William Villiers, 2nd Earl of Jersey

William Villers, 2nd Earl of Jersey (c. 1682^[1] – 13 July 1721^[2]), known as Viscount Villiers from 1697 to 1711, was an English peer and politician from the Villiers family.

William Villiers, 2nd Earl of Jersey
The Earl of Jersey, with his sister, Mary, Lady Lansdowne.
Member of Parliament for Kent
In office 1705-1708
Personal details
Born	c. 1682 (1682)
Died	13 July 1721 (aged 38–39)
Spouse	Judith Herne ​ (m. 1704)​
Children	3, including William and Thomas
Parent	Edward Villiers (father)
Relatives	Villiers family William Chiffinch (grandfather) Edward Villiers (grandfather)

Biography

Jersey was the son of Edward Villiers, 1st Earl of Jersey and his wife Barbara, daughter of William Chiffinch. He represented Kent in the House of Commons from 1705 to 1708.^[3] In 1711, he succeeded his father as earl.

During 1703 he travelled to Italy (Grand Tour) and he commissioned Massimiliano Soldani Benzi a bronze medal.^[4]

On 22 March 1704, William married Judith Herne, daughter of Frederick Herne and Elizabeth Lisle.^[5] They had three children:

• Barbara Villiers (25 August 1706 – d. 1761), married firstly, Sir William Blackett, 2nd Baronet. She married secondly, Bussy Mansell, 4th Baron Mansell.
• William Villiers, 3rd Earl of Jersey (8 March 1707 – d. 1769). Through William, the 3rd Earl, they are ancestors of Diana, Princess of Wales, and of her sons, Princes William, the Prince of Wales, and Harry, Duke of Sussex.
• Thomas Villiers, 1st Earl of Clarendon (19 June 1709 – d. 1786)

References

1. Stephen, Leslie; Lee, Sir Sidney (1909). The Dictionary of National Biography. Macmillan Company. p. 326. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
2. Debrett's Peerage of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. G. Woodfall. 1828. p. 140. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
3. "VILLIERS, William, Visct. Villiers (1682-1721), of Squerryes, nr. Westerham, Kent, and Golden Square, London". www.historyofparliamentonline.org. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
4. Ingamells, John (1997). A Dictionary of British and Irish Travellers in Italy, 1701-1800. Yale University Press. p. 969. ISBN 978-0-300-07165-8. Retrieved 28 February 2024.
5. Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage, Baronetage, and Knightage. Burke's Peerage Limited. 1956. p. 1190. Retrieved 28 February 2024.

Parliament of England
Preceded by Sir Thomas Hales Sir Francis Leigh	Member of Parliament for Kent 1705–1707 With: Sir Cholmeley Dering	Succeeded by Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Parliament of England	Member of Parliament for Kent 1707–1708 With: Sir Cholmeley Dering	Succeeded by Sir Thomas Palmer Sir Stephen Lennard
Peerage of England
Preceded by Edward Villiers	Earl of Jersey 1711–1721	Succeeded by William Villiers