Henry Spencer, 1st Earl of Sunderland

Henry Spencer, 1st Earl of Sunderland, 3rd Baron Spencer of Wormleighton (c. 23 November 1620 – 20 September 1643), known as The Lord Spencer between 1636 and June 1643, was an English peer, nobleman, and politician from the Spencer family who fought and died in the English Civil War on the side of the Cavaliers.^[1][2]

The Right Honourable The Earl of Sunderland
Henry Spencer, 1st Earl of Sunderland
Born	c. 23 November 1620
Died	20 September 1643 (aged 22) †
Spouse	Dorothy Spencer, Countess of Sunderland ​ ​ (m. 1639)​
Children	Lady Dorothy Spencer Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland Lady Penelope Spencer
Parent(s)	William Spencer, 2nd Baron Spencer of Wormleighton Lady Penelope Wriothesley

Life

Henry was born at Althorp to William Spencer, 2nd Baron Spencer of Wormleighton and Lady Penelope Wriothesley, daughter of Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton, and was baptised on 23 November 1620 at Great Brington church. He attended Magdalen College, Oxford and graduated from there with a Master of Arts degree on 31 August 1636.^[2] He then succeeded to his father's title of Baron Spencer later that year on 19 December 1636.^[2]

Family

Dorothy Sidney (1617-1684) (Henry Pierce Bone)

On 20 July 1639 at Penshurst, he married Lady Dorothy Sidney,^[2] daughter of Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester at Penshurst Place. It was generally believed to be a love marriage and had his father-in-law's warm approval: after Sunderland's death, her father consoled Dorothy by reminding her of her happy marriage, which he was happy to have helped bring about. Sunderland and his wife had three children:

• Lady Dorothy Spencer (1640–1670), married George Savile, 1st Marquess of Halifax and had issue.
• Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland (1641–1702)
• Lady Penelope Spencer (c. 1642–1667), died unmarried.

Death

Henry fought in the Battle of Edgehill in 1642 and was rewarded for his services on 8 June 1643 by being created 1st Earl of Sunderland (although the title cost him £3,000).^[2] He then fought in the Siege of Gloucester in August 1643 and the First Battle of Newbury on 20 September 1643, where he was killed, aged 22, by a cannonball.^[2] Cokayne writes that "he was, according to Clarendon, a lord of a great fortune, tender years ... and an early judgment; who, having no command in the army, attended upon the King's person under the obligation of honour; and putting himself that day into the King's troop a volunteer, before they came to charge was taken away by a cannon bullet.'"^[2]

Ancestry

Ancestors of Henry Spencer, 1st Earl of Sunderland

16. Sir John Spencer 8. Sir John Spencer 17. Katherine Kitson 4. Robert Spencer, 1st Baron Spencer of Wormleighton 18. Sir Robert Catlyn 9. Mary Catlyn 19. Ann Boles 2. William Spencer, 2nd Baron Spencer of Wormleighton 20. Sir Henry Willoughby 10. Sir Francis Willoughby 21. Anne Grey 5. Margaret Willoughby 22. 11. Elizabeth Littleton 23. 1. Henry Spencer, 1st Earl of Sunderland 24. Sir Henry Sidney 12. Robert Sidney, 1st Earl of Leicester 25. Mary Dudley 6. Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton 26. John Gamage 13. Barbara Gamage 27. 3. Lady Penelope Wriothesley 28. George Vernon 14. John Vernon 29. 7. Elizabeth Vernon 30. Sir Richard Devereux 15. Elizabeth Devereux 31. Dorothy Hastings

References

1. Record of Henry Spencer, 1st Earl of Sunderland at www.thepeerage.com
2. G. E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de Walden, editors. The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume XII/1, pages 161, 483 and 484.

Peerage of England
New creation	Earl of Sunderland Jun – Sep 1643	Succeeded by Robert Spencer
Preceded by William Spencer	Baron Spencer 1636–1643