Francis Russell KG MP
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Francis Russell KG MP (1527 - 1585)

Francis "2nd Earl of Bedford" Russell KG MP
Born in Chenies, Buckinghamshire, Englandmap
Ancestors ancestors
Brother of [half], [half] and [half]
Husband of — married before 1556 in Englandmap
Husband of — married 25 Jun 1566 in Watford, Hertfordshire, Englandmap
Descendants descendants
Died at about age 58 in Bedford House, Strand, Middlesex, Englandmap
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Profile last modified | Created 27 Sep 2010
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Preceded by
John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford
Earl of Bedford
1555-1585
Succeeded by
Edward Russell, 3rd Earl of Bedford

Biography

Notables Project
Francis Russell KG MP is Notable.
European Aristocracy
Francis Russell was a member of the aristocracy in British Isles.

Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford KG (c. 1527 – July 28, 1585), was an English nobleman, soldier and politician. Knight of the Garter, of Chenies, Buckinghamshire and Bedford House, the Strand, Middlesex. Warden of the East Marches, Privy Councillor, Lieutenant of Devon, Dorset and Cornwall; Sheriff of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire; Knight of the Shire for Buckinghamshire.

Son and heir to Sir John Russell, Earl of Bedford and Anne Sapcote, the daughter of Sir Guy.

He was educated at King's Hall, Cambridge and accompanied his father (1st Earl of Bedford) to the French war in 1544, and from 1547 to 1552 was member of parliament for Buckinghamshire, being probably the first heir to a peerage to sit in the House of Commons. He assisted to quell the rising in Devonshire in 1549, and after his father had been created Earl of Bedford in January 1550, was known as Lord Russell, taking his seat in the House of Lords under this title in 1552.


Russell was in sympathy with the reformers, whose opinions he shared, and was in communication with Sir Thomas Wyatt; and in consequence of his religious attitude was imprisoned during the earlier part of Mary's reign. Being released he went into exile; visited Italy; came into touch with foreign reformers; and fought at the Battle of St. Quentin in 1557. Afterwards he seems to have enjoyed some measure of the royal favour, and was made Lord-Lieutenant of the counties of Devon, Cornwall and Dorset early in 1558.


When Elizabeth ascended the throne in November 1558 the Earl of Bedford, as Russell had been since 1555, became an active figure in public life. He was made a privy councillor, and was sent on diplomatic errands to Charles IX of France and Mary Queen of Scots.


From February 1564 to October 1567 he was governor of Berwick and warden of the east marches of Scotland, in which capacity he conducted various negotiations between Elizabeth and Mary. He appears to have been an efficient warden, but was irritated by the vacillating and tortuous conduct of the English queen. When the northern insurrection broke out in 1569, Bedford was sent into Wales, and he sat in judgment upon the Duke of Norfolk in 1572.


In 1576 he was president of the council of Wales, and in 1581 was one of the commissioners deputed to arrange a marriage between Elizabeth and François, Duke of Anjou. Bedford, who was made a Knight of the Garter in 1564, was Lord Warden of the Stannaries from 1553 to 1580. He appears to have been a generous and popular man, and died in London. He was buried at the family chapel next to Chenies Manor House, the family estate which he had made his principal home and where he had entertained Queen Elizabeth in 1570.

He was the second husband of Margaret St John, daughter of Sir John St John and Margaret Waldegrave, widow of William Gostwick who died aged 21 in Dec 1545[1]. They were married about 1546 and had four sons and three daughters:[2] Edward, Lord Russell, John, Lord Russell, Sir Francis, Lord Russell, William, Lord Russell of Thornhaugh, Anne, wife of Sir Ambrose Dudley, Ealr of Warwick, Elizabeth, wife of William Bourchier, Earl of Bath, Margaret, wife of George Clifford, Earl of Cumberland

He married secondly to Bridget Hussey, daughter of Sir John Hussey and his second wife, Anne Grey, daughter of George, the Earl of Kent. She was also the widow of Sir Richard Morrison of Casiobury who died 20 Mar 1556 and Sir Henry Manners, Earl of Rutland and Lord Ros who had died 17 Sept 1463. They had no issue.

Sir Francis was one of the forty knights who became Knights of Bath at the coronation of King Edward VI, 20 Feb 1547. He was summoned to Lords as Baron Russell in 1553 and succeeded as Earl of Bedford 1555.

He was Privy Councillor for Queen Elizabeth and entertained her 23 July 1570 at Chenies, and July of 1572 at Woburn Abbey.

Sir Francis died at Russell House of gangrene and was buried with his first wife at Chenies in 1585. Bridget was buried at Watford.


He was succeeded as 3rd earl by his grandson, Edward (1572–1627), only son of Francis, Lord Russell (c. 1550–1585)


Sources

  1. Biography of Sir John Gostwick in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1509-1558, ed. S.T. Bindoff, 1982 https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member/gostwick-john-1493-1545
  2. The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1509-1558, ed. S.T. Bindoff, 1982https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member/russell-francis-1527-85

See also:

  • "England Deaths and Burials, 1538-1991," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JD4V-J3T : 10 February 2018), Francis Russel in entry for Margaret, burial 12 Nov 1709; citing Frant, Sussex, England, index based upon data collected by the Genealogical Society of Utah, Salt Lake City; FHL microfilm 1,468,866.
  • Burke's Peerage, 31st edn. (1869), page 85, BEDFORD.
  • Nicholas, H. & Courthope, W. (1857). "Bedford," in The Historic Peerage of England, pp. 53. London: John Murray. Google Books.




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Comments: 4

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His seven children are well documented. They didn't include a Dorthy. She should be detached from her parents. The Russells weren't property owners in Lt Paxton.
posted by David Cooper (-2021)
This good biography would profit from inline citations -- otherwise you don't know where the different facts came from!
posted by Jack Day
Russell Second Earl of Bedford-1 and Russell-285 appear to represent the same person because: Clearly a newly created unsourced duplicate
posted by David Cooper (-2021)
Hello Steven

I was connecting our ancestry and noticed that you have 2 Francis Russell's as sons of Francis Russell. Probably a mistake.

posted by Cherie Sharp