William Herbert, 1st Marquess of Powis
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William Herbert, 1st Marquess of Powis, PC
(1626 – 2 June 1696) was an English
nobleman.
He succeeded his father, the 2nd Baron Powis
, as 3rd Baron Powis in 1667, and was created Earl of Powis in 1674 by King Charles II
and Viscount Montgomery, of the Town of Montgomery, and Marquess of Powis in 1687 by King James II
, having been appointed to the Privy Council
in 1686. He married in July 1654, Lady Elizabeth Somerset (c. 1633–1691), daughter of Edward Somerset, 2nd Marquess of Worcester
(d. 1667), by whom he had six children, a son and heir and six daughters, one of whom, Winifred, married William Maxwell, 5th Earl of Nithsdale
, who was condemned to death for high treason for participating in the Jacobite Rising
of 1715. Lady Nithsdale famously organised her husband's escape from the Tower of London
.
A cousin of the 1st Baron Herbert of Cherbury, Powis was, together with his wife, one of the leading Roman Catholics, and remained faithful to the deposed King James after the Glorious Revolution
of 1688. It was he who spirited away Queen Mary
and the infant James, Prince of Wales
, and took them into their French exile. As a reward, he was created "Duke of Powis" and "Marquess of Montgomery" in the Jacobite Peerage
by King James.
In 1690 Powis landed in Ireland with James, where he acted as one of his principal advisers. James appointed him to his Irish Privy Council
and made him Lord Chamberlain
. He remained in Ireland until the king's flight back to France after the Battle of the Boyne
, and settled again at the exiled Jacobite Court at St Germain. Powis was a prominent figure in the Jacobite Court, serving as Lord Steward
and Lord Chamberlain
of the household, but he seems to have been rather marginal in the king's counsels. His wife continued as Principal Lady of the Bedchamber
to Queen Mary of Modena
and Royal Governess to James, Prince of Wales
until her death on 11 March 1691. James made Powis a Knight of the Garter in April 1692. Nevertheless others exercised more influence at Court as Powis struggled to maintain the dignity of a royal household on an insufficient income. Having lost estates valued at £10,000 a year, he had given up more than most for the Jacobite cause. He died, aged about seventy, on 12 July 1696, after a riding accident in St Germain, and was buried there the next day.
He was succeeded by his only son William Herbert, Viscount Montgomery (Jacobite Marquess of Montgomery) as second Marquess of Powis
and Jacobite second Duke of Powis) (1665–1745), who was later jailed in the Tower as a Jacobite and fought a long battle in the courts to retain some of his property, resulting in the restoration of his family's estates. He was relieved of the attainder
placed on his father and was restored to the forfeited peerages in the rank of marquess in 1722.
Privy Council of England
The Privy Council of England, also known as His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, was a body of advisers to the sovereign of the Kingdom of England...
(1626 – 2 June 1696) 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...
nobleman.
He succeeded his father, the 2nd Baron Powis
Percy Herbert, 2nd Baron Powis
Percy Herbert, 2nd Baron Powis , known as Sir Percy Herbert, Bt, between 1622 and 1655, was a British nobleman, politician and writer. He was the son of William Herbert, 1st Baron Powis, and Lucy Eleanor . He was named after the surname of his maternal grandfather Henry Percy, 9th Earl of...
, as 3rd Baron Powis in 1667, and was created Earl of Powis in 1674 by King 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...
and Viscount Montgomery, of the Town of Montgomery, and Marquess of Powis in 1687 by King James II
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...
, having been appointed to the Privy Council
Privy Council of England
The Privy Council of England, also known as His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, was a body of advisers to the sovereign of the Kingdom of England...
in 1686. He married in July 1654, Lady Elizabeth Somerset (c. 1633–1691), daughter of Edward Somerset, 2nd Marquess of Worcester
Edward Somerset, 2nd Marquess of Worcester
Edward Somerset, 2nd Marquess of Worcester , styled Lord Herbert of Ragland from 1628–1644, was an English nobleman involved in royalist politics and an inventor...
(d. 1667), by whom he had six children, a son and heir and six daughters, one of whom, Winifred, married William Maxwell, 5th Earl of Nithsdale
William Maxwell, 5th Earl of Nithsdale
William Maxwell, 5th Earl of Nithsdale was a Catholic nobleman, who took part in the Jacobite Rising of 1715.He was the eldest son of Robert, fourth Earl of Nithsdale , and Lady Lucie Douglas , daughter of William, eleventh earl of Angus and first Marquess of Douglas. He was probably born at...
, who was condemned to death for high treason for participating in the Jacobite Rising
Jacobite rising
The Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings, rebellions, and wars in Great Britain and Ireland occurring between 1688 and 1746. The uprisings were aimed at returning James VII of Scotland and II of England, and later his descendants of the House of Stuart, to the throne after he was deposed by...
of 1715. Lady Nithsdale famously organised her husband's escape from 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...
.
A cousin of the 1st Baron Herbert of Cherbury, Powis was, together with his wife, one of the leading Roman Catholics, and remained faithful to the deposed King James after the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
of 1688. It was he who spirited away Queen Mary
Mary of Modena
Mary of Modena was Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the second wife of King James II and VII. A devout Catholic, Mary became, in 1673, the second wife of James, Duke of York, who later succeeded his older brother Charles II as King James II...
and the infant James, Prince of Wales
James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
, and took them into their French exile. As a reward, he was created "Duke of Powis" and "Marquess of Montgomery" in the Jacobite Peerage
Jacobite peerage
After the deposition by the English parliament in February 1689 of King James II and VII from the thrones of England and Ireland , he and his successors continued to create peers and baronets, which they believed was their right...
by King James.
In 1690 Powis landed in Ireland with James, where he acted as one of his principal advisers. James appointed him to his Irish Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
and made him Lord Chamberlain
Lord Chamberlain
The Lord Chamberlain or Lord Chamberlain of the Household is one of the chief officers of the Royal Household in the United Kingdom and is to be distinguished from the Lord Great Chamberlain, one of the Great Officers of State....
. He remained in Ireland until the king's flight back to France after the Battle of the Boyne
Battle of the Boyne
The Battle of the Boyne was fought in 1690 between two rival claimants of the English, Scottish and Irish thronesthe Catholic King James and the Protestant King William across the River Boyne near Drogheda on the east coast of Ireland...
, and settled again at the exiled Jacobite Court at St Germain. Powis was a prominent figure in the Jacobite Court, serving as Lord Steward
Lord Steward
The Lord Steward or Lord Steward of the Household, in England, is an important official of the Royal Household. He is always a peer. Until 1924, he was always a member of the Government...
and Lord Chamberlain
Lord Chamberlain
The Lord Chamberlain or Lord Chamberlain of the Household is one of the chief officers of the Royal Household in the United Kingdom and is to be distinguished from the Lord Great Chamberlain, one of the Great Officers of State....
of the household, but he seems to have been rather marginal in the king's counsels. His wife continued as Principal Lady of the Bedchamber
Lady of the Bedchamber
This is an incomplete list of those who have served as Lady of the Bedchamber in the British Royal Household...
to Queen Mary of Modena
Mary of Modena
Mary of Modena was Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the second wife of King James II and VII. A devout Catholic, Mary became, in 1673, the second wife of James, Duke of York, who later succeeded his older brother Charles II as King James II...
and Royal Governess to James, Prince of Wales
James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
until her death on 11 March 1691. James made Powis a Knight of the Garter in April 1692. Nevertheless others exercised more influence at Court as Powis struggled to maintain the dignity of a royal household on an insufficient income. Having lost estates valued at £10,000 a year, he had given up more than most for the Jacobite cause. He died, aged about seventy, on 12 July 1696, after a riding accident in St Germain, and was buried there the next day.
He was succeeded by his only son William Herbert, Viscount Montgomery (Jacobite Marquess of Montgomery) as second Marquess of Powis
Marquess of Powis
Marquess of Powis was a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1687 for William Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis. He had already succeeded his father as third Baron Powis in 1667 and had been created Earl of Powis in the Peerage of England in 1674; Marquess of Powis and Viscount Montgomery in...
and Jacobite second Duke of Powis) (1665–1745), who was later jailed in the Tower as a Jacobite and fought a long battle in the courts to retain some of his property, resulting in the restoration of his family's estates. He was relieved of the attainder
Attainder
In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura is the metaphorical 'stain' or 'corruption of blood' which arises from being condemned for a serious capital crime . It entails losing not only one's property and hereditary titles, but typically also the right to pass them on to one's heirs...
placed on his father and was restored to the forfeited peerages in the rank of marquess in 1722.