the Jesuit Treason, was a failed assassination attempt against King James I of England and VI of Scotland by a group of provincial English Catholics led by Robert Catesby.The plan was to blow up the House of...
, and as a result, he was imprisoned in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
until 1621. The 9th Earl exerted influence on young Algernon's education in spite of his imprisonment, and Algernon frequently stayed with the 9th Earl in the Tower for 4 or 5 days at a time. On the model of King James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
's Basilikon Doron
Basilikon Doron
The Basilikon Doron is a treatise on government written by King James VI of Scotland, later King James I of England, in 1599. Basilikon Doron in the Greek language means royal gift. It was written in the form of a private and confidential letter to the King's eldest son, Henry, Duke of...
, the 9th Earl wrote an essay of advice to his son in 1609.
His sister, Lucy Hay née Percy
Lucy Hay, Countess of Carlisle
Lucy Hay, Countess of Carlisle was an English courtier known for her beauty and wit. She was involved in many political intrigues during the English Civil War.-Life:...
, dowager countess of Carlisle
Earl of Carlisle
Earl of Carlisle is a title that has been created three times in the Peerage of England. The first creation came in 1322 when the soldier Andrew Harclay, 1st Baron Harclay was made Earl of Carlisle. He had already been summoned to Parliament as Lord Harclay in 1321...
, and his younger brother, Henry Percy, were members of the household of Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
's queen, Henrietta Maria
Henrietta Maria of France
Henrietta Maria of France ; was the Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles I...
. Another sister, Dorothy
Dorothy Sidney, Countess of Leicester
Dorothy Sidney, Countess of Leicester was the eldest daughter of Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland and the former Lady Dorothy Devereux. In 1615, she married Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester...
, was married to Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester
Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester
Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester was an English aristocrat and diplomat.-Life:He was the son of Robert Sidney, 1st Earl of Leicester, and his first wife, Barbara Gamage...
.
Education and early years, 1615-24
In 1615, Algernon was sent to study at St John's College, CambridgeSt John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
, and in 1616 he was admitted to the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He received his MA in 1616 and was made a Knight of the Bath, meaning he was now Sir Algernon Percy.
In 1618, Algernon and his tutor, Edward Douse, began a six-year tour of continental Europe, visiting the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Algernon returned to England in 1624 and joined his father, recently released from the Tower, at court.
Parliament
Algernon's first public service involved serving as MPMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Sussex
Sussex (UK Parliament constituency)
Sussex was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832...
during the "Happy Parliament" of 1624-25 and as MP for Chichester
Chichester (UK Parliament constituency)
Chichester is a county constituency in West Sussex, represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
during the "Useless Parliament" of 1625-26.
In March 1626, Algernon was summoned
Writ of acceleration
A writ in acceleration, commonly called a writ of acceleration, was a type of writ of summons to the British House of Lords that enabled the eldest son and heir apparent of a peer with multiple peerage titles to attend the British House of Lords or Irish House of Lords, using one of his father's...
to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
, assuming his father's barony and becoming known as "Lord Percy." In November 1626, he was appointed joint Lord Lieutenant
Lord Lieutenant
The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representatives in the United Kingdom, usually in a county or similar circumscription, with varying tasks throughout history. Usually a retired local notable, senior military officer, peer or business person is given the post...
of Cumberland
Lord Lieutenant of Cumberland
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Cumberland. From 1765 to 1974, all Lord Lieutenants were also Custos Rotulorum of Cumberland.*Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon 20 August 1586 – 14 December 1595*vacant?...
, Westmorland
Lord Lieutenant of Westmorland
This is a list of people who have served as Lord-Lieutenant of Westmorland. The office was abolished on 31 March 1974 and replaced by the Lord Lieutenant of Cumbria...
, and Northumberland
Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland
This is a list of people who have served as Lord-Lieutenant of Northumberland. Since 1802, all Lords Lieutenant have also been Custos Rotulorum of Northumberland.*Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland*Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland ?–1489...
. Percy became a leader in the House of Lords of the faction opposed to Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
's favourite, George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG was the favourite, claimed by some to be the lover, of King James I of England. Despite a very patchy political and military record, he remained at the height of royal favour for the first two years of the reign of Charles I, until he was assassinated...
.
First marriage
In 1629, Algernon married Anne Cecil, daughter of William Cecil, 2nd Earl of SalisburyWilliam Cecil, 2nd Earl of Salisbury
William Cecil, 2nd Earl of Salisbury, KG , known as Viscount Cranborne from 1605 to 1612, was an English peer and politician.-Early years, 1591-1612:...
, "in spite of his father's deep disapproval, who said that 'the blood of a Percy would not mix with the blood of a Cecil if you poured it on a dish" (Percy family history). (The 9th Earl blamed the 1st Earl of Salisbury
Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury
Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, KG, PC was an English administrator and politician.-Life:He was the son of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley and Mildred Cooke...
for his imprisonment in the Tower
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
.) The marriage, however, produced five daughters, including Anne (d.1654), who married Philip Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Chesterfield
Philip Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Chesterfield
Philip Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Chesterfield PC was a peer in the peerage of England.-Personal life:He was the son of Henry Stanhope, Lord Stanhope and his wife, Katherine Wotton. He inherited the title of Earl of Chesterfield on the death of his grandfather in 1656...
, no issue, and Elizabeth
Elizabeth Percy, Countess of Essex
Lady Elizabeth Percy, Countess of Essex, Viscountess Malden was an English noblewoman, being the daughter of Algernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland. She was the wife of Arthur Capell, 1st Earl of Essex, PC, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland...
(1636-1718), who married Arthur Capell, 1st Earl of Essex
Arthur Capell, 1st Earl of Essex
Arthur Capell, 1st Earl of Essex PC , whose surname is sometimes spelled Capel, was an English statesman.-Early life:...
.
Upon the death of the 9th Earl in 1632, Algernon Percy became the 10th Earl of Northumberland.
Naval career
Throughout the early 1630s, the 10th Earl attempted to ingratiate himself with Charles I's court, initially unsuccessfully, although his family connections in the queen's household did manage to get him admitted to the Order of the GarterOrder of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
in 1635. By 1636-37, he was in good enough standing at court to be appointed admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
of the ship money
Ship money
Ship money refers to a tax that Charles I of England tried to levy without the consent of Parliament. This tax, which was only applied to coastal towns during a time of war, was intended to offset the cost of defending that part of the coast, and could be paid in actual ships or the equivalent value...
fleet. Northumberland attempted to initiate naval reforms, often bypassing the lords of the admiralty
Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty
The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty were the members of the Board of Admiralty, which exercised command over the Royal Navy.Officially known as the Commissioners for Exercising the Office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland &c. The Lords...
and submitting his proposals directly to Charles I and the Privy Council. Although most historians would not consider Northumberland a Puritan
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England...
, he did enforce the Oath of Supremacy
Oath of Supremacy
The Oath of Supremacy, originally imposed by King Henry VIII of England through the Act of Supremacy 1534, but repealed by his daughter, Queen Mary I of England and reinstated under Mary's sister, Queen Elizabeth I of England under the Act of Supremacy 1559, provided for any person taking public or...
on his fleet and removed three Catholic officers who refused to take the oath.
Northumberland's first expedition as admiral in 1636 was to force Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
ships fishing in waters claimed by England to purchase English fishing licenses, in exchange for which the English fleet would offer protection from the Dunkirkers
Dunkirkers
During the Dutch Revolt the Dunkirkers or Dunkirk Privateers, were commerce raiders in the service of the Spanish Monarchy. They were also part of the Dunkirk fleet, which consequently was a part of the Spanish Monarchy's Flemish fleet ...
. If Dutch sea captains refused to purchase the licenses, their nets were cut.
Northumberland was less enthusiastic about his second expedition as admiral, which was to transport Spanish money to the Netherlands in 1637. Northumberland's political faction was strongly pro-French and anti-Spanish, so he rankled at the thought of aiding the Spaniards.
Lord High Admiral
In 1638, two of Northumberland's prominent supporters at court - Thomas WentworthThomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford
Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford was an English statesman and a major figure in the period leading up to the English Civil War. He served in Parliament and was a supporter of King Charles I. From 1632 to 1639 he instituted a harsh rule as Lord Deputy of Ireland...
and Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
William Laud
William Laud
William Laud was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645. One of the High Church Caroline divines, he opposed radical forms of Puritanism...
- used their influence at court to have Northumberland made Lord High Admiral of England
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
, a position which had been vacant since the assassination of the 1st Duke of Buckingham in 1628. At the time he was appointed, it was understood that Charles I's son James
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
would become Lord High Admiral upon attaining his majority, although the Civil Wars occurred before this could happen and Charles removed Northumberland from the post in 1642.
Events leading to the Civil Wars
In response to the rise of the Scottish Covenanters, who opposed the attempt to introduce the Book of Common PrayerBook of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
in Scotland in 1637, Charles I appointed an eight-man subcommittee of the Privy Council to deal with the issue. Northumberland's patron, Thomas Wentworth, favoured war with Scotland, while Northumberland did not want to go to war, and feared that his estates in northern England would be occupied during the hostilities. As such, when Wentworth had Northumberland appointed general of the English forces during the second of the Bishops' Wars
Bishops' Wars
The Bishops' Wars , were conflicts, both political and military, which occurred in 1639 and 1640 centred around the nature of the governance of the Church of Scotland, and the rights and powers of the Crown...
in January 1640, Northumberland was happy to let illness prevent him from joining the army in the field, and Northumberland was entirely defeatist about the prospect of defeating the Covenanters militarily. In May 1640, Northumberland was one of only two members of a subcommittee of the Privy Council who opposed the dissolution of the Short Parliament
Short Parliament
The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks....
, a move that confirmed his break with Wentworth (whom Charles had recently named Earl of Strafford) and earned him the displeasure of the king.
When the Long Parliament
Long Parliament
The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and...
met, Northumberland became one of the leading critics of royal policy. During Strafford's trial for high treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
and the subsequent bill of attainder
Bill of attainder
A bill of attainder is an act of a legislature declaring a person or group of persons guilty of some crime and punishing them without benefit of a judicial trial.-English law:...
against him, Northumberland gave evidence at his trial which, though favourable on the important point of bringing the Irish army to England, was on the whole damaging.
Northumberland's brother Henry was involved in the First Army Plot of 1641, an attempt to rescue Strafford from the Tower of London and to forcibly dissolve the Long Parliament. Northumberland encouraged his brother to write a letter exposing the royalist plot to rescue Strafford, and then, at John Pym
John Pym
John Pym was an English parliamentarian, leader of the Long Parliament and a prominent critic of James I and then Charles I.- Early life and education :...
's urging, agreed to allow Denzil Holles
Denzil Holles, 1st Baron Holles
Denzil Holles, 1st Baron Holles PC was an English statesman and writer, best known as one of the five members of parliament whom King Charles I of England attempted to arrest in 1642.-Early life:...
and John Hampden
John Hampden
John Hampden was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643) was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643)...
to publish this letter.
Break with the king
With the coming of the English Civil WarEnglish Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, Northumberland became the highest-ranking member of Charles I's government to side with the Parliamentarians
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
.
His first action in open defiance of royal authority came in November 1641, when he obeyed Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
's instruction to prepare four ships to take men and arms under parliamentary control to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
to suppress the rebellion there. He did not, however, support the Grand Remonstrance
Grand Remonstrance
The Grand Remonstrance was a list of grievances presented to King Charles I of England by the English Parliament on 1 December 1641, but passed by the House of Commons on the 22nd of November 1641, during the Long Parliament; it was one of the chief events which were to precipitate the English...
. However, when James Stewart, 1st Duke of Richmond
James Stewart, 1st Duke of Richmond
James Stewart, 1st Duke of Richmond, 4th Duke of Lennox was a Scottish nobleman. He was the eldest son of Esmé Stewart, 3rd Duke of Lennox and his wife Katherine Clifton, 2nd Baroness Clifton....
suggested in January 1642 that the parliament adjourn for six months, Northumberland led a protest which favoured sanctioning Richmond for breach of privilege. In February, Parliament named Northumberland Lord Lieutenant of Sussex
Lord Lieutenant of Sussex
This is a list of people who served as Lord Lieutenant of Sussex. From 1677 until 1974, all Lord Lieutenants were also Custos Rotulorum of Sussex.-Lord Lieutenants of Sussex to 1974:*Henry FitzAlan, 19th Earl of Arundel 1551–? jointly with...
, Pembrokeshire
Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire. After 1715, all Lord Lieutenants were also Custos Rotulorum of Pembrokeshire. The county corporate of Haverfordwest was included in this lieutenancy, except for the period from 1761 to 1931, when there was a separate Lord...
, and Anglesey
Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey
This is a list of people who served as Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey. Since 1761, all Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Anglesey...
. Northumberland subsequently voted in favour of the Militia Ordinance
Militia Ordinance
The Militia Ordinance was a piece of legislation passed by the Long Parliament of England in March 1642, which was a major step towards the Civil War between the King and Parliament of England. Previously the King had the sole right to appoint the Lord Lieutenants, who were in charge of the county...
. During the subsequent fighting between royalist and parliamentary forces, Northumberland's control of the navy was a crucial factor in securing parliamentary victory As a result, Charles I removed Northumberland from the post of Lord High Admiral in late June 1642 and Northumberland relinquished the position. In July, he accepted a position on the parliamentary committee of public safety
English Committee of Safety
The Committee of Safety, established by the Parliamentarians in July 1642, was the first of a number of successive committees set up to oversee the English Civil War against King Charles I, and the Interregnum.-1642–1644:...
.
Northumberland's support for the war wavered shortly thereafter, however, in the wake of setbacks faced by parliamentary forces in 1642-43. Northumberland was also disappointed that Parliament chose Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick
Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick
Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick was an English colonial administrator, admiral, and puritan.Rich was the eldest son of Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick and his wife Penelope Devereux, Lady Rich, and succeeded to his father's title in 1619...
rather than himself as the new Lord High Admiral. Northumberland was apparently appalled by the violence of the Battle of Edgehill
Battle of Edgehill
The Battle of Edgehill was the first pitched battle of the First English Civil War. It was fought near Edge Hill and Kineton in southern Warwickshire on Sunday, 23 October 1642....
and the Battle of Turnham Green, and became the leader of a party favouring peace by early-to-mid-1643.
Second marriage
Northumberland's first wife died of smallpoxSmallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
in 1637. In October 1642, he remarried, to Lady Elizabeth, daughter of Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk
Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk
Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk, KG was an English nobleman and politician.Born at the family estate of Saffron Walden, he was the son of Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk, by his second wife Catherine Knyvet of Charlton, and succeeded his father in 1626.Sir Theophilus Howard was named in...
and thus his first wife's cousin.
Conversion to the peace faction
In April 1643, Northumberland headed the parliamentary delegation to negotiate with Charles I at OxfordOxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, but Charles was willing to grant little. Returning to London, Northumberland's peace party was increasingly attacked by the party favouring continued war: for example, in June, Northumberland was accused of complicity in Waller's Plot, though he was never prosecuted. In August, a leading hawk, Isaac Penington, the Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
instigated a plot whereby a number of lords were physically threatened, in the hopes that he would be able to have Northumberland arrested. After Northumberland was unable to convince his cousin, Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex was an English Parliamentarian and soldier during the first half of the seventeenth century. With the start of the English Civil War in 1642 he became the first Captain-General and Chief Commander of the Parliamentarian army, also known as the Roundheads...
to support further peace negotiations with the royalists, he retired to his estates at Petworth
Petworth House
Petworth House in Petworth, West Sussex, England, is a late 17th-century mansion, rebuilt in 1688 by Charles Seymour, 6th Duke of Somerset, and altered in the 1870s by Anthony Salvin...
(unlike other "peace lords", who joined the king at Oxford at this time).
Conversion to the war party
Northumberland did not remain at Petworth for long, though. Although he had opposed an alliance between parliament and Scotland against the king, following the passage of the Solemn League and CovenantSolemn League and Covenant
The Solemn League and Covenant was an agreement between the Scottish Covenanters and the leaders of the English Parliamentarians. It was agreed to in 1643, during the First English Civil War....
in September 1643, Northumberland returned to the capital and took the Covenant. He was soon appointed to the newly-created Committee of Both Kingdoms
Committee of Both Kingdoms
The Committee of Both Kingdoms, , was a committee set up during the English Civil War by the Parliamentarian faction in association with representatives from the Scottish Covenanters, to oversee the conduct of the War and Foreign Policy...
, serving as its first chairman. Northumberland would gain a reputation as a supporter of the Scots on the committee - many speculated that this was because Scottish forces were occupying his lands in the north. Thus, although he continued to favour negotiations with Charles I, Northumberland was quickly coming around to the war party's position. Northumberland was one of only four lords to vote in favour of the Self-denying Ordinance
Self-denying Ordinance
The first Self-denying Ordinance was a bill moved on 9 December 1644 to deprive members of the Parliament of England from holding command in the army or the navy during the English Civil War. It failed to pass the House of Lords. A second Self-denying Ordinance was agreed to on 3 April 1645,...
. Soon, Northumberland would prove to be one of the greatest supporters of the New Model Army
New Model Army
The New Model Army of England was formed in 1645 by the Parliamentarians in the English Civil War, and was disbanded in 1660 after the Restoration...
, with Northumberland's servant Robert Scawen chairing parliament's army committee.
In March 1645, Parliament made Northumberland guardian of Charles' two young children, Princess Elizabeth
Princess Elizabeth of England
The Princess Elizabeth of England and Scotland was the second daughter of King Charles I of England and Henrietta Maria of France. From the age of six until her early death at the age of fourteen she was a prisoner of Parliament during the English Civil War...
and the Duke of Gloucester
Henry Stuart, Duke of Gloucester
Henry Stuart, 1st Duke of Gloucester was the third adult son of Charles I and his queen, Henrietta Maria of France...
(and also the Duke of York
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
in July 1646), and there was talk that Northumberland might be made king if negotiations with Charles failed. Following the failure of the negotiations at Uxbridge
Uxbridge
Uxbridge is a large town located in north west London, England and is the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Hillingdon. It forms part of the ceremonial county of Greater London. It is located west-northwest of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres...
, Northumberland was thoroughly behind the war party, now known as the Independents
Independent (religion)
In English church history, Independents advocated local congregational control of religious and church matters, without any wider geographical hierarchy, either ecclesiastical or political...
. In spite of Northumberland's political conversion, he did not vote in favour of the bill of attainder against his old patron, Archbishop Laud.
1647: Between the First and Second English Civil War
In early 1647, Northumberland sided with Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of ManchesterEdward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester
Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester KG, KB, FRS was an important commander of Parliamentary forces in the First English Civil War, and for a time Oliver Cromwell's superior.-Life:...
and the Presbyterian party against the Independents as they attempted to draw up terms acceptable to the king.
In the emerging dispute between parliament and the army, Northumberland sided with the army, and in July 1647, Northumberland was one of nine peers who left Parliament for the army following riots around Westminster. Meetings were subsequently held between Northumberland and the army at Northumberland's property, Syon House
Syon House
Syon House, with its 200-acre park, is situated in west London, England. It belongs to the Duke of Northumberland and is now his family's London residence...
.
Northumberland led a final attempt to negotiate with Charles I in December 1647, but this failed.
Role in the Regicide
Following the Second English Civil WarSecond English Civil War
The Second English Civil War was the second of three wars known as the English Civil War which refers to the series of armed conflicts and political machinations which took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1652 and also include the First English Civil War and the...
, most parliamentarians became increasingly disillusioned with Charles I and began to favour his execution. Northumberland attempted to halt this movement, opposing the Vote of No Addresses
Vote of No Addresses
The Vote of No Addresses was a measure passed on 17 January 1648 by the English Long Parliament when they broke off negotiations with King Charles I. The vote was in response to the news that Charles I was entering into an engagement with the Scots...
in January 1648, and attempting to negotiate terms with the king at Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
until the end of 1648.
Northumberland would prove to be one of Charles I's greatest supporters in the Rump Parliament
Rump Parliament
The Rump Parliament is the name of the English Parliament after Colonel Pride purged the Long Parliament on 6 December 1648 of those members hostile to the Grandees' intention to try King Charles I for high treason....
. When Parliament moved to try Charles I for treason in January 1649, Northumberland was the leader of the forces in the House of Lords opposed to trying the king.
Life during the English Interregnum, 1649-60
Northumberland withdrew from public life following the execution of Charles I. In May 1649, he was relieved of responsibility for the king's children and no longer had any official duties.Northumberland was briefly placed under house arrest in 1655 after John Thurloe
John Thurloe
John Thurloe was a secretary to the council of state in Protectorate England and spymaster for Oliver Cromwell.-Life:...
accused him of encouraging his northern tenants to participate in the Penruddock uprising
Penruddock uprising
The Penruddock uprising was one of a series of coordinated uprisings planned by the Sealed Knot for a Royalist insurrection to start in March 1655 during the Protectorate of the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell....
.
Northumberland refused requests from both Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
and Richard Cromwell
Richard Cromwell
At the same time, the officers of the New Model Army became increasingly wary about the government's commitment to the military cause. The fact that Richard Cromwell lacked military credentials grated with men who had fought on the battlefields of the English Civil War to secure their nation's...
to sit in the upper house of their parliaments.
Life following the Restoration, 1660-68
With the coming of the RestorationEnglish Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
in 1660, Northumberland attempted to re-enter politics by organizing the Suffolk House cabal, which included Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester
Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester
Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester KG, KB, FRS was an important commander of Parliamentary forces in the First English Civil War, and for a time Oliver Cromwell's superior.-Life:...
, Denzil Holles
Denzil Holles, 1st Baron Holles
Denzil Holles, 1st Baron Holles PC was an English statesman and writer, best known as one of the five members of parliament whom King Charles I of England attempted to arrest in 1642.-Early life:...
, Oliver St John
Oliver St John
Sir Oliver St John , was an English judge and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 to 1653. He supported the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War.- Early life :...
, and William Pierrepont
William Pierrepont
William Pierrepont was an English politician.-Life:He was the second son of Robert Pierrepont, 1st Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull. Returned to the Long Parliament in 1640 as member for Great Wenlock, he threw his influence on the side of peace and took part for the parliament in the negotiations with...
, and which hoped to force on Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
the terms offered to Charles I at Newport. This cabal collapsed when General Monck
George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle
George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle, KG was an English soldier and politician and a key figure in the restoration of Charles II.-Early life and career:...
chose to support the Convention Parliament in April 1660.
With Charles II's return to England in May 1660, Northumberland rushed to curry favour with the new king. He did however oppose the bill to execute the regicides responsible for Charles I's death.
Charles II appointed Northumberland to his Privy Council in late May 1660, and Northumberland was named Lord Lieutenant of Sussex
Lord Lieutenant of Sussex
This is a list of people who served as Lord Lieutenant of Sussex. From 1677 until 1974, all Lord Lieutenants were also Custos Rotulorum of Sussex.-Lord Lieutenants of Sussex to 1974:*Henry FitzAlan, 19th Earl of Arundel 1551–? jointly with...
in August and Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland
Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland
This is a list of people who have served as Lord-Lieutenant of Northumberland. Since 1802, all Lords Lieutenant have also been Custos Rotulorum of Northumberland.*Henry Percy, 3rd Earl of Northumberland*Henry Percy, 4th Earl of Northumberland ?–1489...
in September. His return to politics was completed with his service as Lord High Constable of England
Lord High Constable of England
The Lord High Constable of England is the seventh of the Great Officers of State, ranking beneath the Lord Great Chamberlain and above the Earl Marshal. His office is now called out of abeyance only for coronations. The Lord High Constable was originally the commander of the royal armies and the...
at Charles II's coronation
Coronation of the British monarch
The coronation of the British monarch is a ceremony in which the monarch of the United Kingdom is formally crowned and invested with regalia...
in April 1661. Northumberland gained a reputation as a diligent enforcer of the Clarendon Code and as an efficient organizer of the militias.
During the period of Restoration politics, Northumberland's closest ally at court was Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester
Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester
Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Manchester KG, KB, FRS was an important commander of Parliamentary forces in the First English Civil War, and for a time Oliver Cromwell's superior.-Life:...
, while Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon
Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon
Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon was an English historian and statesman, and grandfather of two English monarchs, Mary II and Queen Anne.-Early life:...
remained a constant enemy, a rivalry which climaxed with Northumberland voting in favour of Clarendon's impeachment in 1667.
Northumberland died at Petworth on 13 October 1668 and was buried there in September 1668. His son Joceline succeeded him as 11th Earl of Northumberland
Joceline Percy, 11th Earl of Northumberland
Josceline Percy, 11th Earl of Northumberland, 5th Baron Percy was an English peer.Percy was the eldest son of Algernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland and his second wife, Elizabeth Howard, daughter of Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk...
.