Charles Howard, 9th Earl of Suffolk
Encyclopedia
Charles Howard, 9th Earl of Suffolk (1685 – 28 September 1733) was an English nobleman and politician, styled Hon. Charles Howard from 1691 to 1731.
The third son of Henry Howard, 5th Earl of Suffolk
, he was commissioned a captain
in Echlin's Regiment of Dragoons
on 27 February 1703. During that year, he sat for few months as a Member of Parliament
(MP) for Carlow Borough
in the Irish House of Commons
.
On 2 March 1706, he married Henrietta
, who was the daughter of Sir Henry Hobart, 4th Baronet
and had been placed with the Suffolk family on her father's death. Their one son, Henry
, was born in 1710.
The marriage was not a happy one; Charles was a drunken and abusive husband, and neither was possessed of any great means. Charles and Henrietta traveled to Hanover
to seek favor with the Prince-Elector George
, who seemed likely to succeed to the English throne. They were, indeed successful in securing posts at his accession as George I in 1714; Charles as Groom of the Bedchamber to the King, and Henrietta as a Woman of the Bedchamber
to Caroline, Princess of Wales
. However, this brought Henrietta into the company of the Prince of Wales
, whose mistress she became. Charles was by no means complacent about these arrangements, and, according to Horace Walpole, his acquiescence had eventually to be bought with a pension of £1,200 p.a. He also received an appointment as Deputy Lieutenant
of Essex
in 1718 and a commission as Captain and Lieutenant-Colonel in the Coldstream Guards
in 1719. He was not reappointed as a Groom of the Bedchamber after the death of George I in 1727; he had formally separated from his wife shortly before the end of the reign.
In 1731, he succeeded his brother Edward as Earl of Suffolk
, and as Henrietta was now formally a Countess, she was appointed Mistress of the Robes
. Suffolk died in 1733 and was succeeded by his son Henry.
The third son of Henry Howard, 5th Earl of Suffolk
Henry Howard, 5th Earl of Suffolk
Henry Howard, 5th Earl of Suffolk was the youngest son of Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk, but inherited the title, because none of his brothers left surviving sons.He married three times:...
, he was commissioned a captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in Echlin's Regiment of Dragoons
6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons
The 6th Dragoons was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1689. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into the 5th/6th Dragoons in 1922.The 'Skins' are one of the four ancestor regiments of the Royal Dragoon...
on 27 February 1703. During that year, he sat for few months as a Member of Parliament
Member 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,...
(MP) for Carlow Borough
Carlow Borough (Parliament of Ireland constituency)
Carlow Borough was a constituency represented in the Irish House of Commons.-Boundaries and Boundary Changes:This constituency was the borough of Carlow in County Carlow. It returned two members to the Parliament of Ireland from 1613 to 1800.-History:...
in the Irish House of Commons
Irish House of Commons
The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland, that existed from 1297 until 1800. The upper house was the House of Lords...
.
On 2 March 1706, he married Henrietta
Henrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk
Henrietta Howard was a mistress of King George II of Great Britain.She was the daughter of Sir Henry Hobart, 4th Baronet, a Norfolk landowner who was killed in a duel when Henrietta was aged eight...
, who was the daughter of Sir Henry Hobart, 4th Baronet
Sir Henry Hobart, 4th Baronet
Sir Henry Hobart, 4th Baronet was an English Whig politician and baronet.-Background:He was the oldest son of Sir John Hobart, 3rd Baronet and his first wife Mary Hampden, daughter of John Hampden...
and had been placed with the Suffolk family on her father's death. Their one son, Henry
Henry Howard, 10th Earl of Suffolk
Henry Howard, 10th Earl of Suffolk was the only child of Henrietta Howard, Countess of Suffolk and Charles Howard, 9th Earl of Suffolk. He was styled Lord Walden from 1731 to 1733...
, was born in 1710.
The marriage was not a happy one; Charles was a drunken and abusive husband, and neither was possessed of any great means. Charles and Henrietta traveled to Hanover
Electorate of Hanover
The Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg was the ninth Electorate of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation...
to seek favor with the Prince-Elector George
George I of Great Britain
George I was King of Great Britain and Ireland from 1 August 1714 until his death, and ruler of the Duchy and Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire from 1698....
, who seemed likely to succeed to the English throne. They were, indeed successful in securing posts at his accession as George I in 1714; Charles as Groom of the Bedchamber to the King, and Henrietta as a Woman of the Bedchamber
Woman of the Bedchamber
In the Royal Household of the United Kingdom the term Woman of the Bedchamber is used to describe a woman attending either a queen regnant or queen consort, in the role of Lady-in-Waiting...
to Caroline, Princess of Wales
Caroline of Ansbach
Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach was the queen consort of King George II of Great Britain.Her father, John Frederick, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, was the ruler of a small German state...
. However, this brought Henrietta into the company of the Prince of Wales
George II of Great Britain
George II was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and Archtreasurer and Prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death.George was the last British monarch born outside Great Britain. He was born and brought up in Northern Germany...
, whose mistress she became. Charles was by no means complacent about these arrangements, and, according to Horace Walpole, his acquiescence had eventually to be bought with a pension of £1,200 p.a. He also received an appointment as Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
in 1718 and a commission as Captain and Lieutenant-Colonel in the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
in 1719. He was not reappointed as a Groom of the Bedchamber after the death of George I in 1727; he had formally separated from his wife shortly before the end of the reign.
In 1731, he succeeded his brother Edward as Earl of Suffolk
Earl of Suffolk
Earl of Suffolk is a title that has been created four times in the Peerage of England. The first creation, in tandem with the creation of the title of Earl of Norfolk, came before 1069 in favour of Ralph the Staller; but the title was forfeited by his heir, Ralph de Guader, in 1074...
, and as Henrietta was now formally a Countess, she was appointed Mistress of the Robes
Mistress of the Robes
The Mistress of the Robes is the senior lady of the British Royal Household. Formerly responsible for the Queen's clothes and jewellery, the post now has the responsibility for arranging the rota of attendance of the Ladies in Waiting on the Queen, along with various duties at State ceremonies...
. Suffolk died in 1733 and was succeeded by his son Henry.