Duke of Bedford

"Baron Russell" redirects here. For other uses, see Lord Russell.
Dukedom of Bedford

Argent, a lion rampant gules on a chief sable three escallops of the first (Russell).[1]
Creation date 11 May 1694
Monarch William and Mary
Peerage Peerage of England
First holder William Russell, 5th Earl of Bedford
Present holder Andrew Russell, 15th Duke
Heir apparent Henry Russell, Marquess of Tavistock
Remainder to the 1st Duke's heirs male of the body lawfully begotten
Subsidiary titles Marquess of Tavistock
Earl of Bedford
Baron Russell
Baron Russell of Thornhaugh
Baron Howland
Seat(s) Woburn Abbey

Duke of Bedford (named after Bedford, England) is a title that has been created six times (for five distinct people) in the Peerage of England. The first and second creations came in 1414 in favour of Henry IV's third son, John, who later served as regent of France. He was made Earl of Kendal at the same time and was made Earl of Richmond later the same year. The titles became extinct on his death in 1435. The third creation came in 1470 in favour of George Neville, nephew of Warwick the Kingmaker. He was deprived of the title by Act of Parliament in 1478. The fourth creation came 1478 in favour of George, the third son of Edward IV. He died the following year at the age of two. The fifth creation came in 1485 in favour of Jasper Tudor, half-brother of Henry VI and uncle of Henry VII. He had already been created Earl of Pembroke in 1452. However, as he was a Lancastrian, his title was forfeited between 1461 and 1485 during the predominance of the House of York. He regained the earldom in 1485 when his nephew Henry VII came to the throne and was elevated to the dukedom the same year. He had no legitimate children and the titles became extinct on his death in 1495.

The Russell family currently holds the titles of Earl and Duke of Bedford. John Russell, a close advisor of Henry VIII and Edward VI, was granted the title of Earl of Bedford in 1551, and his descendant William, 5th Earl, was created Duke following the Glorious Revolution.

The subsidiary titles of the Duke of Bedford, all in the Peerage of England, are Marquess of Tavistock (created 1694), Earl of Bedford (1550), Baron Russell, of Cheneys (1539), Baron Russell of Thornhaugh in the County of Northampton (1603), and Baron Howland, of Streatham in the County of Surrey (1695) (and possibly the Barony of Bedford, which was merged into it in 1138, 1366 or 1414). The courtesy title of the Duke of Bedford's eldest son and heir is Marquess of Tavistock.

The present creation of the dukedom is the seniormost British peerage not in a direct male line of descent from the immediate Royal Family. However, every Duke from the 5th Duke onwards is descended from Charles II of England. The family seat is Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire. The private mausoleum and chapel of the Russell Family and the Dukes of Bedford is at St. Michael’s Church in Chenies, Buckinghamshire (photo).[2] The family owns The Bedford Estate in central London.

Dukes of Bedford, first Creation (1414)

Other titles: Earl of Kendal (1414) and Earl of Richmond (1414)

Dukes of Bedford, second Creation (1433)

Other titles: Earl of Kendal (1414) and Earl of Richmond (1414)

Dukes of Bedford, third Creation (1470)

Other titles: Marquess of Montagu (1470) and Baron Montagu (1461)

Dukes of Bedford, fourth Creation (1478)

Dukes of Bedford, fifth Creation (1485)

Other titles: Earl of Pembroke (1452)

Earls of Bedford (1551)

Other titles: Baron Russell (1539)
Other titles (4th Earl onwards): Baron Russell of Thornhaugh (1603)

Dukes of Bedford, sixth Creation (1694)

William Russell, 1st Duke of Bedford
Other titles: Marquess of Tavistock (1694), Baron Howland (1695), Earl of Bedford (1551), Baron Russell (1538) and Baron Russell of Thornhaugh (1603)

The heir apparent is the present holder's only son Henry Robin Charles Russell, Marquess of Tavistock (b. 2005).

Coat of arms

Bookplate showing the coat of arms of the Duke of Bedford

The heraldic blazon for the coat of arms of the Russell dukedom is: Argent, a lion rampant gules; on a chief sable, three escallops of the first.

The chief from these arms is present in the arms of the modern coat of arms of the London Borough of Camden, because the dukes of Bedford used to own land in the present borough.

Line of succession

  1. Henry Robin Charles Russell, Marquess of Tavistock (b. 2005), son of the 15th Duke
  2. Lord James Edward Herbrand Russell (b. 1975), third and youngest son of the 14th Duke
  3. Alexander Charles Robin Russell (b. 2010), eldest son of Lord James
  4. Leo William Caspar Russell (b. 2013), second and youngest son of Lord James[6]
  5. Lord Rudolf Russell (b. 1944), second son of the 13th Duke
  6. Lord Francis Hastings Russell (b. 1950), third and youngest son of the 13th Duke
  7. John Francis Russell (b. 1997), eldest son of Lord Francis
  8. Harry Evelyn Terence Russell (b. 1999), second and youngest son of Lord Francis
  9. Mark Hugh Russell (b. 1960), only son of Lord Hugh Hastings Russell, second and youngest son of the 12th Duke
  10. Laurie Stewart Russell (b. 1990), only son of Mark Russell
  11. Francis Anthony Russell (b. 1948), great-grandson of Lord Arthur John Edward Russell, younger brother of the 9th Duke and second son of Maj.-Gen. Lord George William Russell, second son of the 6th Duke
  12. Hugo Eustace Arthur Russell (b. 1951), younger brother of Francis Anthony Russell
  13. Arthur Donald Anthony Russell (b. 1994), eldest son of Hugo Russell
  14. William Hugo Alexander Russell (b. 1995), second and youngest son of Hugo Russell
  15. Julian Hugh Russell (b. 1955), second cousin of Francis Anthony and Hugo Russell
  16. David Whitney Erskine Russell, 5th Baron Ampthill (born 1947), great-great-grandson of Odo William Leopold Russell, 1st Baron Ampthill, younger brother of the 9th Duke and third and youngest son of Maj.-Gen. Lord Sir George William Russell
  17. Hon. Anthony John Mark Russell (b. 1952), younger brother of Lord Ampthill
  18. William Odo Alexander Russell (b. 1986), only son of Hon. Anthony Russell
  19. Hon. John Hugo Trenchard Russell (b. 1950), uncle of Lord Ampthill
  20. Henry John Thenchard Russell (b. 1977), eldest son of Hon. John Russell
  21. William Russell (b. 2010), only son of Henry John Thenchard Russell
  22. James Peter Faber Russell (b. 1980), second and youngest son of Hon. John Russell
  23. Oliver Odo Jonathan Russell (b. 2010), only son of James Peter Faber Russell
  24. James Rowland Russell (b. 1940), first cousin once removed of Lord Ampthill
  25. Robert James Russell (b. 1966), only son of James Rowland Russell
  26. Angus George Skeoch Russell (b. 1995), eldest son of Robert Russell
  27. Rory Douglas Skeoch Russell (b. 1999), second and youngest son of Robert Russell
  28. Oliver Henry Russell (b. 1942), younger brother of James Rowland Russell
  29. Guy Ewan Macpherson-Grant of Ballindalloch, Younger (b. 1968), eldest son of Oliver Henry Russell
  30. Edward Oliver Russell (b. 1970), second and youngest son of Oliver Henry Russell
  31. George Herbrand Russell (b. 2008), only son of Edward Russell
  32. Nicholas Odo Richard Desmond Russell (b. 1946), second cousin once removed of Lord Ampthill
  33. John Drummond Athelstan Russell (b. 1948), younger brother of Nicholas Russell
  34. Rory Finn Cosmo Russell (b. 1984), only son of John Drummond Russell
  35. Michael Noel Russell (b. 1941), first cousin of Nicholas and John Drummond Russell
  36. Wriothesley David Xavier Russell (b. 1941), first cousin of Nicholas, John Drummond and Michael Russell
  37. Rupert Edward Odo Russell (b. 1944), younger brother of Wriothesley Russell
  38. Rupert Alick Villiers Russell (b. 1951), second cousin of Nicholas, John Drummond, Michael and Wriothesley Russell
  39. Christopher John Russell (b. 1983), only son of Rupert Alick Villiers Russell
  40. John Alick Stephen Villiers Russell (b. 1946), first cousin of Rupert Alick Villiers Russell
  41. Alick Robin Russell (b. 1976), eldest son of John Alick Russell
  42. Guy James Villiers Russell (b. 1983), second and youngest son of John Alick Russell
  43. John Francis Russell, 7th Earl Russell (born 1971), great-great-grandson of John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, third son of the 6th Duke
  44. Alexander Charles Thomas Wriothesley Russell (b. 1950), great-great-grandson of Lt.-Col. Lord Charles James Fox Russell, seventh son of the 6th Duke
  45. John Paul Thomas Wriothesley Russell (b. 1995), only son of Alexander Russell
  46. John Edward Southwell Russell, 27th Baron de Clifford (born 1928), great-great-great-great-grandson of Lord William Russell, third son of Francis Russell, Marquess of Tavistock, second son of the 4th Duke
  47. Miles Edward Southwell Russell (b. 1966), nephew of Lord de Clifford
  48. Edward Southwell Russell (b. 1998), only son of Miles Russell


Family Tree

See also

References

  1. ↑ Debrett's Peerage, 1968, p.131
  2. ↑ Heraldry of the Bedford Chapel, Chenies (1980)
  3. ↑ Cracroft – Extinct dukedoms of England
  4. ↑  Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Bedford, Earls and Dukes of". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
  5. ↑ Burke's Peerage & Baronetage
  6. ↑ https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/Peerage-News/ylgDRUpMe68/BllDhWGFDkwJ
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