Henry Bentinck, 1st Duke of Portland
Encyclopedia
Henry Bentinck, 1st Duke of Portland (17 March 1682 – 4 July 1726), styled Viscount Woodstock from 1689 until 1709, was a British
politician and colonial statesman.
Bentinck was the second, but eldest surviving, son of William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland
. On 9 June 1704, he married Lady Elizabeth Noel daughter of Wriothesley Baptist Noel, 2nd Earl of Gainsborough and Catherine Greville at Chiswick
and their seven children included:
In 1705, Bentinck entered Parliament as MP
for Southampton
and held the seat until 1708, when he was returned for Hampshire
. In 1709, he left the Commons
for the Lords
after inheriting his father's earldom, was appointed Colonel of the 1st Troop of Horse Guards
a year later and elevated in the Peerage
as Marquess of Titchfield and Duke of Portland in 1716. In 1719 he was one of main subscribers in the Royal Academy of Music (1719), a corporation that produced baroque opera on stage.
In 1721, Portland accepted the post of Governor of Jamaica, which was a not a very prestigious post, but accepted by him nonetheless after losing a huge amount of money in the South Sea Bubble the previous year. He died in office in 1726 at Spanish Town
and his body was returned to England
for burial.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
politician and colonial statesman.
Bentinck was the second, but eldest surviving, son of William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland
William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland
Hans William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland, Baron Bentinck of Diepenheim and Schoonheten, KG, PC was a Dutch and English nobleman who became in an early stage the favourite of William, Prince of Orange, Stadtholder in the Netherlands, and future King of England. He was steady, sensible, modest...
. On 9 June 1704, he married Lady Elizabeth Noel daughter of Wriothesley Baptist Noel, 2nd Earl of Gainsborough and Catherine Greville at Chiswick
Chiswick
Chiswick is a large suburb of west London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located on a meander of the River Thames, west of Charing Cross and is one of 35 major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, with...
and their seven children included:
- William Bentinck, Viscount Woodstock, later Marquess of Titchfield, later 2nd Duke of PortlandWilliam Bentinck, 2nd Duke of PortlandWilliam Bentinck, 2nd Duke of Portland KG , styled Viscount Woodstock from 1709 to 1715 and Marquess of Titchfield from 1715 to 1726, was a British peer....
(1709–1762) - Lord George (1715–1759), soldier.
- Lady Anne (d. 1749), married Col. Daniel Paul.
- Lady Amelia Catharina (d. 1756), married Jacob van Wassenaer, Heer van Hazerswoude-Waddingsveen.
- Lady Isabella (d. 1783), married Henry Monck who was the uncle of Charles Monck, 1st Viscount MonckCharles Monck, 1st Viscount MonckCharles Stanley Monck, 1st Viscount Monck, was born in 1754 and died on 9 June 1802. He was the 1st son of Thomas Monck MP, by his wife Judith Mason, daughter of Robert Mason, of Mason Brook. He gained the title of 1st Viscount Monck in 1801 as a reward for voting for the Act of Union...
.
In 1705, Bentinck entered Parliament as MP
Member 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 Southampton
Southampton (UK Parliament constituency)
Southampton was a parliamentary constituency which was represented in the British House of Commons. Centred on the town of Southampton, it returned two Members of Parliament from 1295 until it was abolished for the 1950 general election....
and held the seat until 1708, when he was returned for Hampshire
Hampshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Hampshire was a county constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which returned two Knights of the Shire to the House of Commons from 1295 until 1832...
. In 1709, he left the Commons
British House of Commons
The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...
for the 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....
after inheriting his father's earldom, was appointed Colonel of the 1st Troop of Horse Guards
1st Troop of Horse Guards
The 1st Troop of Horse Guards was formed from King Charles II's exiled followers in the Netherlands ....
a year later and elevated in the Peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
as Marquess of Titchfield and Duke of Portland in 1716. In 1719 he was one of main subscribers in the Royal Academy of Music (1719), a corporation that produced baroque opera on stage.
In 1721, Portland accepted the post of Governor of Jamaica, which was a not a very prestigious post, but accepted by him nonetheless after losing a huge amount of money in the South Sea Bubble the previous year. He died in office in 1726 at Spanish Town
Spanish Town
Spanish Town is the capital and the largest town in the parish of St. Catherine in the county of Middlesex, Jamaica. It was the former Spanish and English capital of Jamaica from the 16th to the 19th century...
and his body was returned to England
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...
for burial.