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Duchy of Northumberland
I'm trying to get clear in my head the history of the Duchy of Northumberland and I'm really confused! Anne Boleyn, prior to marrying King Hal, had a bit of a fling with Henry Percy, who I think was the son of the Duke of Northumberland so the family name at that time was Percy. A few decades later Edward VI's Lord Protector was the Duke of Northumberland but his name was John Dudley, father of Elizabeth I's beau Robert Dudley. So the family name then was Dudley. The family now though is Percy again and has been for centuries as far as I can tell - how did that happen?? I've done some internet searching but nothing seems to be giving me a clear answer.
Sorry if I'm being thick! Any help gratefully appreciated. Thank you.
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It would appear that the Earldom of Northumberland was "suspended" in 1537 upon the death of Henry Percy, the 6th Earl. Henry's son, Thomas Percy, was alive and well but was not allowed to assume the title because of his father's participation in The Pilgrimage of Grace. Instead, a new Dukedom of Northumberland was created for John Dudley (no relation to the Percy family) in 1551 by Edward VI. This title was forfeited by Dudley, along with his life, in 1553 when Mary I had him executed for supporting the claim of Lady Jane Grey to the throne of England. The Dukedom died along with him. Thomas Percy was then finally allowed to take up the title of 7th Earl of Northumberland in 1557. The title remained in the Percy family until 1670, when the 11th Earl, Joceline Percy, died without a male heir, so the Earldom became extinct for a 2nd time.
The Earldom of Northumberland was then revived in 1674, when George Fitzroy, an illegitimate son of Charles II, was given the title of Earl. The title of Duke of Northumberland was then bestowed on him in 1683, meaning he carried both titles until his death in 1716.
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Since George Fitzroy had no legitimate heirs, the titles of Duke and Earl of Northumberland died with him. The Earldom was revived yet again in 1749, when the title of Earl of Northumberland was bestowed on Algernon Seymour (already the 7th Duke of Somerset), as well as the title Baron Percy. It is unclear to me if this creation of the Barony had any connection to the old Percy family. Algernon's daughter, Elizabeth Seymour, married Hugh Smithson in 1740 and her new husband promptly changed his surname to Percy to reflect the fact that he was now the husband of Baroness Percy. When Algernon Seymour died in 1750, Hugh Percy became the new Earl of Northumberland and then, in 1766, the title Duke of Notrthumberland was bestowed on him. Both titles have remained in the same Percy family ever since.
Yes, I know I have merely gleaned this info from the web and it is just my interpretation of what I have read. As I said, I have no idea if the current Percy family has any family connection to the Percy family which held the title prior to 1670.
There were a couple of occasions when there were no sons and the title went via daughters. When Josceline died in 1670, his baby daughter Elizabeth inherited the lands. She eventually married Charles Seymour, Duke of Somerset, known as the Proud Duke because of his haughty ways. They had a son, Algernon, but the duke fell out with him over his choice of wife and tried to disinherit him. Understandably, Algernon was prouder of his Percy blood than of the Seymour inheritance. Algernon's son also died and the estate went to his daughter, also named Elizabeth. She married Sir Hugh Smithson, another big landowner oop north; he became Earl of Northumberland, and changed his name to Percy - to honour his wife and to petition to be upgraded from Earl to Duke, which the King reluctantly granted. So this was the third time the title Duke of Northumberland had been created.
One of this man's illegitimate sons emigrated to America and founded the Smithsonian Institute in Washington.
I used to work for the Percy's ancestors in Northumberland when I was a young teenager.
He was a coroner in Alnwick and she ran a bed and breakfast where I helped out in the holidays when I was 13-14. Mr Percy was a wonderful old gentleman, we always had tea and cake at 4pm (in china cups and saucers).
The bed and breakfast was in Alnmouth, Northumberland. I live down south now. Thanks for this post as it reminded me of beautiful innocent but hard working summer days long ago :) Pog x
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