| Biography | The title Earl of Shrewsbury was formed for a second time in 1442 and given to John Talbot, 7th Baron Talbot (1387-1453) who was a general in the Hundred Years' War. John was also granted Lord High Steward of Ireland and in 1446 given the additional Irish peerage of Earl of Waterford (both titles descended together through the family). Upon John's death, his son John Talbot (1413-1460) became the 2nd Earl.
John Talbot, 2nd Earl of Shrewsbury was Lord Chancellor of Ireland and Lord High Treasurer of England. He married firstly Catherine Burnel, and secondly Elizabeth Ormonde by whom he had his issue, including his heir John on 12 December 1448. He was killed at the Battle of Northampton on 10 July 1460 during the Wars of the Roses fighting for the Lancaster side.
John Talbot, 3rd Earl of Shrewsbury (1448-1473) at age 12 followed Queen Margaret into the second battle of St. Albans in 1461, and as a result was knighted by the Prince of Wales afterwards. He married Catherine Humphrey, daughter of the Duke of Buckingham in 1467, by whom he had issue.
John's eldest son George (1468-1538) succeeded as the 4th Earl of Shrewsbury in 1473. George was present at Henry VII's coronation and was made a Knight of the Garter in 1488 due to his efforts in the Battle of Stoke on 16 June 1487. His first wife was Anne, daughter of William, Lord Hastings by whom he had six sons and five daughters. He secondly married Elizabeth Walden by whom he had one surviving daughter. John died on 26 July 1538 and was succeeded by his second eldest surviving son, Francis.
Francis Talbot, 5th Earl of Shrewsbury, (1500-1560) was summoned to Parliament as a Baron in 1532, and was noted for his military career. He married Mary Dacre and had by her his only son and heir George in 1528. Francis died in 1560.
George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury, (1528-1590) was custodian of Mary Queen of Scots for nearly twenty years, and was later present at her execution. He was appointed Lord High Steward on 16 January 1571, and then served as Earl Marshal from 1572 to 1590. His first marriage was to Gertrude Manners by whom he had four sons and three daughters. After Gertrude's death in 1566, he married Elizabeth 'Bess' of Hardwick in 1568, but they had no issue (George was Bess' fourth and final husband). George died on 13 April 1590, and was succeeded by his eldest surviving son. Bess went on to live until 13 April 1607, and was immensely rich and powerful.
Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury (1552-1616) was summoned to Parliament as Baron Talbot in 1580. He acted as an MP for Derbyshire and as Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire. He founded the Shrewsbury Hospital at Sheffield. He married Mary Cavendish (daughter of Bess of Hardwick and William Cavendish). He died on 8 May 1616 leaving three surviving daughters. The baronies of Talbot, Strange of Blackmere and Furnivall fell into abeyance. His younger brother, Edward, succeed as the 8th Earl of Shrewsbury.
Edward Talbot, 8th Earl of Shrewsbury (1561-1617) was married to Jane in 1584, but had no male heir. The title was passed to a distant relative, George Talbot, 9th Earl of Shrewsbury (1567-1630). George died unmarried in 1630, so the title passed to his nephew, John.
John Talbot, 10th Earl of Shrewsbury (1601-1654) firstly married Mary Fortescue and had issue. His second marriage was to Frances (daughter of the 1st Baron of Arundel of Wardour) and had further issue. John died on 8 Feb 1654 and was succeeded by his eldest surviving son, Francis.
Francis Talbot, 11th Earl of Shrewsbury (1623-1667) married Anne Conyers and had one surviving daughter. He secondly married Anna Maria (daughter of 2nd Earl of Cardigan), and had issue. Francis died on 16 March 1667 from a wound received by duelling with George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, and was succeeded by his only surviving son, Charles.
Charles Talbot, 12th Earl of Shrewsbury (1660-1718) was godson of Charles II. He became a Protestant in 1679, which angered James II. He was a prominent statesman during the reigns of William III and Mary II, Anne, and George I, and was one of the Immortal Seven of the Glorious Revolution who in 1688 invited William of Orange to invade England and depose James II. He served under William and Mary as Secretary of State for Southern Department and Secretary of State for the Northern Department. On 30 April 1694 he was created Marquess of Alton, Duke of Shrewsbury and Knight of the Garter. Queen Anne on her deathbed gave Charles the Treasurer's Staff. He simultaneously held the posts of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Lord High Treasurer of Great Britain and Lord Chamberlain, which no one had managed previously. Charles secured the Hanoverian succession to the British throne. He married Adelhida in Bologna, Italy, and died on 1 February 1718 childless. The Dukedom and Marquessate became extinct, but the Earldom was passed to his cousin, Gilbert.
Gilbert Talbot, 13th Earl of Shrewsbury was a Priest of the Church of Rome, and died on 22 July 1743. The titles then passed to his nephew George. George Talbot, 14th Earl of Shrewsbury (1719-1787), married Elizabeth Dormer on 21 November 1792, but were childless. The Earldom passed to his nephew, Charles. Charles Talbot, 15th Earl of Shrewsbury (1753-1827) married Elizabeth Hoey on 23 September 1792. In 1812 he began to create the extensive gardens at Alveton Lodge, Staffordshire (which was later named Alton Towers). This estate had been in the family since the 15th century. Upon Charles' death, the titles passed to his nephew, John.
John Talbot, 16th Earl of Shrewsbury (1791-1852) married Maria Theresa Talbot on 27 June 1814 and had issue, but his son died as an infant. In 1831 the family home at Heythrop, Oxfordshire was destroyed by a fire so John moved the family seat to Alton Towers. John was a patron of A.W.N. Pugin. Upon John's death the titles passed to his cousin, Bertram Arthur.
Bertram Arthur Talbot, 17th Earl of Shrewsbury (1832-1856) died unmarried and left the estates to Lord Edmund Howard (later Talbot), son of Duke of Norfolk. However, three distant relatives contested the case and eventually the House of Lords decided in 1860 ruled that Henry Chetwynd-Talbot, 3rd Earl Talbot (1803-1884) should inherit and become 18th Earl of Shrewsbury. Henry was an admiral in the Royal Navy and served in the second Conservative administration of the Earl of Derby as Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms from 1858-1859. Henry married Lady Sarah Elizabeth Beresford on 8 November 1828 and had issue. He was succeeded by his son, Charles John.
Charles John Chetwynd, 19th Earl of Shrewsbury (1830-1877), was an MP for Stafford and Stamford and Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms under Benjamin Disraeli from 1874-1877. He was granted a Royal Warrant in 1871 to carry a White Wand as a symbol of his office of Lord High Steward of Ireland. Charles John married Anne Theresa Howe Cockerell on 15 February 1855, and had issue. He was succeeded by his son, Charles Henry John.
Charles Henry John Chetwynd, 20th Earl of Shrewsbury (1860-1921) caused a scandal when he eloped with Ellen Miller-Mundy, wife of Alfred Edward Miller-Mundy of Shipley Hall, Derby and daughter of Charles Rowland Palmer Morewood of Ladbroke Hall, Warwickshire and Alfreton Park, Derbyshire. He later married Ellen in 1882, and had issue. He carried a White Wand as symbol of his office of Lord High Steward of Ireland at the Coronations of Edward VII in 1902 and George V in 1911.Upon his death, the titles passed to his grandson, John George Charles Henry Alton Alexander Chetwynd, 21st Earl of Shrewsbury. John's son succeeded as 22nd Earl of Shrewsbury in 1980. |