William O'Brien, 4th Earl of Inchiquin
Encyclopedia
William McWilliam O'Brien, 4th Earl of Inchiquin, KB
, PC(I)
(1700 – 18 July 1777) was an Irish peer
and politician.
and his wife, Mary (née Villiers), sister of the 1st Earl of Jersey
, and inherited his father's titles in 1719.
for Windsor
from 1722 to 1727, for Tamworth
from 1727 to 1734, for Camelford
from 1741 to 1747 and for Aylesbury
from 1747 to 1754. In 1725, he had been appointed a Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath
. From 1740 to 1741, he was Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge of England
, Governor of County Clare from 1741 to 1777 and Custos Rotulorum of County Clare from 1762 to 1767. From 1744 to 1751, he was a Lord of the Bedchamber
to Frederick, Prince of Wales
and admitted to the Privy Council of Ireland
in 1753. On his death in 1777, without surviving male heirs, his titles passed to his nephew, Murrough O'Brien
, who was later created Marquess of Thomond.
, the eldest daughter and heiress of George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney
, and his wife Elizabeth
(née Villiers). His wife became 2nd Countess of Orkney in her own right in 1737. They had five children:
He married, secondly, Mary Moore, daughter of Stephen Moore, 1st Viscount Mount Cashell and Alicia Colville, on 12 October 1761
Additionally, Inchiquin was feted by antiquarians and many of the works of Irish history produced at this time are dedicated to him; as an Anglican deriving his lineage from an old Gaelic family, he was a politique choice for those wishing to disseminate their work in Ascendancy Ireland and Hanoverian Britain.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, PC(I)
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
(1700 – 18 July 1777) was an Irish peer
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
and politician.
Background
O'Brien was the eldest son of William O'Brien, 3rd Earl of InchiquinWilliam O'Brien, 3rd Earl of Inchiquin
William McWilliam O'Brien, 3rd Earl of Inchiquin PC was an Irish nobleman.-Life:William O'Brien was the son of William O'Brien, 2nd Earl of Inchiquin and Lady Margareth Boyle...
and his wife, Mary (née Villiers), sister of the 1st Earl of Jersey
Edward Villiers, 1st Earl of Jersey
Edward Villiers, 1st Earl of Jersey son of Sir Edward Villiers of Richmond and Frances Howard, the youngest daughter of Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk and Elizabeth Hume, was created Baron Villiers and Viscount Villiers in 1691 and Earl of Jersey in 1697.His grandfather, Sir Edward...
, and inherited his father's titles in 1719.
Political career
Inchiquin was Whig Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Windsor
Windsor (UK Parliament constituency)
Windsor is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. In its modern form, it elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election.-Boundaries:...
from 1722 to 1727, for Tamworth
Tamworth (UK Parliament constituency)
Tamworth is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- History :...
from 1727 to 1734, for Camelford
Camelford (UK Parliament constituency)
Camelford was a rotten borough in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in the English and later British Parliament from 1552 to 1832, when it was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
from 1741 to 1747 and for Aylesbury
Aylesbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Aylesbury is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom. The Conservative Party has held the seat since 1924, and held it at the 2010 general election with a 52.2% share of the vote.-Boundaries:...
from 1747 to 1754. In 1725, he had been appointed a Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
. From 1740 to 1741, he was Grand Master of the Premier Grand Lodge of England
Premier Grand Lodge of England
The Premier Grand Lodge of England was founded on 24 June 1717 as the Grand Lodge of London and Westminster and it existed until 1813 when it united with the Ancient Grand Lodge of England to create the United Grand Lodge of England. It was the first Masonic Grand Lodge to be created...
, Governor of County Clare from 1741 to 1777 and Custos Rotulorum of County Clare from 1762 to 1767. From 1744 to 1751, he was a Lord of the Bedchamber
Lord of the Bedchamber
A Lord of the Bedchamber, previously known as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber was a courtier in the Royal Household of the King of the United Kingdom and the Prince of Wales. A Lord of the Bedchamber's duties consisted of assisting the King with his dressing, waiting on him when he ate in private,...
to Frederick, Prince of Wales
Frederick, Prince of Wales
Frederick, Prince of Wales was a member of the House of Hanover and therefore of the Hanoverian and later British Royal Family, the eldest son of George II and father of George III, as well as the great-grandfather of Queen Victoria...
and admitted to the Privy Council of Ireland
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
in 1753. On his death in 1777, without surviving male heirs, his titles passed to his nephew, Murrough O'Brien
Murrough O'Brien, 1st Marquess of Thomond
Murrough O'Brien, 1st Marquess of Thomond KP, PC , known from 1777 to 1800 as the 5th Earl of Inchiquin, was an Irish peer, soldier and politician.-Life:Murrough O'Brien was born in 1726 to Hon...
, who was later created Marquess of Thomond.
Family
On 29 March 1720, he married his cousin, Lady Anne HamiltonAnne O'Brien, 2nd Countess of Orkney
Anne Douglas-Hamilton, 2nd Countess of Orkney was a Scottish noblewoman and the eldest daughter of Field Marshal George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney, and Elizabeth Villiers....
, the eldest daughter and heiress of George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney
George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney
Field Marshal George Douglas-Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney KT was a British soldier and Scottish nobleman and the first British Army officer to be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. The son of the Duke and Duchess of Hamilton, he fought for William of Orange in Ireland and the Low Countries...
, and his wife Elizabeth
Elizabeth Hamilton, Countess of Orkney
Elizabeth Hamilton, Countess of Orkney , was the acknowledged mistress of William III & II, King of England and Scotland, from 1680 until 1695...
(née Villiers). His wife became 2nd Countess of Orkney in her own right in 1737. They had five children:
- Lady MaryMary O'Brien, 3rd Countess of OrkneyMary O'Brien, 3rd Countess of Orkney was the eldest daughter of Anne O'Brien, 2nd Countess of Orkney and William O'Brien, 4th Earl of Inchiquin, and Countess of Orkney in her own right....
(c.1721–1791), later 3rd Countess of Orkney - William, styled Lord O'Brien (1725–1727)
- George, styled Lord O'Brien (1727–1728)
- Augustus, styled Lord O'Brien (died in infancy)
- Murrough, styled Lord O'Brien, later styled Viscount Kirkwall (1731–1741)
He married, secondly, Mary Moore, daughter of Stephen Moore, 1st Viscount Mount Cashell and Alicia Colville, on 12 October 1761
Additionally, Inchiquin was feted by antiquarians and many of the works of Irish history produced at this time are dedicated to him; as an Anglican deriving his lineage from an old Gaelic family, he was a politique choice for those wishing to disseminate their work in Ascendancy Ireland and Hanoverian Britain.