Edward Darcy facts for kids

Sir Edward Darcy (born 1543 or 1544, died 1612) was an important English politician and a member of the royal court. He is best known for a famous legal case in 1602. In this case, his special permission (called a monopoly) to control the making and selling of playing cards was ruled illegal. This decision was a big deal for fairness in business.

Sir Edward Darcy was also known as Sir Edward Darcy of Stainforth, a place in West Riding of Yorkshire.

Early Life and Career

Edward Darcy was the oldest son of Mary Carew and Sir Arthur Darcy. His mother, Mary, was the daughter of Sir Nicholas Carew. His father, Arthur, was the son of Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy of Darcy.

Edward went to Trinity College, Cambridge for his education. Later, in 1561, he joined the Inner Temple. This was a place where people studied law.

From 1584 to 1585, he served as a Member of Parliament for Truro, a town in Cornwall. This meant he helped make laws for the country.

Working for Queen Elizabeth I

In 1579, Edward Darcy became a groom of the Privy Chamber for Elizabeth I. This was an important job close to the Queen. It meant he was part of her personal staff.

In 1589, Queen Elizabeth gave him a special right. She promised him ownership of the manors (large estates) of Epsom and Ashtead. He received these lands because he was the nephew of Sir Francis Carew. Edward officially took ownership in 1612 after Sir Francis Carew passed away.

In 1595, he also received the manor of Stainforth Underbargh. This included 20 houses and the surrounding lands.

The Playing Card Monopoly Case

In 1598, Queen Elizabeth gave Edward Darcy an exclusive patent. This meant he had the sole right to make, import, and sell playing cards in England. No one else was allowed to do this.

However, four years later, a major legal case happened. The Court of Queen's Bench ruled that Darcy's patent was not valid. This famous case was called Darcy v Allein, also known as "The Case of Monopolies." The court decided that such monopolies were unfair to other businesses and the public.

Later Life and Death

Edward Darcy was knighted on April 23, 1603. This meant he was given the title "Sir." Sir Edward Darcy passed away on October 28, 1612, when he was 69 years old.

Family Life

In July 1579, Edward Darcy married Elizabeth. She was the daughter of Thomas Astley, who also worked for Queen Elizabeth's privy chamber.

Their children included:

• Robert Darcy, who married Mary. She died in 1618.
  • Robert's son was Edward Darcy, who later sold some of the family's manors.
• Christopher Darcy, who died in 1623.
• Isabella Darcy (born 1600, died 1669). She married John Launce around 1619. John was the son of Robert Launce and Susan Tubb.