Duke of Somerset - Seymour Creation

Seymour Creation

Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset (c.1506–1552), brother of Henry VIII's third wife Jane Seymour, became Lord Protector of England during Minority between 1547 and 1549. Edward married twice; he divorced his first wife Catherine Fillol (disowning her and her children) around 1535 and married Anne Stanhope who bore him nine children. He was created Viscount Beauchamp of Hache in 1536 and Earl of Hertford in 1537. In 1547 he made himself Duke of Somerset. His position as Lord Protector was usurped by John Dudley, Earl of Warwick (later Duke of Northumberland). His titles were forfeited and he was beheaded on 22 January 1552. He had bought Berry Pomeroy Castle from Sir Thomas Pomeroy, in 1547, although he probably never visited it.

In 1644 Charles I granted the earldom of Glamorgan to Edward Somerset (1613–1667). He was a descendant of Charles Somerset, the illegitimate son of Henry Beaufort, 3rd Duke of Somerset. In return for obtaining military help from Ireland he promised Edward the title of Duke of Somerset. Under the Commonwealth Edward was banished from England and his estates were seized. At the Restoration his estates were restored, and he claimed the dukedom of Somerset as promised to him by Charles I. The claim was rejected by the House of Lords and so was the title of Earl of Glamorgan.

Edward Seymour (1538–1621) was a son of Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, from his second marriage. He had been created Earl of Hertford, in 1559 under Elizabeth. The Earl of Hertford's grandson William Seymour (1588—1660) secretly married Lady Arabella Stuart (1575–1615) on 22 June 1610. She was the niece of Lord Darnley, a cousin of James I and next in succession to both Scottish and English thrones. Both William and Arabella were imprisoned but managed to escape. William fled to Paris, but Arabella was recaptured. She was imprisoned in the Tower of London where she died in 1615. William returned to England shortly after her death and inherited his father's titles in 1621. He was made Marquess of Hertford in 1640 and on 13 September 1660, shortly before his death on 24 October, the title of Duke of Somerset was restored to him and the Seymour family. He had outlived his three eldest sons and the dukedom passed to William Seymour (1654–1671) who was the son of Henry Seymour, Lord Beauchamp (1626–1654), the 2nd duke's third son. The 3rd duke died unmarried and the title passed to John Seymour (bef. 1646–1675) the last surviving son of the 2nd Duke. On his death without issue in 29 April 1675 the marquessate of Hertford became extinct. His cousin Francis Seymour, 3rd Baron Seymour of Trowbridge (1658–1678) became 5th Duke of Somerset. Francis was the eldest surviving son of Charles Seymour (1621–1665), whose father Sir Francis Seymour (c. 1590–1664), a younger brother of the 2nd Duke of Somerset, had been created Baron Seymour of Trowbridge in 1641.

When the 5th Duke died unmarried in 1678, the title passed to his brother, Charles Seymour (1662–1748), youngest son of the 2nd Baron Trowbridge. The 6th Duke, was known as "the Proud Duke", was a favourite of Queen Anne. He first married Lady Elizabeth Percy, daughter of Joceline Percy, 11th Earl of Northumberland (1644–1670). She died in 1722 and in 1725 he married Lady Charlotte Finch (1711–1773), daughter of Daniel Finch, 2nd Earl of Nottingham. The 6th duke died 2 December 1748, at Petworth House, Sussex at age 86 leaving the title to his son from his first marriage Algernon Seymour (1684–1750).

Algernon had been created Baron Percy in 1722. After succeeding his father as 7th Duke of Somerset he was created Earl of Northumberland in 1749. The Earldom of Northumberland having become extinct with the passing of his maternal grandfather in 1670. The remainder of the earldom was to pass to Sir Hugh Smithson, husband of Algernon's daughter Elizabeth Seymour (bef. 1730–1776), whilst the titles Baron Cockermouth and Earl of Egremont were remaindered to the children of his sister, Lady Catherine Seymour (1693–1731). Without male issue, on his death in February 1750 these titles therefore passed to different families in accordance with the remainders in the patents of their creation. The earldom of Hertford, the barony of Beauchamp, and the barony of Seymour of Trowbridge became extinct; and the dukedom of Somerset, together with the barony of Seymour, devolved on his distant cousin.

Sir Edward Seymour, 6th baronet of Berry Pomeroy (1694–1757) became the 8th Duke of Somerset in 1750. The 1st baronet was Edward Seymour (1556–1613) grandson of the 1st Duke of Somerset, son of Edward Seymour (1527/1535–1593) who was the 1st duke's eldest son from his first marriage to Catherine Fillol. The 6th baronet was thus 7 generations removed from the 1st Duke. The 4th Baronet had been speaker of the House of Commons during the reign of Charles II and he moved the family home from Berry Pomeroy Castle in Devon to Bradley House in Maiden Bradley. Upon the death of the 8th duke he was succeeded by his eldest son Edward Seymour (1717–1792). He died unmarried and was succeeded by his brother Webb Seymour (1718–1793) who became the 10th Duke. His son Edward Adolphus Seymour (1775–1855) was a noted mathematician and became the 11th Duke upon his father's death. He changed the family name to St. Maur but Seymour was still very often used.