Duke of Northumberland - 1766 Creation

1766 Creation

The title was created for the third time in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1766 for Hugh Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland, the former Sir Hugh Smithson, 4th Baronet (1714-1786), who had assumed by Act of Parliament in 1750, for himself and his descendants, the surname Percy, due to his having married in 1740 the daughter of Algernon Seymour, 7th Duke of Somerset (1684-1750), whose mother Lady Elizabeth Percy (1667-1722), was the last of the blood of the ancient House of Percy, being the only surviving child of Joceline Percy, 11th Earl of Northumberland (1644-1670). In 1749 King George II created her father, who had inherited the Dukedom of Somerset in 1748, Baron Warkworth, of Warkworth Castle in the County of Northumberland, and Earl of Northumberland, with special remainder to his son-in-law Sir Hugh Smithson, 4th Baronet. This was a deliberate move to allow the ancient name and title of the Percys to be revived in the descendants of the Smithson baronets (see Smithson baronets for earlier history of this title; the Duke of Somerset was also created Earl of Egremont at the same time with a different remainder - see this article for further information). Sir Hugh Smithson, Bart, thus became in 1750 Sir Hugh Percy, Bart, later in 1750 2nd Earl of Northumberland and in 1766 1st Duke of Northumberland. In 1784 he was also created Lord Lovaine, Baron of Alnwick in the County of Northumberland, in the Peerage of Great Britain, with remainder to his second son Lord Algernon Percy, who succeeded as 2nd Lord Lovaine and who was created Earl of Beverley in 1790.

The Duke was succeeded in the dukedom and remaining titles by his eldest son, Hugh, the 2nd Duke, a Lieutenant-General in the British Army. The 2nd Duke was in his turn succeeded by his eldest son, Hugh, the 3rd Duke, who in 1812, five years before he succeeded in the dukedom, had been summoned to the House of Lords through a writ of acceleration in his father's junior title of Baron Percy. The 3rd Duke later held office as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland from 1829 to 1830. He was childless and was succeeded by his younger brother, Algernon, 1st Baron Prudhoe, the 4th Duke, who in 1814 had been created Baron Prudhoe, of Prudhoe Castle in the County of Northumberland, in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The 4th Duke was an Admiral in the Royal Navy and notably served as First Lord of the Admiralty in 1852. He was also childless and on his death in 1865 the barony of Prudhoe became extinct while the barony of Percy (which could be passed on through the female line) was inherited by his great-nephew, John Stewart-Murray, 7th Duke of Atholl. He was succeeded in the dukedom and remaining titles by his first cousin, George, the 2nd Earl of Beverley, the 5th Duke, the eldest son of the aforementioned Algernon, 1st Earl of Beverley, second son of the 1st Duke. The barony of Lovaine and earldom of Beverley have sinced remained merged in the dukedom.

The 5th Duke was succeeded by his eldest son, Algernon, the 6th Duke, who notably served as Lord Privy Seal between 1879 and 1880 under Lord Beaconsfield. The 6th Duke's eldest son, Henry, the 7th Duke, was summoned to the House of lords through a writ of acceleration in his father's junior title of Lord Lovaine in 1887. The 7th Duke's eldest son, Henry Percy, Earl Percy, predeceased him. He was succeeded by his fourth but eldest surviving son, Alan, the 8th Duke, whose eldest son, Henry, the 9th Duke, was killed during the retreat to Dunkirk during the Second World War. Henry was succeeded by his younger brother, Hugh, the 10th Duke. In 1957, on the death of his fourth cousin once removed, James Stewart-Murray, 9th Duke of Atholl, Hugh succeeded as 9th Baron Percy, the barony of Percy thus returning to the Percy family. As of 2012 the titles are held by his second son, Ralph, the 12th Duke, who succeeded on the death of his elder brother in 1995.