Francis Fane, 1st Earl of Westmorland facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Earl of Westmorland KB
Francis Fane, first Earl of Westmorland, portrait by Cornelius Johnson (1593-1661)
Member of Parliament for Kent
In office 1601–1601 Serving with Sir Henry Nevill
Monarch	Elizabeth I
Preceded by	Sir Robert Sidney Percival Hart
Succeeded by	Sir John Scott John Leveson
Member of Parliament for Maidstone
In office 1604–1611 Serving with Laurence Washington
Monarch	James I
Preceded by	Sir Thomas Fludd
Succeeded by	Himself Sir John Scott
In office 1614–1614 Serving with Sir John Scott
Monarch	James I
Preceded by	Himself Sir Thomas Fludd
Succeeded by	Himself Sir Francis Barnham
In office 1621–1622 Serving with Sir Francis Barnham
Monarch	James I
Preceded by	Himself Sir John Scott
Succeeded by	Sir George Fane Thomas Stanley
Member of Parliament for Peterborough
In office 1624–1624 Serving with Laurence Whitaker
Monarch	James I
Preceded by	Mildmay Fane Walter Fitzwilliam
Succeeded by	Sir Christopher Hatton Laurence Whitaker
Personal details
Born	Francis Fane February 1579
Died	23 March 1629(1629-03-23) (aged 50)
Resting place	Apethorpe Church, Apethorpe, Northamptonshire, England 52°32′50″N 0°29′32″E / 52.5472°N 0.4922°E / 52.5472; 0.4922
Nationality	English
Spouse	Mary Mildmay (1599-1628)
Children	Mildmay Fane, 2nd Earl of Westmorland Sir Francis Fane George Fane Rachel Fane more
Parents	Sir Thomas Fane Mary Neville, 3rd Baroness le Despencer
Residences	Apethorpe Palace, Apethorpe, Northamptonshire, England

Francis Fane, the 1st Earl of Westmorland, was an important English landowner and politician. He was born in February 1580 and passed away in March 1629. He lived in places like Mereworth in Kent and Apethorpe in Northamptonshire. Before becoming an Earl, he was known as Sir Francis Fane. He served in the English Parliament for many years before being given the special title of Earl of Westmorland.

Family Background

Francis Fane was the oldest surviving son of Sir Thomas Fane. His mother was Mary Neville, 3rd Baroness le Despencer, who inherited Mereworth Castle in Kent. Mary Neville was the only daughter of Henry Nevill, 6th Baron Bergavenny. This means Francis Fane had a connection to a very old and important family.

The Fane family had been in Kent for a long time. Their earliest known ancestor was "Henry a Vane," who lived in Tonbridge, Kent, in the 1400s. Francis also had a younger brother named George Fane.

His Political Career

Francis Fane, in coronation robes as worn 2 February 1625 or 26.

Francis Fane went to Maidstone Grammar School in Kent. Around 1595, he started studying at Queens' College, Cambridge University. Later, in 1597, he began training to become a lawyer at Lincoln's Inn.

In 1601, Francis Fane became a Member of Parliament for Kent. This was with the help of his neighbor, Henry Brooke, 11th Baron Cobham. When King James I became king in 1603, Francis Fane was made a Knight of the Bath. This was a special honor.

After his friend Cobham faced difficulties, Fane was elected as a Member of Parliament for Maidstone in 1604. He was re-elected for Maidstone in 1614 and again in 1621. In 1624, he was elected to represent Peterborough in Northamptonshire. This area was close to his wife's home.

Later that year, on December 29, 1624, he received two important titles: Baron Burghersh and Earl of Westmorland. When his mother passed away in 1626, he also inherited her titles, becoming the 4th Baron le Despencer and the 8th and 6th Baron Bergavenny.

Marriage and Children

Fane's wife, Mary Mildmay, Countess of Westmorland.

In 1599, Francis Fane married Mary Mildmay. Mary was the daughter of Sir Anthony Mildmay, who was a British Ambassador to France. She inherited Apethorpe Hall in Northamptonshire.

Francis and Mary had a large family with seven sons and six daughters. Six of their sons lived longer than Francis.

His Sons

• Mildmay Fane, 2nd Earl of Westmorland (1602–1666): He became the 2nd Earl of Westmorland and was also a poet and a Member of Parliament.
• Thomas Fane: He sadly passed away when he was very young.
• Sir Francis Fane (c. 1611–1681?): He was a Royalist, meaning he supported the King during the English Civil War. He was in charge of Doncaster and later Lincoln Castle.
• Anthony Fane (1613–1643): He was a colonel in the Parliamentary army. He was injured in a battle and passed away the following year.
• Col. George Fane (c. 1616–1663): He was also a Royalist officer and later became a Member of Parliament.
• William Fane
• Robert Fane

His Daughters

• Grace Fane (died 1633): She married James Home, 2nd Earl of Home.
• Mary Fane (1606–1634): She married Dutton Gerard, 3rd Baron Gerard.
• Elizabeth Fane: She married twice, first to Sir John Cope and then to William Cope.
• Rachel Fane (1614–1681): She married Henry Bourchier, 5th Earl of Bath. They did not have any children. Her statue can still be seen in Tawstock Church.
• Catherine Fane: She married Conyers Darcy, 2nd Earl of Holderness.

His Passing

Francis Fane, the 1st Earl of Westmorland, was buried at Apethorpe on April 17, 1629. His wife, Mary Mildmay, passed away later and was also buried at Apethorpe. He left behind many children who continued his family line. There is a special monument to him in Mereworth Church.