Henry Somerset, 1st Duke of Beaufort
Henry Somerset (
1629 -
January 21,
1699/1700) was the first
Duke of Beaufort. He was previously the 3rd Marquess of Worcester, having inherited that title on the death of his father Edward Somerset, 2nd Marquess of Worcester on
April 3,
1667. The new
English dukedom was bestowed upon him by
King Charles II on
December 2,
1682, in recognition of his "having been eminently serviceable for the king since his most happy
restoration, in consideration thereof and of his most noble descent from
King Edward III by
John de Beaufort, eldest son of
John of Gaunt by
Katherine Swynford"[1].
Beaufort later refused to swear allegiance to King William III.
On August 17, 1657, he married Mary Capel, who was the daughter of Arthur Capell, 1st Baron Capell of Hadham, sister of Arthur Capell, 1st Earl of Essex, and widow of Henry Seymour, Lord Beauchamp. They had three sons and four daughters. The sons were:
- Henry Somerset, Lord Herbert, who died as an infant
- Charles Somerset, Marquess of Worcester (December, 1660 - July 13, 1698), who had a military and political career
- Arthur Somerset
Beaufort's son Charles died before he could inherit the dukedom, so on the duke's death it passed to Charles's son Henry.
Preceded by: New Creation
| Duke of Beaufort
| Followed by: Henry Somerset
|
Preceded by: Edward Somerset
| Marquess of Worcester
| Followed by: Henry Somerset
|
References
- Burke's Peerage & Baronetage (106th edition, 1999) edited by Charles Mosley
- [1] Page on the Dukedom of Beaufort from Michael Moore's website HereditaryTitles.com
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