Richard Sackville, 3rd Earl of Dorset
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London Charterhouse
The London Charterhouse is a historic complex of buildings in Smithfield, London dating back to the 14th century. It occupies land to the north of Charterhouse Square. The Charterhouse began as a Carthusian priory, founded in 1371 and dissolved in 1537...
, London – 28 March 1624, Dorset House, London) was the son of Robert Sackville, 2nd Earl of Dorset
Robert Sackville, 2nd Earl of Dorset
Robert Sackville, 2nd Earl of Dorset was an English aristocrat and politician, with humanist and commercial interests.-Life:He was the eldest son of Thomas Sackville, 1st Earl of Dorset, by Cecily, daughter of Sir John Baker...
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Born at Charterhouse, London, Sackville was styled Lord Buckhurst from 1608 until 1609, when he succeeded his father as Earl of Dorset and inherited the family home of Knole House
Knole House
Knole is an English country house in the town of Sevenoaks in west Kent, surrounded by a deer park. One of England's largest houses, it is reputed to be a calendar house, having 365 rooms, 52 staircases, 12 entrances and 7 courtyards...
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During the years 1612–24 Sackville served as a Lord Lieutenant of Sussex
Lord Lieutenant of Sussex
This is a list of people who served as Lord Lieutenant of Sussex. From 1677 until 1974, all Lord Lieutenants were also Custos Rotulorum of Sussex.-Lord Lieutenants of Sussex to 1974:*Henry FitzAlan, 19th Earl of Arundel 1551–? jointly with...
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Sackville is perhaps best remembered as the first husband of Lady Anne Clifford
Lady Anne Clifford
Lady Anne Clifford, 14th Baroness de Clifford was the only surviving child of George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland by his wife Lady Margaret Russell, daughter of Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford...
. They married on 27 February 1609, but their marriage was not a success; partisans of the Earl tended to blame Lady Anne's powerful personality, while partisans of the Countess pointed to the Earl's repeated infidelities, not to mention his extravagance and indebtedness – "one of the seventeenth century’s most accomplished gamblers and wastrels".
A rumor noted later by the antiquary John Aubrey
John Aubrey
John Aubrey FRS, was an English antiquary, natural philosopher and writer. He is perhaps best known as the author of the collection of short biographical pieces usually referred to as Brief Lives...
had it that one of Richard Sackville's "concubines" was Venetia Stanley
Venetia Stanley
Venetia Anastasia Stanley Digby was a celebrated beauty of the Stuart period , renowned for her racy good looks and mysterious death...
. She was said to have had children by him and he settled upon her an annuity of £500 per annum. Among the Earl's other mistress
Mistress (lover)
A mistress is a long-term female lover and companion who is not married to her partner; the term is used especially when her partner is married. The relationship generally is stable and at least semi-permanent; however, the couple does not live together openly. Also the relationship is usually,...
es was Martha Penistone, the wife of Sir Thomas Penistone, one of the Earl's retinue.
At the time of their marriage, Lady Anne had been in a long-running legal contest over her inheritance rights; in 1617, the 3rd Earl signed away her claim on contested ancestral lands to James I, in return for a cash payment which the Earl used to pay off his gambling debts.
The 3rd Earl and Lady Anne had five children between 1612 and 1621; however none of their three sons, born in 1616, 1618, and 1621, survived their father. Their two daughters, Isabella (born 6 October 1612, died 22 August 1719) and Margaret (born 2 July 1614, died May 1676) were longer lived. Margaret became the wife of John Tufton, 2nd Earl of Thanet
John Tufton, 2nd Earl of Thanet
John Tufton, 2nd Earl of Thanet was an English nobleman and supporter of Charles I of England. He was the eldest son of Nicholas Tufton, 1st Earl of Thanet and Lady Frances Cecil granddaughter of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley .On 21 April 1629, he married Lady Margaret Sackville , daughter of...
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The 3rd Earl died without a male heir on Easter Sunday of 1624 at Dorset House, London, and was succeeded by his younger brother Edward Sackville
Edward Sackville, 4th Earl of Dorset
Edward Sackville, 4th Earl of Dorset KG was the son of Robert Sackville, 2nd Earl of Dorset and the brother and heir of Richard Sackville, 3rd Earl of Dorset.-Life:...
. He was buried on 7 April 1624 at St. Michael's Parish Church in Withyham
Withyham
Withyham is a village and large civil parish in the Wealden district of East Sussex, England. The village is situated 10 miles south west of Tunbridge Wells and 3.5 miles from Crowborough; the parish covers approximately .-Geography:Withyham parish lies on the edge of Weald, in the...
, Sussex.
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