Elizabeth Butler Stanhope, Countess of Chesterfield
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Stanhope, Countess of Chesterfield (29 June 1640 – July 1665) was the second wife of Philip Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Chesterfield
, and the eldest daughter of James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde
and Lady Elizabeth Preston.
, Kilkenny
, Ireland on 29 June 1640, the eldest daughter of James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde and Lady Elizabeth Preston.
She married Philip Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield some time before 25 September 1660. He was one of the lovers of the notorious Barbara Villiers, mistress of King Charles II of England
. There were many at court who believed Barbara's first child, Anne
bore a strong resemblance to Chesterfield. His first wife was Lady Anne Percy, daughter of Algernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland
; however, she had died on 29 November 1654 without having produced surviving children.
Together Elizabeth and Chesterfield had one daughter, Lady Elizabeth Stanhope
, later Countess of Strathmore, although the child's paternity was in doubt. According to Samuel Pepys
, theirs was a marriage of convenience
, but Chesterfield, despite his own past conduct with Barbara Villiers, became jealous when rumours spread that his wife was having affairs with both James Hamilton
and James, Duke of York
, with whom she is said to have been caught in flagrante. On the other hand, he describes Elizabeth as "a virtuous lady".
The Chevalier de Grammont
, in his memoirs, says of Elizabeth that, "she had a most exquisite shape, though she was not very tall: her complexion was extremely fair, with all the expressive charms of a brunette: she had large blue eyes, very tempting and alluring: her manners were engaging: her wit lively and amusing; but her heart, ever open to tender sentiments, was neither scrupulous in point of constancy, nor nice in point of sincerity."
In May 1663, the couple went to live at Bretby in Derbyshire. It was around this time that their daughter, Elizabeth was born.
, Northamptonshire
.
Her daughter, Lady Elizabeth (May 1663- 24 April 1723), who was a child of two years at the time of Elizabeth's death, later married in 1691 John Lyon, 4th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
, by whom she had 10 children. Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
, Queen consort of George VI of the United Kingdom
was one of her many descendants.
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...
, and the eldest daughter of James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde
James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde
James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde PC was an Irish statesman and soldier. He was the second of the Kilcash branch of the family to inherit the earldom. He was the friend of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford, who appointeed him commander of the Cavalier forces in Ireland. From 1641 to 1647, he...
and Lady Elizabeth Preston.
Marriage
Lady Elizabeth was born at Kilkenny CastleKilkenny Castle
Kilkenny Castle is a castle in Kilkenny, Ireland built in 1195 by William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke to control a fording-point of the River Nore and the junction of several routeways...
, Kilkenny
Kilkenny
Kilkenny is a city and is the county town of the eponymous County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster, in the south-east of Ireland...
, Ireland on 29 June 1640, the eldest daughter of James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde and Lady Elizabeth Preston.
She married Philip Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield some time before 25 September 1660. He was one of the lovers of the notorious Barbara Villiers, mistress of King Charles II of England
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...
. There were many at court who believed Barbara's first child, Anne
Anne Lennard, Countess of Sussex
Anne Lennard, Countess of Sussex , formerly Lady Anne Palmer, alias Fitzroy, was the eldest daughter of Barbara Palmer née Villiers, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, and most likely Charles II of England or Philip Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Chesterfield.-Biography:She was born Anne Palmer on 25 February 1661...
bore a strong resemblance to Chesterfield. His first wife was Lady Anne Percy, daughter of Algernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland
Algernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland
Algernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland, 4th Baron Percy, KG was an English military leader and a prominent supporter of constitutional monarchy.-Family background:...
; however, she had died on 29 November 1654 without having produced surviving children.
Together Elizabeth and Chesterfield had one daughter, Lady Elizabeth Stanhope
Elizabeth Lyon, Countess of Strathmore
Elizabeth Stanhope, Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne , was an English noblewoman and the wife of Scottish peer John Lyon, 4th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne. Born to Lady Elizabeth Butler and Philip Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Chesterfield, her paternity was in doubt...
, later Countess of Strathmore, although the child's paternity was in doubt. According to Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
, theirs was a marriage of convenience
Marriage of convenience
A marriage of convenience is a marriage contracted for reasons other than the reasons of relationship, family, or love. Instead, such a marriage is orchestrated for personal gain or some other sort of strategic purpose, such as political marriage. The phrase is a calque of - a marriage of...
, but Chesterfield, despite his own past conduct with Barbara Villiers, became jealous when rumours spread that his wife was having affairs with both James Hamilton
James Hamilton (colonel)
James Hamilton was an Irish courtier and soldier, the eldest son of Sir George Hamilton, 1st Baronet and Mary Butler.Like his younger brothers, he chose a military career, and became a colonel. A favorite of Charles II, he was appointed Ranger of Hyde Park in 1660 and Groom of the Bedchamber on 28...
and James, 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...
, with whom she is said to have been caught in flagrante. On the other hand, he describes Elizabeth as "a virtuous lady".
The Chevalier de Grammont
Philibert, comte de Gramont
Philibert, comte de Gramont was a French nobleman, known as the protagonist of the Mémoires written by Antoine Hamilton.-Biography:Came of a noble Gascon family, said to have been of Basque origin....
, in his memoirs, says of Elizabeth that, "she had a most exquisite shape, though she was not very tall: her complexion was extremely fair, with all the expressive charms of a brunette: she had large blue eyes, very tempting and alluring: her manners were engaging: her wit lively and amusing; but her heart, ever open to tender sentiments, was neither scrupulous in point of constancy, nor nice in point of sincerity."
In May 1663, the couple went to live at Bretby in Derbyshire. It was around this time that their daughter, Elizabeth was born.
Death and legacy
She died in July 1665 shortly after her 25th birthday and was buried on 18 July 1665 at WellingboroughWellingborough
Wellingborough is a market town and borough in Northamptonshire, England, situated some from the county town of Northampton. The town is situated on the north side of the River Nene, most of the older town is sited on the flanks of the hills above the river's current flood plain...
, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
.
Her daughter, Lady Elizabeth (May 1663- 24 April 1723), who was a child of two years at the time of Elizabeth's death, later married in 1691 John Lyon, 4th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
John Lyon, 4th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne
John Lyon, 4th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne was a Scottish peer and the son of Patrick Lyon, 3rd Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne. He was succeeded by his son, John as Earl....
, by whom she had 10 children. Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
, Queen consort of George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
was one of her many descendants.