Lady Mary Bentinck
Encyclopedia
Lady Mary Bentinck, Countess of Essex (1679 – 20 August 1726) was the daughter of William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland
, a Dutch and English nobleman who became in an early stage the favourite of stadtholder William, Prince of Orange (the future King of England
) and his wife Anne Villiers (d. 30 November 1688).
Mary is one of the Hampton Court Beauties
who was painted by Sir Godfrey Kneller
for Queen Mary II
.
Despite sharing a surname, Mary's aunt, Barbara Villiers, Viscountess FitzHarding
was not the renowned courtesan and Windsor Beauty
the Duchess of Cleveland, although there is a relation; the Duchess of Cleveland was Mary's first cousin once removed through her mother, Anne Villiers. Never the less Barbara Villiers was painted by Sir Godfrey Kneller.
and his wife, Lady Elizabeth Home (d. 19 August 1633), daughter of the 1st Earl of Dunbar
. Through her grandfather, Sir Edward Villiers, she descended from Sir Oliver St. John and Margaret Beauchamp
, mother to Lady Margaret Beaufort. Lady Mary's maternal grandparents were Bernard Bentinck, 6th Baron Bentinck of the Netherlands (d. 29 July 1668), a descendent from an ancient and noble family of Guelders and Overijssel, and his wife Anne van Bloemendale (d. 30 March 1685).
On 28 February 1698, she married Lt.-Gen. Algernon Capel
(1670–1710), 2nd Earl of Essex. The couple had three children.
1st: Lady Jane Hyde (d. January 1723/24), daughter of the 4th Earl of Clarendon
. The marriage produced two daughters.
2nd: Lady Elizabeth Russell (d. 8 June 1784), daughter of the 2nd Duke of Bedford
. Their son, William, became the 4th Earl of Essex
.
On 2 August 1714, she married Rt. Hon. Sir Conyers Darcy (died 1758), son of Hon. John Darcy (1659–1688) and Bridget Sutton. The marriage was childless.
William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland
Hans William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland, Baron Bentinck of Diepenheim and Schoonheten, KG, PC was a Dutch and English nobleman who became in an early stage the favourite of William, Prince of Orange, Stadtholder in the Netherlands, and future King of England. He was steady, sensible, modest...
, a Dutch and English nobleman who became in an early stage the favourite of stadtholder William, Prince of Orange (the future King of England
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
) and his wife Anne Villiers (d. 30 November 1688).
Mary is one of the Hampton Court Beauties
Hampton Court Beauties
The Hampton Court Beauties are a series of portraits by Sir Godfrey Kneller, commissioned by Queen Mary II of England depicting the most glamorous ladies from the court of William III. They adorn the state rooms of King William III at Hampton Court Palace...
who was painted by Sir Godfrey Kneller
Godfrey Kneller
Sir Godfrey Kneller, 1st Baronet was the leading portrait painter in England during the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and was court painter to British monarchs from Charles II to George I...
for Queen Mary II
Mary II of England
Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
.
Barbara Villiers (1654-1708)
Barbara Villiers was a lady-in-waiting to Anne of Great Britain and governess to Prince William, Duke of Gloucester...
was not the renowned courtesan and Windsor Beauty
Windsor Beauties
The Windsor beauties are a famous collection of paintings by Sir Peter Lely, painted in the early to mid 1660s.They were originally housed in the Queen's bedchamber in Windsor Castle...
the Duchess of Cleveland, although there is a relation; the Duchess of Cleveland was Mary's first cousin once removed through her mother, Anne Villiers. Never the less Barbara Villiers was painted by Sir Godfrey Kneller.
Family
Lady Mary's paternal grandparents were Sir Edward Villiers and Lady Frances Howard, daughter of the 2nd Earl of SuffolkTheophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk
Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk, KG was an English nobleman and politician.Born at the family estate of Saffron Walden, he was the son of Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk, by his second wife Catherine Knyvet of Charlton, and succeeded his father in 1626.Sir Theophilus Howard was named in...
and his wife, Lady Elizabeth Home (d. 19 August 1633), daughter of the 1st Earl of Dunbar
George Home, 1st Earl of Dunbar
George Home, 1st Earl of Dunbar, KG, PC was, in the last decade of his life, the most prominent and most influential Scotsman in England. His work lay in the King's Household and in the control of the State Affairs of Scotland and he was the King's chief Scottish advisor...
. Through her grandfather, Sir Edward Villiers, she descended from Sir Oliver St. John and Margaret Beauchamp
Margaret Beauchamp of Bletso
Margaret Beauchamp, of Bletso, Bedfordshire, Spelsbury, Oxfordshire and Lydiard Tregoze, Wiltshire was the daughter of John Beauchamp, of Bletso and Edith Stourton...
, mother to Lady Margaret Beaufort. Lady Mary's maternal grandparents were Bernard Bentinck, 6th Baron Bentinck of the Netherlands (d. 29 July 1668), a descendent from an ancient and noble family of Guelders and Overijssel, and his wife Anne van Bloemendale (d. 30 March 1685).
Marriages
Lady Mary married twice.On 28 February 1698, she married Lt.-Gen. Algernon Capel
Algernon Capell, 2nd Earl of Essex
Algernon Capell, 2nd Earl of Essex PC was an English nobleman, a soldier and courtier. He was the son of Arthur Capell, 1st Earl of Essex and Elizabeth Percy. After his father's suicide in 1683, Capell became the 2nd Earl of Essex...
(1670–1710), 2nd Earl of Essex. The couple had three children.
- William Capell, 3rd Earl of EssexWilliam Capell, 3rd Earl of EssexWilliam Capell, 3rd Earl of Essex, KG, PC was the son of the 2nd Earl of Essex.Capell was one of the founding governors of the charity, the Foundling Hospital, created in October 1739 to care for abandoned children....
(1697–1743), married twice.
1st: Lady Jane Hyde (d. January 1723/24), daughter of the 4th Earl of Clarendon
Henry Hyde, 4th Earl of Clarendon
Henry Hyde, 4th Earl of Clarendon and 2nd Earl of Rochester, PC was an English nobleman and politician. He was styled Lord Hyde from 1682 to 1711.-Life:...
. The marriage produced two daughters.
2nd: Lady Elizabeth Russell (d. 8 June 1784), daughter of the 2nd Duke of Bedford
Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke of Bedford
Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke of Bedford KG was the son of William Russell, Lord Russell and his wife Lady Rachel Wriothesley...
. Their son, William, became the 4th Earl of Essex
Earl of Essex
Earl of Essex is a title that has been held by several families and individuals. The earldom was first created in the 12th century for Geoffrey II de Mandeville . Upon the death of the third earl in 1189, the title became dormant or extinct...
.
- Lady Mary Capel (d. 12 November 1762), married Alan Brodrick, 2nd Viscount Midleton (d. 8 June 1747), had issue.
- Lady Elizabeth Capell. She married twice, 1st: Samuel Molyneux, 2nd: Nathaniel St. André. Both marriages were childless.
On 2 August 1714, she married Rt. Hon. Sir Conyers Darcy (died 1758), son of Hon. John Darcy (1659–1688) and Bridget Sutton. The marriage was childless.
Titles
- 1679 - 28 February 1698: Lady Mary Bentinck
- 28 February 1698 - 10 January 1710: Lady Mary Capell, Countess of Essex
- 10 January 1710 - 2 August 1714: Lady Mary Bentinck, Dowager Countess of Essex
- 2 August 1714 - 20 August 1726: Lady Darcy