Robert Dormer, 1st Earl of Carnarvon
Encyclopedia
Robert Dormer, 1st Earl of Carnarvon (1610 – 20 September 1643) was an English peer. He was the son of Sir William Dormer, and thus a grandson of Robert Dormer, 1st Baron Dormer
. His mother was Alice Molyneux, daughter of Sir Richard Molyneux, 1st Bt.
and Frances Gerard. Dormer received the title Baron Dormer
at the age of six and on 2 August 1628, at age 18, he was raised to Viscount Ascott and was created Earl of Carnarvon
.
At age six, Dormer was left a ward to the King
. His father had left him a rich peer at an early age. The King then sold Dormer's wardship to Philip Herbert
, then Earl of Montgomery
, for £4000. Dormer had been brought up Catholic and would become a high-living Catholic courtier, in danger, infuriating to hard-line Parliamentarians. He was educated at Eton College
and Oxford University. He was, according to the seventeenth century biographer David Lloyd, “extreamly wild in his youth”, and addicted to gambling and hunting. He and his wife are recorded as regular performers in masques at court. He was an ardent Royalist
and defying his father-in-law he fought for King Charles I
in the English Civil War
.
On 27 February 1625, at the age of fifteen, he was married to his guardian's daughter, Lady Anna Herbert (d.1643), which secured her future as Dormer was one of the wealthiest men in England at the time. Anna was the daughter of Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke
and Lady Susan de Vere
, the youngest daughter of the infamous Elizabethan courtier, poet, and playwright, Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford
.
Carnarvon was killed at the first Battle of Newbury
on 20 September 1643 by a lone trooper who chanced upon him returning from a successful cavalry charge. As he lay dying he was asked if he had one final request of the King. "No", he replied, "in an hour like this, I have no prayer but to the King of Heaven." The different accounts of the manner of his death are collected in Mr Money's account of the battle (2nd ed. pg. 90). Clarendon says before the war he had been given up to pleasure and field sports, but that he broke those habits and became a thorough soldier, conspicuous not only for courage, but presence of mind and skilful generalship (ib vii 216). David Lloyd in his Memoirs of Excellent Personages gives several anecdotes illustrating Carnarvon's character (pp 369–72). There is also an elegy on his death in Sir Francis Wortley's Characters and Elegies, 1646. Carnarvon was buried firstly at Jesus College Chapel
at Oxford University, but his body was removed in 1650 to a family burial place in Wing, Buckinghamshire
.
Dormer was succeeded by his eldest son, Charles
, who died in 1709 and with him the earldom of Carnarvon
in the family of Dormer became extinct. Lady Carnarvon died on 3 June 1643 of small-pox. Anecdotes of her are to be found in the Strafford Papers (ii, 47) and the Sydney Papers (ii, 621) and a poem addressed to her is printed in Choice Drollery, 1656. Her portrait and that of her eldest son, Charles, was part of the exhibition of Anthony Van Dyck
's works at the Grosvenor Gallery
in 1887.
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Robert Dormer, 1st Baron Dormer
Robert Dormer, 1st Baron Dormer was an English peer.Dormer was the son of Sir William Dormer and his wife Dorothy .He served as High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire in 1584 and was knighted in 1591...
. His mother was Alice Molyneux, daughter of Sir Richard Molyneux, 1st Bt.
Sir Richard Molyneux
Sir Richard Molyneux, 1st Baronet was a Member of Parliament for Lancashire and Liverpool and Mayor of Liverpool.Molyneux was the son of William Molyneux and his wife Bridget Caryll. His grandfather, Sir Richard Molyneux was MP for Liverpoole from 1562 to 1571. He was educated at University...
and Frances Gerard. Dormer received the title Baron Dormer
Baron Dormer
Baron Dormer, of Wyng or Wenge in the County of Buckingham, is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created on 30 June 1615 for Sir Robert Dormer, 1st Baronet. He had only twenty days earlier, on 10 June 1615, been created a Baronet, of Wenge in the County of Buckingham, in the Baronetage of...
at the age of six and on 2 August 1628, at age 18, he was raised to Viscount Ascott and was created Earl of Carnarvon
Earl of Carnarvon
Earl of Carnarvon is a title that has been created three times in British history. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1628 in favour of Robert Dormer, 2nd Baron Dormer. For more information on this creation, which became extinct in 1709, see the Baron Dormer.The title was created...
.
At age six, Dormer was left a ward to the King
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...
. His father had left him a rich peer at an early age. The King then sold Dormer's wardship to Philip Herbert
Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke
Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke and 1st Earl of Montgomery KG was an English courtier and politician active during the reigns of James I and Charles I...
, then Earl of Montgomery
Earl of Montgomery
The title Earl of Montgomery was created in the Peerage of England in 1605 for Sir Philip Herbert, younger son of the 2nd Earl of Pembroke. The first Earl inherited the Earldom of Pembroke in 1630 from his brother, the 3rd Earl, and the two titles have been united ever since.* Philip Herbert, 4th...
, for £4000. Dormer had been brought up Catholic and would become a high-living Catholic courtier, in danger, infuriating to hard-line Parliamentarians. He was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Oxford University. He was, according to the seventeenth century biographer David Lloyd, “extreamly wild in his youth”, and addicted to gambling and hunting. He and his wife are recorded as regular performers in masques at court. He was an ardent Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
and defying his father-in-law he fought for King 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...
in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
On 27 February 1625, at the age of fifteen, he was married to his guardian's daughter, Lady Anna Herbert (d.1643), which secured her future as Dormer was one of the wealthiest men in England at the time. Anna was the daughter of Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke
Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke
Philip Herbert, 4th Earl of Pembroke and 1st Earl of Montgomery KG was an English courtier and politician active during the reigns of James I and Charles I...
and Lady Susan de Vere
Susan de Vere, Countess of Montgomery
Susan de Vere, Countess of Montgomery was an English noblewoman and the youngest daughter of Elizabethan courtier, poet, and playwright Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford.-Family and early years:...
, the youngest daughter of the infamous Elizabethan courtier, poet, and playwright, Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford
Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford
Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford was an Elizabethan courtier, playwright, lyric poet, sportsman and patron of the arts, and is currently the most popular alternative candidate proposed for the authorship of Shakespeare's works....
.
Carnarvon was killed at the first Battle of Newbury
First Battle of Newbury
The First Battle of Newbury was a battle of the First English Civil War that was fought on 20 September 1643 between a Royalist army, under the personal command of King Charles, and a Parliamentarian force led by the Earl of Essex...
on 20 September 1643 by a lone trooper who chanced upon him returning from a successful cavalry charge. As he lay dying he was asked if he had one final request of the King. "No", he replied, "in an hour like this, I have no prayer but to the King of Heaven." The different accounts of the manner of his death are collected in Mr Money's account of the battle (2nd ed. pg. 90). Clarendon says before the war he had been given up to pleasure and field sports, but that he broke those habits and became a thorough soldier, conspicuous not only for courage, but presence of mind and skilful generalship (ib vii 216). David Lloyd in his Memoirs of Excellent Personages gives several anecdotes illustrating Carnarvon's character (pp 369–72). There is also an elegy on his death in Sir Francis Wortley's Characters and Elegies, 1646. Carnarvon was buried firstly at Jesus College Chapel
Jesus College, Oxford
Jesus College is one of the colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship Street, Cornmarket Street and Market Street...
at Oxford University, but his body was removed in 1650 to a family burial place in Wing, Buckinghamshire
Wing, Buckinghamshire
Wing is a village and civil parish in Aylesbury Vale district in Buckinghamshire, England. The village is on the main A418 road between Aylesbury and Leighton Buzzard...
.
Dormer was succeeded by his eldest son, Charles
Charles Dormer, 2nd Earl of Carnarvon
Sir Charles Dormer of Wing, 3rd Baronet, 2nd Earl of Carnarvon, 2nd Viscount Ascott, 3rd Baron Dormer of Winge was an English peer....
, who died in 1709 and with him the earldom of Carnarvon
Earl of Carnarvon
Earl of Carnarvon is a title that has been created three times in British history. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1628 in favour of Robert Dormer, 2nd Baron Dormer. For more information on this creation, which became extinct in 1709, see the Baron Dormer.The title was created...
in the family of Dormer became extinct. Lady Carnarvon died on 3 June 1643 of small-pox. Anecdotes of her are to be found in the Strafford Papers (ii, 47) and the Sydney Papers (ii, 621) and a poem addressed to her is printed in Choice Drollery, 1656. Her portrait and that of her eldest son, Charles, was part of the exhibition of Anthony Van Dyck
Anthony van Dyck
Sir Anthony van Dyck was a Flemish Baroque artist who became the leading court painter in England. He is most famous for his portraits of Charles I of England and his family and court, painted with a relaxed elegance that was to be the dominant influence on English portrait-painting for the next...
's works at the Grosvenor Gallery
Grosvenor Gallery
The Grosvenor Gallery was an art gallery in London founded in 1877 by Sir Coutts Lindsay and his wife Blanche. Its first directors were J. Comyns Carr and Charles Hallé...
in 1887.
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