Katherine Stanhope, Countess of Chesterfield
Encyclopedia
Katherine Stanhope, Countess of Chesterfield (1609–1667) was the governess and confidante of Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange
.
She was born eldest daughter to Thomas Wotton, 2nd Baron Wotton
and his wife, Mary, daughter of Sir Arthur Throckmorton of Paulerspury
, Northamptonshire.
She first married Henry, Lord Stanhope
, in 1628, with whom she had two daughters, Mary and Catherine, and a son, Philip
, who would later inherit the Earldom of Chesterfield from his grandfather in 1656. Her husband died prematurely in 1634.
After being courted by several suitors, she married Jehan van der Kerckhove, Lord of Heenvliet in early 1641, one of the diplomats involved in negotiating the marriage between William II, Prince of Orange
and the Princess Royal Mary, daughter of King Charles I
.
After the marriage of William and Mary in May 1641, she followed her husband to Holland as the governess to the princess Royal. As the princess came to age, Lady Stanhope grew to become her confidante and adviser.
During the English Civil War
, Lady Stanhope sided with Charles I and his heir, King Charles II
; she is said to have supplied them both politically and financially, and to have been involved in much of the royalist plots of that decade.
After the death of Heenvliet in 1660, Charles II created her Countess of Chesterfield in recognition of both her service and her friendship. She remained in princess Mary's service until the latter's death in illness on 24 December 1660. She then passed into service to the Lady Anne Hyde, Duchess of York
and 1662 to Queen Catherine
.
That same year, Lady Catherine married her friend Daniel O'Neill
, another one of the King's men during the civil war. Upon his death in 1664, she increased her by then already considerable wealth by inheriting O'Neill's office of the Postmaster General
. She died of an edema
in 1667, and was buried on the estate of her father.
Mary, Princess Royal and Princess of Orange
Mary, Princess Royal, Princess of Orange and Countess of Nassau was the eldest daughter of King Charles I of England, Scotland, and Ireland and his queen, Henrietta Maria of France...
.
She was born eldest daughter to Thomas Wotton, 2nd Baron Wotton
Thomas Wotton, 2nd Baron Wotton
Thomas Wotton, 2nd Baron Wotton was an English peer.Wotton was the eldest son and heir of Edward Wotton, 1st Baron Wotton, and inherited his father's title in 1626...
and his wife, Mary, daughter of Sir Arthur Throckmorton of Paulerspury
Paulerspury
Paulerspury is a civil parish and small village in South Northamptonshire, England. It is approximately south of Towcester and north of Milton Keynes along the A5 road...
, Northamptonshire.
She first married Henry, Lord Stanhope
Henry Stanhope, Lord Stanhope
Henry Stanhope, Lord Stanhope KB , known as Sir Henry Stanhope until 1628, was an English noble and politician.He was the second and next surviving son of Philip Stanhope, 1st Earl of Chesterfield and his wife first Catherine, daughter of Francis Hastings, Lord Hastings, oldest son of George...
, in 1628, with whom she had two daughters, Mary and Catherine, and a son, Philip
Philip Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Chesterfield
Philip Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Chesterfield PC was a peer in the peerage of England.-Personal life:He was the son of Henry Stanhope, Lord Stanhope and his wife, Katherine Wotton. He inherited the title of Earl of Chesterfield on the death of his grandfather in 1656...
, who would later inherit the Earldom of Chesterfield from his grandfather in 1656. Her husband died prematurely in 1634.
After being courted by several suitors, she married Jehan van der Kerckhove, Lord of Heenvliet in early 1641, one of the diplomats involved in negotiating the marriage between William II, Prince of Orange
William II, Prince of Orange
William II, Prince of Orange was sovereign Prince of Orange and stadtholder of the United Provinces of the Netherlands from 14 March 1647 until his death three years later.-Biography:...
and the Princess Royal Mary, daughter of King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
.
After the marriage of William and Mary in May 1641, she followed her husband to Holland as the governess to the princess Royal. As the princess came to age, Lady Stanhope grew to become her confidante and adviser.
During the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, Lady Stanhope sided with Charles I and his heir, King Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
; she is said to have supplied them both politically and financially, and to have been involved in much of the royalist plots of that decade.
After the death of Heenvliet in 1660, Charles II created her Countess of Chesterfield in recognition of both her service and her friendship. She remained in princess Mary's service until the latter's death in illness on 24 December 1660. She then passed into service to the Lady Anne Hyde, Duchess of York
Anne Hyde
Anne Hyde was the first wife of James, Duke of York , and the mother of two monarchs, Mary II of England and Scotland and Anne of Great Britain....
and 1662 to Queen Catherine
Catherine of Braganza
Catherine of Braganza was a Portuguese infanta and queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles II.She married the king in 1662...
.
That same year, Lady Catherine married her friend Daniel O'Neill
Daniel O'Neill (royalist)
Daniel O'Neill was an Irish army officer, politician and courtier.-Early life:O'Neill was the eldest son of Con MacNiall O'Neill, lord of Clandeboye and his wife, Ellis...
, another one of the King's men during the civil war. Upon his death in 1664, she increased her by then already considerable wealth by inheriting O'Neill's office of the Postmaster General
United Kingdom Postmaster General
The Postmaster General of the United Kingdom is a defunct Cabinet-level ministerial position in HM Government. Aside from maintaining the postal system, the Telegraph Act of 1868 established the Postmaster General's right to exclusively maintain electric telegraphs...
. She died of an edema
Edema
Edema or oedema ; both words from the Greek , oídēma "swelling"), formerly known as dropsy or hydropsy, is an abnormal accumulation of fluid beneath the skin or in one or more cavities of the body that produces swelling...
in 1667, and was buried on the estate of her father.