Earl of Egmont facts for kids
The Earl of Egmont was an important noble title in Ireland, created in 1733 for John Perceval. This title was part of the Peerage of Ireland, which is a system of noble ranks in Ireland. The title ended when the twelfth Earl passed away in 2011.
Quick facts for kids Earldom of Egmont |
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Argent, on a chief indented gules three crosses patée of the field
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| Creation date | 6 November 1733 |
| Monarch | George II |
| Peerage | Peerage of Ireland |
| First holder | John Perceval |
| Last holder | Thomas Gerald, 12th Earl of Egmont |
| Remainder to | Heirs male of the 1st Earl's body lawfully begotten |
| Subsidiary titles | Viscount Perceval Baron Perceval Baron Lovel and Holland (GB) Baron Arden (I) |
| Status | Extinct |
| Extinction date | 6 November 2011 |
| Motto | Sub cruce candida ("Under the white cross") |
Contents
A Look at the Egmont Family History
The Perceval family believed they were a very old noble family. Their history goes back to David Perceval in the 1500s. His grandson, Sir Richard Percivale (1550–1620), was a clever agent for Queen Elizabeth I. He helped the Queen by decoding secret messages. These messages gave her the first news about the Spanish Armada, a large Spanish fleet. Sir Richard also gained a lot of land in Ireland.
Sir Richard's son, Sir Philip Perceval (1605–1647), received even more land in Ireland. Philip's oldest son, John Perceval, was given the title of Baronet in 1661. This title was for "of Kanturk in the County of Cork." A baronet is a hereditary title, meaning it passes down through the family.
The first Baronet's second son, Robert, sadly passed away in 1677. The title then went to the first Baronet's oldest son, who became the second Baronet. He passed away young without marrying. The title then went to his younger brother, the third Baronet, who also passed away young. His son became the fourth Baronet, but he died at age nine.
The title then passed to his younger brother, John Perceval, who became the fifth Baronet. He was an important person in politics. He was a member of the Irish House of Commons and the British House of Commons. He also helped start the colony of Georgia in America.
In 1715, John Perceval was given the title Baron Perceval. In 1722, he became Viscount Perceval. Finally, in 1733, he was made Earl of Egmont. All these titles were part of the Peerage of Ireland. The name "Egmont" came from a place in County Cork where the family owned land.
Important Earls of Egmont
John Perceval's son became the second Earl. He was a well-known politician. He even served as First Lord of the Admiralty, which meant he was in charge of the British Navy. His seventh son, Spencer Perceval, became the Prime Minister of Great Britain. Sadly, Spencer Perceval was killed in 1812 while in office.
The second Earl's oldest son became the third Earl. He was also a member of parliament. Later, his grandson became the fifth Earl. The sixth Earl was his cousin, who was also a Member of Parliament. After him, the title went to his nephew, the seventh Earl, who was a Conservative politician.
The eighth and ninth Earls followed. After the ninth Earl passed away in 1929, the titles seemed to be without an owner for a while.
However, in 1939, the British Parliament recognized Frederick George Moore Perceval as the eleventh Earl. His father was considered the tenth Earl, even though he had passed away before his claim was officially accepted. The eleventh Earl moved to Alberta, Canada, and became a farmer.
When the eleventh Earl passed away in 2001, his son, Thomas Frederick Gerald Perceval, became the twelfth Earl. The twelfth Earl never married. When he passed away on November 6, 2011, the title of Earl of Egmont and all its related titles officially ended.
Mount Taranaki/Egmont in New Zealand was named after the second Earl of Egmont by the famous explorer James Cook.
Perceval Baronets, of Kanturk (1661)
- Sir John Perceval, 1st Baronet (1629–1665) – created 9 September 1661.
- Sir Philip Perceval, 2nd Baronet (1656–1680)
- Sir John Perceval, 3rd Baronet (1660–1686)
- Sir Edward Perceval, 4th Baronet (1682–1691)
- Sir John Perceval, 5th Baronet (1683–1748) (became Earl of Egmont in 1733)
Earls of Egmont (1733)
- John Perceval, 1st Earl of Egmont (1683–1748)
- John Perceval, 2nd Earl of Egmont (1711–1770)
- John James Perceval, 3rd Earl of Egmont (1738–1822)
- John Perceval, 4th Earl of Egmont (1767–1835)
- Henry Frederick Joseph James Perceval, 5th Earl of Egmont (1796–1841)
- George James Perceval, 6th Earl of Egmont (1794–1874)
- Charles George Perceval, 7th Earl of Egmont (1845–1897)
- Augustus Arthur Perceval, 8th Earl of Egmont (1856–1910)
- Charles John Perceval, 9th Earl of Egmont (1858–1929) (title became dormant)
- Frederick Joseph Trevelyan Perceval, de jure 10th Earl of Egmont (1873–1932)
- Frederick George Moore Perceval, 11th Earl of Egmont (1914–2001) (claim recognized 1939)
- Thomas Frederick Gerald Perceval, 12th Earl of Egmont (1934–2011)
Family Homes
The main family homes were often named after the titles themselves. Other important homes the family owned or improved included:
- Great Burgh, Epsom Downs/Tattenham Corner, Surrey, England
See also
