Francis Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby of Parham facts for kids

Francis Willoughby, 5th Baron Willoughby of Parham (born around 1605, died July 23, 1666) was an important English noble. He was a member of the House of Lords, which is a part of the English Parliament.

He became a baron when he was very young, in 1617. This happened after his older brother, Henry, passed away. Francis was the second son of William Willoughby, the 3rd Baron Willoughby of Parham. Because his brother died young, Francis inherited the family title and a seat in the House of Lords.

Francis Willoughby first supported the Parliament during the English Civil War. But later, he changed sides and became a Royalist, supporting the King. He also served twice as a governor for English colonies in the Caribbean. Francis Willoughby died without any sons, so his title went to his younger brother, William.

Early Life and Challenges

Francis Willoughby was born around 1605 in Parham, England. His parents were William Willoughby, 3rd Baron Willoughby of Parham, and Frances Manners. His father died in 1617.

His older brother, Henry, held the title for only one year before he also passed away at a young age. This meant Francis inherited the family title and a place in the House of Lords when he was still a child.

As he grew up, there were growing disagreements between the King and Parliament. Francis Willoughby disagreed with King Charles I over certain taxes, like "ship money." He also didn't want to fight against the Scots in the "Bishops' Wars." These events made him question his loyalty to the King.

Becoming a Commander for Parliament

When King Charles I tried to create an army in 1642, Francis Willoughby refused to join him. Instead, he decided to lead a group of soldiers for the Parliament. By early 1643, he was made the main commander in the area of Lincolnshire.

In July 1643, he led a surprise attack on Gainsborough and took control of the town. When the King's army tried to take it back, Willoughby's soldiers fought alongside those led by Oliver Cromwell. They managed to hold off a stronger Royalist force.

Later that year, in September, Willoughby fought under the Earl of Manchester and Cromwell. He took part in the Battle of Winceby and accepted the surrender of Bolingbroke Castle in November.

However, Willoughby's relationship with the Parliamentarians started to become difficult in 1644. He had disagreements with other commanders and even had to apologize to the House of Lords. Cromwell also complained about his soldiers' behavior.

Over the next few years, Willoughby became a leader for a group within Parliament called the Presbyterians. He was against the creation of the New Model Army. In July 1647, he was chosen as the speaker of the House of Lords. But when the Parliamentary army took over London in September, Willoughby was put in prison. He was held for four months and then released without any charges. After this, he went to the Netherlands to join the Royalists.

Supporting the King

After joining the Royalists, Francis Willoughby was given a high rank in the navy under the Duke of York. This appointment might have been made to gain support from Scots and Presbyterians. He was also given a command in the 1648 invasion of England. Later, he gave up his naval command. When Parliament took away his lands, he traveled to the Caribbean.

King Charles II made him the Governor of Barbados. He arrived in Barbados in May 1650 and tried to manage the difficult political situation there. Barbados also had its own divisions between Royalists and Parliament supporters. During this time, he also sent a small group to Suriname to start a colony. They expanded an old French outpost, which became Fort Willoughby.

In October 1651, a fleet of seven ships arrived off Barbados, demanding that the island surrender to Parliament. Willoughby refused, saying he only recognized the King's authority. He had about 400 horsemen and 6,000 local soldiers ready to fight.

For the next month, Barbados was blocked by the ships. In December, the Royalist cause was losing in England. The Parliament's forces began attacking forts on the island. Willoughby tried to stop people from supporting Parliament by hanging two soldiers and banning documents from the ships. The Royalists held out for several more weeks. Eventually, one of Willoughby's own commanders sided with Parliament. After a week of rain, Willoughby decided to negotiate. He was replaced as governor, but Barbados and the Royalists there were not punished. Willoughby's properties in England were also given back to him. He returned home in August 1652.

Later Years and Final Voyage

Francis Willoughby was put in prison twice during the time of The Protectorate (when Oliver Cromwell ruled England) because he was involved in Royalist plans. However, he survived these years. After the King was restored to power in 1660, Willoughby was again appointed as a governor in the Caribbean. He was in charge of colonies like Saint Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat, and Antigua.

In June 1664, he led an expedition from Barbados to Saint Lucia. He removed the small French group there, claiming that a local native had "sold" the island to England. He then set up a short-lived English colony.

During the Second Anglo-Dutch War, Willoughby organized Barbados' defenses. In April 1665, he successfully stopped a Dutch fleet led by Michiel de Ruyter from attacking. Three months later, Willoughby went on another expedition to the Dutch island of Tobago. He found an English privateer already looting the settlement. He stopped the destruction and left fifty men to keep order.

His last mission for England was in July 1666. He learned that the French had taken Saint Kitts. He gathered a relief force of two navy ships, twelve other large vessels, and over 1,000 men. He planned to go north to gather more soldiers from Nevis, Montserrat, and Antigua before attacking the French. He left Barbados on July 28. His force sailed near Martinique and then Guadeloupe. On August 2, he sent a ship to attack the harbor and capture two merchant vessels. However, that night, most of his force was destroyed by a strong hurricane. His main ship, the Hope, was lost, and Francis Willoughby did not survive.

Family Life

On November 16, 1628, Francis Willoughby married Elizabeth Cecil. She was the daughter of a soldier named Edward Cecil, 1st Viscount Wimbledon.

Francis and Elizabeth had four children:

• Diana, who married Heneage Finch in 1645.
• Frances Willoughby, who married William Brereton.
• Elizabeth Willoughby, who married Richard Jones in 1662.
• William Willoughby, who died young before his father.

Legacy

Francis Willoughby died on August 2, 1666, at sea during a hurricane off the coast of Guadeloupe.

In his will, he left large amounts of land in Barbados, Antigua, and Suriname to his children and his nephew. He also left money or sugar to various friends and servants. He named his daughter Elizabeth as the person in charge of his will.