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Kent, Earl of (E, 1465 - 1740)

Creation: let. pat. 30 May 1465

Extinct: 5 Jun 1740

Family name: Grey

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Arms:

See Duke of Kent

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Edmund [Grey], 4th Baron Grey of Ruthin later 1st Earl of Kent

1st son and heir of Sir John Grey KG (by his wife Lady Constance de Mowbray, widow of Sir Thomas de Mowbray, de jure 2nd Duke of Norfolk, and only dau. of John [de Holand], 1st Duke of Exeter), 1st son and heir ap. of Reynold [Grey], 3rd Baron Grey of Ruthin, by his first wife Margaret de Ros, dau. of Thomas [de Ros], 4th Baron Ros

bapt.

26 Oct 1416

mar.

bef. Jan 1458/9 Lady Catherine Percy (b. 28 May 1423), 2nd dau. of Henry [Percy], 1st Earl of Northumberland, by his wife Lady Eleanor le Despencer, widow of Richard le Despencer, styled Lord le Despencer, and 2nd dau. by his second wife of Ralph [Nevill], 1st Earl of Westmorland

children

1. Sir Anthony Grey, styled Lord Grey of Ruthin (dsp. and vp. May/Nov 1480; bur. in St Alban's Abbey), mar. Lady Joan Wydville, 8th dau. and cohrss. in her issue of Richard [Wydville], 1st Earl Rivers, by his wife Jacquetta of Luxembourg, dau. of Pierre de Luxembourg, Count of St Pol

2. George Grey, later 2nd Earl of Kent

3. John Grey

1. Lady Elizabeth Grey, mar. as his second wife Sir Robert de Greystock, 1st son and heir ap. by his first wife of Ralph [de Greystock], 5th Baron Greystock, and had issue

2. Lady Anne Grey, mar. as his first wife John [Grey], 8th Baron Grey of Wilton, and had issue

died

22 May 1490

created

30 May 1465 Earl of Kent

suc. by

son

note

suc. his grandfather 30 Sep 1440 as 4th Baron Grey of Ruthin; Justice of the Peace in Buckinghamshire 1447, Bedfordshire 1448, Northamptonshire 1448, Huntingdonshire 1450 and Norfolk 1485; attended the Privy Council from 1443 and the Great Council from 1454; Lord High Treasurer 1463; Chief Justice of Merioneth 1465

George [Grey], 2nd Earl of Kent

bapt.

mar. (1)

c.1483 Lady Anne Bourchier (widow of Sir William Bourchier, styled Viscount Bourchier, 1st son and heir ap. of Henry [Bourchier], 1st Earl of Essex; mar. (3) Sir Anthony Wingfield; d. 30 Jul 1489; bur. at Warden Abbey, co. Bedford), 3rd dau. and cohrss. in her issue of Richard [Wydville], 1st Earl Rivers, by his wife Jacquetta of Luxembourg, dau. of Pierre de Luxembourg, Count of St Pol and Conversano

only child by first wife

1. Richard Grey, later 3rd Earl of Kent

mar. (2)

c. 1 Oct 1490 Lady Catherine Herbert (d. c.1502; bur. at Warden Abbey, co. Bedford), 3rd dau. of William [Herbert], 1st Earl of Pembroke, by his wife Anne Devereux, dau. of Sir Walter Devereux, of Bodenham, co. Hereford

children by second wife

2. Sir Henry Grey, of Wrest, co. Bedford, de jure 4th Earl of Kent

3. George Grey (d. unm.)

4. Anthony Grey, of Brancepeth, co. Durham, mar., and had issue:

1a. George Grey (d. c. 6 Mar 1564/5), mar. Margery Salvaine, dau. of Gerard Salvaine, of Croxdall, co. Durham, and had issue:

1b. Rev Anthony Grey, later 9th Earl of Kent

1. Lady Anne Grey (d. betw. 1 Mar 1544/5 and 11 Feb 1545/6), mar. as his second wife John [Hussey], 1st Baron Hussey, and had issue

died

16 Dec 1503

suc. by

son by first wife

note

Knight of the Bath at the Coronation of Richard III 1483; Justice of the Peace in Huntingdonshire 1480, Northamptonshire 1480, Bedfordshire 1485, Buckinghamshire 1494 and Kent 1496

Richard [Grey], 3rd Earl of Kent, KG

born

c.1485

mar. (1)

Elizabeth Hussey (d. 19 Nov 1516; bur. at Warden Abbey, co. Bedford), sister of John [Hussey], 1st Baron Hussey, and dau. of Sir William Hussey, Chief Justice of the King's Bench, by his wife Elizabeth Berkeley, dau. of Thomas Berkeley, of Wymondham, co. Leicester

mar. (2)

23 Jan 1520/1 Margaret Davies (widow of (1) Oliver Curteys and (2) Alderman John Davies; d. c.1540), dau. of James Fynche

died

s.p. 3 May 1523 (bur. in the Whitefriars Church, Fleet Street, London)

suc. by

half-brother

note

Justice of the Peace in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Huntingdonshire from 1504; Knight of the Garter 1505

Sir Henry Grey, de jure 4th Earl of Kent

born

mar.

Anne Blennerhasset (d. 1565), sister and cohrss. of John Blennerhasset, of Southill, co. Bedford, and dau. of John Blennerhasset, of Frens, co. Norfolk, by his second wife Jane Tyndall, dau. of Sir Thomas Tyndall

children

1. Henry Grey (dvp. 1545), mar. Margaret St John, dau. of John St John, of Bletso, co. Bedford, and had issue:

1a. Reginald Grey, later 5th Earl of Kent

2a. Henry Grey, later 6th Earl of Kent

3a. Charles Grey, later 7th Earl of Kent

1. Katherine Grey, mar. (1) ..... Spencer, and (2) ..... Slayton

died

24 Sep 1562 (bur. in St Giles's, Cripplegate, London)

suc. by

grandson

note

Justice of the Peace in Bedfordshire in 1523; did not assume the title "by reason of his slender estate"

Reynold [Grey], 5th Earl of Kent

born

mar.

Hon Susan Bertie (b. c. 1533; mar. (2) 30 Sep 1581 Sir John Wingfield, of Withcoll, co. Lincoln; d. after 1600), dau. of Richard Bertie MP by his wife Hon Catherine Brandon, suo jure Baroness Willoughby de Eresby (widow of Charles [Brandon], 1st Duke of Suffolk), only child by his second wife of William [Willoughby], 11th Baron Willoughby de Eresby

died

s.p. 17 Mar 1573 (bur. in St Giles's, Cripplegate, London)

suc. by

brother

note

Member of Parliament for Weymouth 1563-67; successfully petitioned for recognition as Earl of Kent 1571

Henry [Grey], 6th Earl of Kent

born

1541

mar.

Mary Stanley (widow of Edward [Stanley], 3rd Earl of Derby; dsp. 16 Nov 1580), dau. of Sir George Cotton, of Combermere, co. Chester, by his wife Mary Onley, dau. of John Onley, of Catesby, co. Northampton

died

s.p. 31 Jan 1614/5 (bur. at Flitton, co. Bedford)

suc. by

brother

note

knighted 1570; Justice of the Peace in Bedfordshire 1585; Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire 1585-1616; a Commissioner for the trial of Mary, Queen of Scots 1586

Charles [Grey], 7th Earl of Kent

born

c.1545

mar.

c.1580 Susan Cotton (d. 1617), dau. of Sir Richard Cotton, of Bedhampton, co. Hampshire

children

1. Hon Henry Grey, later 8th Earl of Kent

1. Lady Susan Grey (bur. vp. 13 Dec 1620 at Blunham, co. Bedford), mar. 12 Aug 1611 Sir Michael Longueville, of Wolverton, co. Buckingham, and had issue:

1a. Charles Longueville, later 12th Baron Grey of Ruthin

died

28 Sep 1623 (bur. at Flitton, co. Bedford)

suc. by

son

note

Gentleman of the Household to Archbishop Parker; Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire 1614/5

Henry [Grey], 8th Earl of Kent

born

c.1583

mar.

16 Nov 1601 Lady Elizabeth Talbot (mar. (2) John Seldon; d. 7 Dec 1651; bur. at Flitton, co. Bedford), 2nd dau. and cohrss. of Gilbert [Talbot], 7th Earl of Shrewsbury, by his wife Mary Cavendish, 3rd dau. by his third wife of Sir William Cavendish, of Chatsworth, co. Derby

died

s.p. 21 Nov 1639 (bur. at Flitton, co. Bedford)

suc. by

second cousin once removed

note

knighted 1603; Member of Parliament for Bedfordshire 1614; Joint Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire 1621-23 and 1625-26; on his death the Earldom of Kent passed to his cousin as heir male of the 1st Earl of Kent while the Barony of Grey of Ruthin passed to his nephew, Charles Longueville, as heir general of the 1st Baron Grey of Ruthin

Anthony [Grey], 9th Earl of Kent

born

1557

mar.

c.1590 Magdalen Purefoy (d. 16 Apr 1653; bur. at Burbage, co. Leicester)), dau. of William Purefoy, of Caldecote, co. Warwick, by his wife Katherine Wigston, dau. of Sir William Wigston

children

1. Hon Henry Grey, later 10th Earl of Kent

2. Hon John Grey

3. Hon William Grey

4. Hon Theophilus Grey

5. Hon Nathaniel Grey

1. Lady Grace Grey, mar. James Ward

2. Lady Magdalen Grey, mar. John Brown

3. Lady Christian Grey, mar. ..... Burdet

4. Lady Patience Grey, mar. ..... Wood

5.Lady Priscilla Grey

died

9 Nov 1643 (bur. at Burbage, co. Leicester)

suc. by

son

note

Clerk in Holy Orders; Rector of Aston Flamville with Burbage, co. Leicester 1590-1643

Henry [Grey], 10th Earl of Kent

bapt.

28 Nov 1594

mar. (1)

14 Oct 1641 Mary Courteen (bapt. 30 Jul 1609; bur. 20 Mar 1643/4 in Westminster Abbey), dau. of Sir William Courteen, of London, by his second wife Hester Tryon, dau. of Peter Tryon

only child by first wife

1. Hon Henry Grey (dvp. an infant; bur. 20 Jun 1644 in Westminster Abbey)

mar. (2)

1 Aug 1644 Amabel Fane (bapt. 3 Sep 1607; widow of (1) ..... Douce, of Hampshire, and (2) Hon Anthony Fane, 3rd son of Francis [Fane], 1st Earl of Westmorland; d. 17 Aug 1698; bur. at Flitton, co. Bedford), dau. and hrss. of Sir Anthony Benn, Recorder of London, by his wife Jane Evelyn, dau. of John Evelyn, of Godstone, co. Surrey

children by second wife

2. Hon Anthony Grey, later 11th Earl of Kent

1. Lady Elizabeth Grey (d. 24 Oct 1714), mar. 9 Nov 1665 Banastre [Maynard], 3rd Baron Maynard, and had issue

died

28 May 1651 (bur. at Flitton, co. Bedford)

suc. by

son by second wife

note

Member of Parliament for Leicestershire 1640-43; Commissioner of the Great Seal 1643-46 and 1648-49; Lord Lieutenant of Rutland 1644 and Bedfordshire 1646; Commissioner of Martial Law 1644; justice of the Peace in Essex 1644-45 and 1647; Speaker of the House of Lords 1645 and 1647-49

Anthony [Grey], 11th Earl of Kent

born

11 Jun 1645

mar.

2 Mar 1662/3 Hon Mary Lucas, suo jure Baroness Lucas of Crudwell

children

1. Hon Henry Grey, later 12th Earl of Kent later 1st Marquess of Kent later 1st Duke of Kent

1. Lady Amabel Grey (d. unm.)

died

19 Aug 1702 (bur. at Flitton, co. Bedford)

suc. by

son

note

Henry [Grey], 12th Earl of Kent later 1st Marquess of Kent later 1st Duke of Kent

created

14 Nov 1706 Viscount Goderich and Marquess of Kent

28 Apr 1710 Duke of Kent

19 May 1740 Marquess Grey, with remainder failing heirs male of his body to his grand-daughter, Jemima Campbell, and the heirs male of her mother

The Earldom of Kent was held by the 1st Marquess (and later 1st Duke) of Kent from 14 Nov 1706 until 5 Jun 1740, when on his death without a surviving male heir the Barony of Lucas of Crudwell and the Marquessate of Grey passed to his grand-daughter and coheiress, Lady Jemima Campbell, and all the other titles held by him became extinct.

Last updated 26 Mar 2011

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