Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Francis Manners |
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|---|---|
| Earl of Rutland | |
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| The 6th Earl of Rutland | |
| Spouse(s) | Frances Knyvet Cecily Tufton |
| Issue | |
| Henry Manners Francis Manners Katherine Manners |
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| Noble family | Manners |
| Father | John Manners, 4th Earl of Rutland |
| Mother | Elizabeth Charlton |
| Born | 1578 |
| Died | 17 December 1632 Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire |
| Burial | 20 February 1633 Bottesford, Leicestershire |
Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland (1578–1632) was an important English nobleman. He lived at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire. Even though he was briefly jailed for being part of a rebellion in 1601, he became a well-known figure at the court of King James I. In 1618, a strange event happened. Three women, known as the "Witches of Belvoir", were accused of using witchcraft. People claimed they had caused the deaths of his two young sons.
Who Was Francis Manners?
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Francis Manners was born in 1578. He was the second son of John Manners, 4th Earl of Rutland, and Elizabeth Charlton.
In 1598, he traveled through France, Germany, and Italy. When he came back to England, he joined his brothers, Roger and George, in a rebellion led by Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex in 1601. Because of this, Francis was put in prison. He had to pay a large fine. Luckily, a friend, Sir Robert Cecil, helped him get the fine removed. After he was free, he wrote a letter saying he was sorry. In November 1601, he joined the Inner Temple, a place where lawyers are trained.
Life at Court
On June 28, 1603, Francis and his brother traveled to Denmark. They went to give a special award, the Order of the Garter, to King Christian IV. Francis became very important at the court of King James I. He was made a Knight of the Bath in 1605.
In 1612, Francis became the 6th Earl of Rutland after his brother Roger passed away. He also became the lord-lieutenant of Lincolnshire. On August 7, 1612, he hosted King James I at his home, Belvoir Castle. The King enjoyed his visits so much that he came back five more times over the years. Francis also held important jobs like constable of Nottingham Castle. He was made a Knight of the Garter in 1616. In 1617, he joined the Privy Council, a group of advisors to the King.
Francis Manners passed away on December 17, 1632. He was buried in the church at Bottesford, Leicestershire. His younger brother, George, became the 7th Earl.
Shakespeare's Connection
In 1905, an interesting discovery was made at Belvoir Castle. Records showed that in March 1613, William Shakespeare and Richard Burbage were paid for their work. They created and painted a special emblem for the Earl of Rutland. This emblem was used at a big tournament in London. It was held to celebrate King James I becoming king ten years earlier.
Francis Manners' Family
Francis Manners married twice. His first wife was Frances Knyvet. They had one daughter named Katherine. Katherine later married George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, a very powerful man. After he died, Katherine married again.
Francis's second wife was Cecily Tufton. They had two sons, Henry and Francis. Sadly, both boys died when they were very young. People at the time believed that their deaths were caused by "wicked practices and sorcerye". This led to the famous case of the "Witches of Belvoir". The Flower family was accused of using witchcraft to harm the children. People thought they made a charm to stop the couple from having more children.
The belief in witchcraft was so strong that it was even mentioned on the Earl of Rutland's tomb. The inscription says that his two sons "died in their infancy by wicked practises and sorcerye".
