1st Duke of Shrewsbury

DUKEDOM OF SHREWSBURY

1694-1718

CHARLES, LORD TALBOT (1660-1718) succeeded his father as 12th Earl of Shrewsbury and 12th Earl of Waterford in 1667 (the Earl of Shrewsbury's coat-of-arms is displayed above).

In 1681, his lordship was constituted Lord-Lieutenant of Staffordshire; and he renounced the tenets of the Church of Rome at the time when prosecutions were in such vigorous progress under the auspices of Titus Oates against the unhappy persons charged with the fictitious popish plot.

At the coronation of JAMES II, Lord Shrewsbury wore the Curtana or pointless sword; and the same year he was appointed Colonel of the 6th Regiment of Horse; but disgusted with the proceedings of the Court, he resigned soon after his military rank and went over to the Prince of Orange, to whom he tendered his purse and sword.

Bishop Burnet states that Lord Shrewsbury was one of the noblemen in whom the Prince placed the most confidence, and upon whose counsel he was on all occasions principally guided.

Thus promoting the Revolution, when that measure was accomplished by WILLIAM & MARY to the throne, his lordship was immediately sworn of the Privy Council and appointed Principal Secretary of State.

1st Duke of Shrewsbury,  Photo Credit: The National Trust

In March, 1694, he was installed a Knight of the Garter; and the next month, created Marquess of Alton and DUKE OF SHREWSBURY.

In 1695 and 1697, His Grace was one of the Lords Justices during the temporary absences of the King; and in 1699 he resigned the seals as Secretary of State, but was constituted soon after Lord Chamberlain, an office which he subsequently held in the reign of QUEEN ANNE; and was afterwards appointed by Her Majesty LORD LIEUTENANT OF IRELAND.

Upon the accession of GEORGE I, the 1st Duke was appointed Groom of the Stole, Privy Purse, and sworn a member of the new Privy Council.

He was subsequently declared Lord Chamberlain of His Majesty's household, while his Duchess was appointed one of the Ladies of the Bedchamber to Caroline, Princess of Wales.

His Grace married Adelhida, daughter of the Marquis Paleotti, in Italy, descended maternally from Sir Robert Dudley, son of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, the celebrated favourite of ELIZABETH I, but died without issue in 1718, when the honours he had inherited passed to the heir-at-law, and the marquessate of Alton, dukedom of Shrewsbury, etc expired.

First published in October, 2017.