William Cavendish KG (1640 - 1707)

Born 25 Jan 1640 in England

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Butler) Cavendish — married 26 Oct 1662 in Kilkenny Castle, Leinster, Ireland

Descendants

Died 18 Aug 1707 at age 67 in Westminster, Middlesex, England

Problems/Questions Profile manager: C. Mackinnon [send private message]

This profile is part of the Cavendish Name Study.

Biography

William Cavendish KG is Notable.

William Cavendish was a member of the aristocracy in British Isles.

William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire was born on 25 January 1640/41, the son of William Cavendish, 3rd Earl of Devonshire and Lady Elizabeth Cecil.

Member of Parliament for co. Derby, 1661-1681.

He married Lady Mary Butler, daughter of James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde and Elizabeth Preston, Baroness Dingwall, on 26 October 1662.

An original [F.R.S.] Fellow of the Royal Society, 1663. M.A. Oxford, 1663,

Served with the Duke of York in the defeat of the Dutch off Lowestoft, 1665.

Privy Councillor, 1679-1679/1680;

He succeeded to the title of 4th Baron Cavendish of Hardwick, co. Derby [E., 1605] on 23 November 1684. He succeeded to the title of 4th Earl of Devonshire [E., 1618] on 23 November 1684.

Built a vast mansion at Chatsworth, Derbyshire, begun in 1687

One of the original leaders of the Whig party and supporters of the exclusion bill. Opposed King James II, June 1688; was one of the first to take up arms for the Prince of Orange. He was one of the seven who signed the invitation to William of Orange to come to England, and was one of the first to take up arms on his behalf on his arrival. PC again1688/1689.

He was invested as a Knight, Order of the Garter (K.G.) in 1689. He was invested as a Privy Counsellor (P.C.) in 1689. He held the office of Lord Steward of the Household between 1689 and 1707. Colonel of the 4th Regiment of Horse, 1689. Lord Lieutenant of co. Derby, 1689-1707; Lord High Steward of England, Apr 1689; Apr 1702;

Chief Justice in Eyre, North of Trent, 1690-1707;

He succeeded to the title of 1st Marquess of Hartington, co. Derby [England] on 12 May 1694. He succeeded to the title of 1st Duke of Devonshire [England] on 12 May 1694.

One of the Lords Justices, 1695-1701;

He died on 18 August 1707 at age 66 at Devonshire House, Piccadilly, Westminster.

will proved 23 Oct 1707

Sources

• Wikipedia: William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire
• The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct, or Dormant (1910), Cokayne, George Edward (main author) and Vicary Gibbs vol. 4 p. 341-3; The History of Parliament (1715-1754), vol. 1-1715 p. 537.
• Chalmers, Alexander. The General Biographical Dictionary (London, 1813) Vol. 8, Page 478-81
• David Hosford, ‘Cavendish, William, first duke of Devonshire (1641–1707)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2008 accessed 28 July 2017. This is a subscription site but access is free to readers of British libraries whose library subscribes.
• Thepeerage.com William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire. thepeerage.com

Family

m.1 Mary Butler (1646-1710)

Father: James Butler, Duke of Ormonde 26/10/1662 Kilkenny Castle.

1. Lord James Cavendish+1 d. 14 Dec 1751
2. Lady Elizabeth Cavendish (1671-1741)
3. William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire+1 b. c 1673, d. 4 Jun 1729
4. Lord Henry Cavendish+1 b. 1673, d. 10 May 1700

William had two children by actress Mary Heneage:

1. Henrietta (d 1717)
2. Philip (d 1743)