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Frances Seymour, Duchess of Somerset (1599-1674)
Encyclopedia
Frances Seymour Duchess of Somerset (30 September 1599 – 24 April 1674), was an English noblewoman who lived in the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I
and Kings James I
, Charles I
and Charles II
. Her father was Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
, Queen Elizabeth's favourite who was executed for treason
in 1601. Lady Frances was the second wife of William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset
, and the mother of his seven children.
, England
. She was the youngest child of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex and Frances Walsingham
. Her paternal grandparents were Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex
and Lettice Knollys
, and her maternal grandparents were Sir Francis Walsingham
, Queen Elizabeth's trusted spymaster, and Ursula St. Barbe. Lady Frances was also a direct descendant of Mary Boleyn
, the sister of Anne Boleyn
.
At the time of Frances's birth, her father, who was a former favourite of Queen Elizabeth, and Lord Lieutenant
of Ireland
, was under arrest for treasonous behaviour in the Nine Years War during the disastrous Irish campaign in which he parleyed with the rebellious Earl of Tyrone
, and thus incurred the Queen's wrath. Essex was executed on 25 February 1601 for allegedly conspiring to murder the Queen. He left behind his wife and small children; Frances was less than two years old at the time. Frances's brother was Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex
, and she had an elder sister, Dorothy. She had also three younger half-siblings from her mother's third marriage in 1603 to Richard Burke, 4th Earl of Clanricarde
. These were Honora, Mary and Ulick Burke, 1st Marquess of Clanricarde
.
he was a Royalist Commander. Frances was his second wife, his first having been Arbella Stuart
whom he married secretly in 1610, and without permission from King James, which resulted in their imprisonment in the Tower of London
. He later escaped, and fled to the Continent
. In 1615, Arbella died in the Tower.
William and Frances together had seven children. She died on 24 April 1674 at the age of 74, and was buried in Great Bedwyn
, Wiltshire
. Her numerous descendants include Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (and therefore The Queen and all of her blood descendants), Diana, Princess of Wales
, and Sarah, Duchess of York
.
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
and Kings James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
, Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
and 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...
. Her father was Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, KG was an English nobleman and a favourite of Elizabeth I. Politically ambitious, and a committed general, he was placed under house arrest following a poor campaign in Ireland during the Nine Years' War in 1599...
, Queen Elizabeth's favourite who was executed for treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
in 1601. Lady Frances was the second wife of William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset
William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset
Sir William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset, KG was an English nobleman and Royalist commander in the English Civil War....
, and the mother of his seven children.
Early life
Lady Frances was born on 30 September 1599 at Walsingham House, Seething Lane, LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 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...
. She was the youngest child of Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex and Frances Walsingham
Frances Walsingham
Frances Walsingham, Countess of Essex and Countess of Clanricarde was an English noblewoman. The daughter of Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth I's Secretary of State, she became the wife of Sir Philip Sidney at age 14. Her second husband was Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, Queen Elizabeth's...
. Her paternal grandparents were Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex
Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex
Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex, KG , an English nobleman and general. From 1573 until his death he fought in Ireland in connection with the Plantation of Ulster, where he ordered the massacre of Rathlin Island...
and Lettice Knollys
Lettice Knollys
Lettice Knollys , Countess of Essex and Countess of Leicester , was an English noblewoman and mother to the courtiers Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex and Lady Penelope Rich; through her marriage to Elizabeth I's favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, she incurred the Queen's undying...
, and her maternal grandparents were Sir Francis Walsingham
Francis Walsingham
Sir Francis Walsingham was Principal Secretary to Elizabeth I of England from 1573 until 1590, and is popularly remembered as her "spymaster". Walsingham is frequently cited as one of the earliest practitioners of modern intelligence methods both for espionage and for domestic security...
, Queen Elizabeth's trusted spymaster, and Ursula St. Barbe. Lady Frances was also a direct descendant of Mary Boleyn
Mary Boleyn
Mary Boleyn , was the sister of English queen consort Anne Boleyn and a member of the Boleyn family, which enjoyed considerable influence during the reign of King Henry VIII of England...
, the sister of Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
.
At the time of Frances's birth, her father, who was a former favourite of Queen Elizabeth, and Lord Lieutenant
Lord Lieutenant
The title Lord Lieutenant is given to the British monarch's personal representatives in the United Kingdom, usually in a county or similar circumscription, with varying tasks throughout history. Usually a retired local notable, senior military officer, peer or business person is given the post...
of Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, was under arrest for treasonous behaviour in the Nine Years War during the disastrous Irish campaign in which he parleyed with the rebellious Earl of Tyrone
Earl of Tyrone
The Earl of Tyrone is a title created three times in the Peerage of Ireland.It was first created as part of the Tudor attempt to establish a uniform social structure in Ireland by converting the Gaelic kings and chiefs into hereditary nobles of the Kingdom of Ireland...
, and thus incurred the Queen's wrath. Essex was executed on 25 February 1601 for allegedly conspiring to murder the Queen. He left behind his wife and small children; Frances was less than two years old at the time. Frances's brother was Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex was an English Parliamentarian and soldier during the first half of the seventeenth century. With the start of the English Civil War in 1642 he became the first Captain-General and Chief Commander of the Parliamentarian army, also known as the Roundheads...
, and she had an elder sister, Dorothy. She had also three younger half-siblings from her mother's third marriage in 1603 to Richard Burke, 4th Earl of Clanricarde
Richard Burke, 4th Earl of Clanricarde
Richard Burke, 4th Earl of Clanricarde was an Irish nobleman. He was the son of Ulick Burke, 3rd Earl of Clanricarde and Honora Burke, daughter of John Burke....
. These were Honora, Mary and Ulick Burke, 1st Marquess of Clanricarde
Ulick Burke, 1st Marquess of Clanricarde
Ulick Burke, 1st Marquess of Clanricarde , was an Irish nobleman and figure in English Civil War....
.
Marriage
On 3 March 1616 Frances married at Drayton Bassett William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset (1588-24 October 1660), the son of Edward Seymour, Lord Beauchamp of Hache, and the grandson of Lady Catherine Grey. During the English Civil WarEnglish Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
he was a Royalist Commander. Frances was his second wife, his first having been Arbella Stuart
Arbella Stuart
Lady Arbella Stuart was an English Renaissance noblewoman who was for some time considered a possible successor to Queen Elizabeth I on the English throne....
whom he married secretly in 1610, and without permission from King James, which resulted in their imprisonment in 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...
. He later escaped, and fled to the Continent
Continent
A continent is one of several very large landmasses on Earth. They are generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, with seven regions commonly regarded as continents—they are : Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Antarctica, Europe, and Australia.Plate tectonics is...
. In 1615, Arbella died in the Tower.
William and Frances together had seven children. She died on 24 April 1674 at the age of 74, and was buried in Great Bedwyn
Great Bedwyn
Great Bedwyn is a village and civil parish in the east of the English county of Wiltshire.-Location:Great Bedwyn is on the River Dun about south-west of Hungerford and south-east of Marlborough, Wiltshire. The Kennet and Avon Canal and the West of England Main Line railway follow the Dun and pass...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. Her numerous descendants include Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother (and therefore The Queen and all of her blood descendants), Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
, and Sarah, Duchess of York
Sarah, Duchess of York
Sarah, Duchess of York is a British charity patron, spokesperson, writer, film producer, television personality and former member of the British Royal Family. She is the former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, whom she married from 1986 to 1996...
.
Issue
- William Seymour (1621 – 16 June 1646)
- Robert Seymour (1622–1646)
- Henry Seymour, Lord Beauchamp (1626 – 30 March 1654), married Mary Capel, by whom he had issue.
- Lady Mary Seymour (1636 – 10 April 1673, married Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Winchelsea, by whom she had issue.
- Lady Jane Seymour (6 July 1637 – 23 November 1679), married Charles Boyle, 3rd Viscount DungarvanCharles Boyle, 3rd Viscount DungarvanCharles Boyle, 3rd Viscount Dungarvan, 3rd Baron Clifford, FRS , was a British peer and politician...
, by whom she had issue. - Lady Frances Seymour (1642-?)
- John Seymour, 4th Duke of SomersetJohn Seymour, 4th Duke of SomersetJohn Seymour, 4th Duke of Somerset was an English peer and MP.He was the only surviving son of William Seymour, 2nd Duke of Somerset and Lady Frances Devereux and entered Grays Inn in 1666. He succeeded his nephew as the 4th Duke of Somerset in 1671. He married in 1656 Sarah, daughter and...
(born before 1646 – 29 April 1675), married Sarah Alston.