Henry Howard, 12th Earl of Suffolk
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Henry Howard, 12th Earl of Suffolk, 5th Earl of Berkshire, KG
, PC (16 May 1739 – 7 March 1779) was a British politician, styled Viscount Andover from 1756 to 1757.
Educated at Eton
and Magdalen College, Oxford
, he succeeded his grandfather as Earl of Suffolk
in 1757. He was awarded a MA of Oxford in 1759 and a DCL
in 1761. He was High Steward of Malmesbury from 1763 to 1767, and Deputy Earl Marshal
from 1763 to 1765. On 25 May 1764, he married Hon. Maria Constantia Hampden-Trevor, daughter of Robert Hampden-Trevor, 1st Viscount Hampden, who died on 7 February 1767 giving birth to their only daughter:
In 1771, he was appointed a Privy Counsellor and briefly served as Lord Privy Seal
before becoming Secretary of State for the Northern Department
under Lord North from 1771 to 1779. In this capacity he secured the use of Hessian
and Hanover
ian mercenaries to help suppress the American Revolution
. In the same capacity he helped to secure the survival of Sweden
as an independent nation by counteracting Russia's plan to undo the Revolution of Gustavus III
in 1772. He was made a Knight of the Garter in 1778.
On 14 August 1777, Suffolk married Lady Charlotte Finch, daughter of Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Aylesford
, by whom he had two children:
He died on 7 March 1779; his posthumous son Henry succeeded him for two days in August.
He is buried in Charlton Church, Wiltshire, together with his first wife.
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...
, PC (16 May 1739 – 7 March 1779) was a British politician, styled Viscount Andover from 1756 to 1757.
Educated at Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
, he succeeded his grandfather 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...
in 1757. He was awarded a MA of Oxford in 1759 and a DCL
Doctor of Civil Law
Doctor of Civil Law is a degree offered by some universities, such as the University of Oxford, instead of the more common Doctor of Laws degrees....
in 1761. He was High Steward of Malmesbury from 1763 to 1767, and Deputy Earl Marshal
Earl Marshal
Earl Marshal is a hereditary royal officeholder and chivalric title under the sovereign of the United Kingdom used in England...
from 1763 to 1765. On 25 May 1764, he married Hon. Maria Constantia Hampden-Trevor, daughter of Robert Hampden-Trevor, 1st Viscount Hampden, who died on 7 February 1767 giving birth to their only daughter:
- Maria Constantia Howard (7 February 1767 – 21 July 1775)
In 1771, he was appointed a Privy Counsellor and briefly served as Lord Privy Seal
Lord Privy Seal
The Lord Privy Seal is the fifth of the Great Officers of State in the United Kingdom, ranking beneath the Lord President of the Council and above the Lord Great Chamberlain. The office is one of the traditional sinecure offices of state...
before becoming Secretary of State for the Northern Department
Secretary of State for the Northern Department
The Secretary of State for the Northern Department was a position in the Cabinet of the government of Great Britain up to 1782. Before the Act of Union, 1707, the Secretary of State's responsibilities were in relation to the English government, not the British. Even after the Union, there was...
under Lord North from 1771 to 1779. In this capacity he secured the use of Hessian
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
and Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
ian mercenaries to help suppress the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. In the same capacity he helped to secure the survival of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
as an independent nation by counteracting Russia's plan to undo the Revolution of Gustavus III
Gustav III of Sweden
Gustav III was King of Sweden from 1771 until his death. He was the eldest son of King Adolph Frederick and Queen Louise Ulrica of Sweden, she a sister of Frederick the Great of Prussia....
in 1772. He was made a Knight of the Garter in 1778.
On 14 August 1777, Suffolk married Lady Charlotte Finch, daughter of Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Aylesford
Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Aylesford
Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Aylesford , styled Lord Guernsey between 1719 and 1757, was a British peer and politician.-Background and education:...
, by whom he had two children:
- George Howard, Viscount Andover (September 1778 – 27 December 1778)
- Henry Howard, 13th Earl of SuffolkHenry Howard, 13th Earl of SuffolkHenry Howard, 13th Earl of Suffolk, 6th Earl of Berkshire was a British peer, the son of Henry Howard, 12th Earl of Suffolk....
(8 August 1779 – 10 August 1779)
He died on 7 March 1779; his posthumous son Henry succeeded him for two days in August.
He is buried in Charlton Church, Wiltshire, together with his first wife.