Charles Beauclerk KG (abt. 1670 - abt. 1726)

Born about 8 May 1670 in England

Ancestors

Husband of Diana (de Vere) Beauclerk — married 17 Apr 1694 (to 1726) in London, England

Descendants

Died about 10 May 1726 at about age 56 in Bath, Somerset, England

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Charles Beauclerk KG is Notable.

Charles Beauclerk was a member of the aristocracy in British Isles.

Biography

Charles Beauclerk (1670-1726) was one of the many illegitimate children fathered by King Charles II.

Named and Titled

It seems the boy went unnamed for some time. Grange's story is that in an effort to goad the king into action, Nell was heard to call her oldest, "you little bastard," in front of the king.^[1] When the king asked why she called him this, Nell answered, "Indeed, I have no better name to give him." The king, according to legend, named him. Apparently the exact circumstances and dates that the king did name and title the boy are unclear. One author contends that Charles II created Charles Baron Headington and Earl of Burford at birth, and Duke of St. Albans in his 14th year. According to Lewis Melville, on December 27, 1676, the king officially conferred the name, Charles Beauclerk and the titles Baron Heddington and Earle of Burford, and then on January 10, 1684, (just after the death of Henry Jermyn, 1st Earl of St Albans) conferred the Duke of St. Albans.^[1] It seems his brother, James, became James Beauclerk by inference.^[1] There is also the less believable story that Nell held the boy out a window and threatened to drop him, unless he was named.^[2]

As the only surviving child of Nell Gwyn, mistress of King Charles II, the 17-year-old Charles Beauclerk inherited upon his mother's death, her estate of £5,000 a year and Burford House.^[3] He was also given hereditary offices: Master Falconer of England and Registrar of the Court of Chancery, worth £1,500 a year.^[3]

As a favorite of William III, Charles later served in the House of Lords and had a distinguished career in the Imperial Army.^[1] In 1688, he fought against the Turks, in 1693, he was involved in the Campaign of Landon, and in 1697, he went as a volunteer to Flanders.^[1]

In 1718, George made him a Knight of the Garter.^[4]

Family

According to Melville, King Charles II arranged the marriage to Lady Diana de Vere while Charles was still a child.^[1] One month before his 24th birthday, Charles Beauclerk married on April 13, 1694 to Lady Diana de Vere, an heiress and a celebrated beauty of the realm.^[1] She provided him with nine sons and three daughters.^[1] All but one of the sons survived to adulthood, and the eldest succeeded his father as Duke of St. Albans upon Charles's death in 1726.^[1]

Children of Charles and Diana:^[2]

1. Charles Beauclerk, 2nd Duke of St Albans (6 April 1696 – 27 July 1751)
2. Lady Diana Beauclerk (born c. 1697)
3. Lord William Beauclerk (22 May 1698 – 23 February 1733 N.S.)
4. Admiral Vere Beauclerk, 1st Baron Vere (14 July 1699 – 21 October 1781)
5. Colonel Lord Henry Beauclerk (11 August 1701 – 5 January 1761)
6. Lord Sidney Beauclerk (27 February 1703 – 23 November 1744)
7. Lieutenant-General Lord George Beauclerk (26 December 1704 – 11 May 1768)
8. Lord Seymour Beauclerk (b. 24 June 1708 – c. 1709)
9. Rev. Lord James Beauclerk (c. 1709 – 20 October 1787); was Bishop of Hereford (1746–1787)
10. Lord Aubrey Beauclerk (c. 1710 – 22 March 1741), became a captain in the Royal Navy, and died at the Battle of Cartagena de Indias.
11. Lady Mary Beauclerk (born c. 1712)
12. Lady Anne Beauclerk (born c. 1714)

Death and Legacy

Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St. Albans, died in 1726^[1] and was buried in Westminster Abbey.^{[citation needed]}

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9} Melville, Lewis, Nell Gwyn the Story of Her Life 2d ed., (Pages 6, 241, 244-45) London: Hutchinson, 1900, Openlibrary accessed September 13, 2014
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Wikipedia "Nell Gwyn", accessed September 13, 2014
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Zuvich, Andrea"Hoydens and Firebrands: The Windsor Nell Gwynn Knew", July 20, 2014, Web accessed September 13, 2014
4. ↑ Wikipedia "Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans", accessed September 13, 2014

• Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVVC-2Y5V : 13 September 2020), Charles Beauclerk, ; Burial, Westminster, City of Westminster, Greater London, England, Westminster Abbey; citing record ID 15117027, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15117027/charles-beauclerk

See also:

• Sex with Kings, by Eleanor Herman and Cupid and the King by Princess Michael of Kent, January 22, 2008, Web accessed September 13, 2014
• Betham, William. Genealogical Tables of the Sovereigns of the World (W. Bennett, London, 1795) Page 471

• William Hunt, ‘Beauclerk, Charles, first duke of St Albans (1670–1726)’, rev. Jonathan Spain, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008 accessed 16 Nov 2017
• Wikipedia: Charles Beauclerk, 1st Duke of St Albans
• Wikidata: Item Q135152, en:Wikipedia
• https://www.thepeerage.com/p10504.htm#c105034.1
• The Peerage of Great Britain and Ireland. (https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/ecco/004868667.0001.000/1:8?rgn=div1;view=fulltext)