Francis Seymour-Conway, 3rd Marquess of Hertford
Encyclopedia
Francis Charles Seymour-Conway, 3rd Marquess of Hertford KG
, GCH
PC
(11 March 1777 – 1 March 1842), styled Viscount Beauchamp between 1793 and 1794 and Earl of Yarmouth between 1794 and 1822, was a British Tory politician and art collector.
, by his second wife Isabella Anne Ingram
, daughter of Charles Ingram, 9th Viscount of Irvine.
for Orford
from 1797 to 1802, for Lisburn
from 1802 to 1812, for Antrim
from 1812 to 1818 and for Camelford
from 1820 to 1822. In March 1812 he was sworn of the Privy Council
and appointed Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
under Spencer Perceval
. He continued in the post after Lord Liverpool
became prime minister in May 1812 after Perceval's assassination, but relinquished it in July of that year. The same year he was appointed Lord Warden of the Stannaries
, a post he held until his death. He succeeded his father in the marquessate in 1822. The same year he was also made a Knight of the Garter
and appointed Vice-Admiral of Suffolk, a post he retained until his death.
Lord Hertford was also a considerable art collector, as were his son and grandson; many of his pictures are in the Wallace Collection
which they founded.
, reputedly the illegitimate daughter of the 4th Duke of Queensberry
and a married Italian aristocrat, the Marchesa Fagnani, on 18 May 1798. They had three children:
Lord Hertford was the prototype for the characters of the Marquess of Monmouth in Benjamin Disraeli's 1844 novel, Coningsby
and the Marquess of Steyne in William Makepeace Thackeray
's 1848 novel, Vanity Fair. He died in March 1842, aged 64, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Richard. The Marchioness of Hertford died in March 1856, aged 84.
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
, GCH
Royal Guelphic Order
The Royal Guelphic Order, sometimes also referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent . It has not been conferred by the British Crown since the death of King William IV in 1837, when the personal union of the...
PC
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
(11 March 1777 – 1 March 1842), styled Viscount Beauchamp between 1793 and 1794 and Earl of Yarmouth between 1794 and 1822, was a British Tory politician and art collector.
Background
Seymour-Conway was the son of Francis Seymour-Conway, 2nd Marquess of HertfordFrancis Seymour-Conway, 2nd Marquess of Hertford
Francis Ingram-Seymour-Conway, 2nd Marquess of Hertford KG, PC , styled The Honourable Francis Seymour-Conway until 1750, Viscount Beauchamp between 1750 and 1793 and Earl of Yarmouth between 1793 and 1794, was a British peer and politician.-Background and education:A member of the Seymour family...
, by his second wife Isabella Anne Ingram
Isabella Ingram-Seymour-Conway, Marchioness of Hertford
Isabella Anne Ingram-Seymour-Conway, Marchioness of Hertford was an English courtier and mistress of King George IV when he was Prince of Wales...
, daughter of Charles Ingram, 9th Viscount of Irvine.
Political career
Lord Yarmouth sat as 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 Orford
Orford (UK Parliament constituency)
Orford was a constituency of the House of Commons. Consisting of the town of Orford in Suffolk, it elected two Members of Parliament by the bloc vote version of the first past the post system of election until it was disenfranchised in 1832.-History:...
from 1797 to 1802, for Lisburn
Lisburn (UK Parliament constituency)
Lisburn was a United Kingdom Parliament constituency, in Ireland, returning one MP. It was an original constituency represented in Parliament when the Union of Great Britain and Ireland took effect on 1 January 1801.-Boundaries:...
from 1802 to 1812, for Antrim
Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)
Antrim is former UK Parliament constituency in Ireland. It was a two member constituency and existed in two periods, 1801–1885 and 1922-1950.-Boundaries:...
from 1812 to 1818 and 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 1820 to 1822. In March 1812 he was sworn of the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
and appointed Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
The Vice-Chamberlain of the Household is usually a junior government whip in the British House of Commons and is an officer of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. He or she is the Deputy to the Lord Chamberlain of the Household. The Vice-Chamberlain's main role is to compile...
under Spencer Perceval
Spencer Perceval
Spencer Perceval, KC was a British statesman and First Lord of the Treasury, making him de facto Prime Minister. He is the only British Prime Minister to have been assassinated...
. He continued in the post after Lord Liverpool
Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool
Robert Banks Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool KG PC was a British politician and the longest-serving Prime Minister of the United Kingdom since the Union with Ireland in 1801. He was 42 years old when he became premier in 1812 which made him younger than all of his successors to date...
became prime minister in May 1812 after Perceval's assassination, but relinquished it in July of that year. The same year he was appointed Lord Warden of the Stannaries
Lord Warden of the Stannaries
The Lord Warden of the Stannaries used to exercise judicial and military functions in Cornwall, United Kingdom, and is still the official who, upon the commission of the monarch or Duke of Cornwall for the time being, has the function of calling a Stannary Parliament of tinners...
, a post he held until his death. He succeeded his father in the marquessate in 1822. The same year he was also made a Knight of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
and appointed Vice-Admiral of Suffolk, a post he retained until his death.
Lord Hertford was also a considerable art collector, as were his son and grandson; many of his pictures are in the Wallace Collection
Wallace Collection
The Wallace Collection is a museum in London, with a world-famous range of fine and decorative arts from the 15th to the 19th centuries with large holdings of French 18th-century paintings, furniture, arms & armour, porcelain and Old Master paintings arranged into 25 galleries.It was established in...
which they founded.
Family
Lord Hertford married Maria Emilia FagnaniMaria Seymour-Conway, Marchioness of Hertford
Maria Emilia Fagnani was the Marchioness of Hertford.-Possible paternity:Maria was illegitimate. Born in the 1770s, most likely, she was the daughter of Costanza Brusati, the Italian Marchesa Fagnani, and of either -*William Douglas, 4th Duke of Queensberry , who was famously detested by Robert...
, reputedly the illegitimate daughter of the 4th Duke of Queensberry
William Douglas, 4th Duke of Queensberry
William Douglas, 4th Duke of Queensberry KT was a Scottish nobleman.Born in Peebles, Queensberry was the only son of William Douglas, 2nd Earl of March, and his wife, Lady Anne Hamilton....
and a married Italian aristocrat, the Marchesa Fagnani, on 18 May 1798. They had three children:
- Lady Francis Maria Seymour-Conway (d. 1822).
- Captain Richard Seymour-Conway, 4th Marquess of HertfordRichard Seymour-Conway, 4th Marquess of HertfordCaptain Richard Seymour-Conway, 4th Marquess of Hertford KG was the son of Francis Seymour-Conway, 3rd Marquess of Hertford....
(1800–1870). - Lord Henry Seymour-Conway (1805–1859).
Lord Hertford was the prototype for the characters of the Marquess of Monmouth in Benjamin Disraeli's 1844 novel, Coningsby
Coningsby (novel)
Coningsby, or The New Generation, is an English political novel by Benjamin Disraeli published in 1844.-Background:The book is set against a background of the real political events of the 1830s in England that followed the enactment of the Reform Bill of 1832...
and the Marquess of Steyne in William Makepeace Thackeray
William Makepeace Thackeray
William Makepeace Thackeray was an English novelist of the 19th century. He was famous for his satirical works, particularly Vanity Fair, a panoramic portrait of English society.-Biography:...
's 1848 novel, Vanity Fair. He died in March 1842, aged 64, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Richard. The Marchioness of Hertford died in March 1856, aged 84.