Brilliana, Lady Harley facts for kids

Brilliana, Lady Harley (born in 1598, died October 29, 1643), whose maiden name was Brilliana Conway, was an important English writer of letters. She is remembered for her strong spirit and for defending her home during a war.

Her unique first name, Brilliana, was created by her father, Sir Edward Conway. He was an English governor in a place called Brielle (or Brill) in Holland. He added the ending -ian and the Latin feminine ending -a to the town's name.

Brilliana's Amazing Letters

Lady Harley wrote many letters, and 375 of them still exist today! She wrote to her husband, Sir Robert Harley, and her son, Sir Edward Harley. These letters show that she was a very smart and educated woman. She knew several languages, which was quite rare for women at that time.

Her letters were very important because she used them to keep her husband updated on local news and politics. This was especially helpful when he was away from their home, Brampton Bryan, attending Parliament (the government's law-making body). She also helped gather information for a special committee in Parliament.

Brilliana was also very religious. Her letters often shared her strong beliefs and encouraged her family to follow their Puritan practices. Besides important news, her letters also shared personal details about her family's daily life.

Defending Her Home in War

During the English Civil War, Brilliana Harley showed incredible bravery. Her husband and sons were away fighting, so she was left to protect their home, Brampton Bryan Castle.

Royalist troops, who supported the King, surrounded her castle and began a siege. A siege is when an army tries to take a castle by surrounding it and cutting off supplies. Lady Harley bravely defended her home for three long months!

The Royalist troops finally left because they were needed in another battle at Gloucester. After they left, Lady Harley made her tenants (people who rented land from her) destroy the earthworks the Royalists had built around the castle. She even sent 40 of her own troops to attack a Royalist camp nearby at Knighton.

Her Final Days

Lady Harley passed away on October 29, 1643. She died from pneumonia, a serious lung illness. It is believed that the difficult conditions and stress she faced during the long siege likely made her sick.

There is a special family tradition that started with Lady Harley. For many generations, the oldest daughters in her family have been given the middle name Brilliana. This helps keep her memory alive.