George Radcliffe (politician) facts for kids
Sir George Radcliffe (born in 1599, died in 1657) was an English lawyer and politician. He spent a lot of his time working in Ireland. There, he was an important part of the government led by Thomas Wentworth, who was the Earl of Strafford. Later in his life, Sir George lived in exile (meaning he had to leave his home country) in the Dutch Republic, which is now the Netherlands.
Early Life and Career
George Radcliffe was born in 1599. His father was Nicholas Radcliffe from Overthorpe, West Yorkshire. George went to school in Oldham and then studied at University College, Oxford. He later became a student lawyer at Gray's Inn in 1613. During his studies, he helped pay for special performances called masques. These were for the wedding of Princess Elizabeth.
George became a successful lawyer. Around 1626, he became a close and trusted advisor to Sir Thomas Wentworth. Wentworth later became the Earl of Strafford. George's wife, Anne Trappes, was related to Wentworth. Wentworth was known for making enemies, but Radcliffe remained his loyal friend for his whole life. People close to Wentworth said that he always shared his deepest thoughts with Radcliffe during difficult times.
Like Wentworth, Radcliffe was put in prison in 1627. This happened because he refused to pay a special forced loan to the King. But he also shared in Wentworth's successes. He advised Wentworth when Wentworth was in charge of the Council of the North.
Working in Ireland
When Wentworth was made Lord Deputy of Ireland (a very powerful leader in Ireland), Radcliffe went to Ireland before him in January 1633. Radcliffe became a member of the Privy Council of Ireland. This meant he was a trusted advisor to the Lord Deputy. Wentworth relied on Radcliffe's advice a great deal. Wentworth wrote that he trusted only Radcliffe and Christopher Wandesford among all his advisors.
Radcliffe helped Wentworth make up with James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde. This was a good idea because Ormonde became a very valuable friend and ally. However, Radcliffe and Wentworth made a mistake by bothering Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork. The Earl of Cork was a powerful person who became a strong enemy of Wentworth. He worked for many years to bring Wentworth down.
Radcliffe was a member of the Irish House of Commons. He represented County Armagh from 1634 to 1635. He also represented County Sligo from 1639 to 1641. He was also in charge of collecting customs taxes. He bought a lot of land in County Fermanagh and County Sligo.
When Wentworth returned to England in 1639, he left Radcliffe in charge of Ireland's money matters. Radcliffe also managed Wentworth's own complicated finances. Radcliffe built Rathmines Castle near Dublin. This castle was later destroyed during wars but was rebuilt much later.
In 1640, Radcliffe was arrested and faced charges, just like Wentworth. This process was called impeachment. However, the charges against Radcliffe were not continued. He was set free in 1642. In 1643, he was with King Charles I in Oxford. Radcliffe stayed loyal to Wentworth's family. He used his knowledge of Wentworth's money to help Wentworth's wife and children.
Life in Exile
In 1647, Sir George Radcliffe had to leave England and went to France. He joined the Royalist Court, which was living in exile. Because he was so closely linked to Strafford, who was now seen as a hero for the King's side, Radcliffe became an important person. He became a trusted advisor to the future King James II.
However, Radcliffe got involved in arguments between James and his mother, Henrietta Maria, and his brother, Charles II. For a while, Charles II did not want Radcliffe around. But with the help of Ormonde, Radcliffe was eventually welcomed back. Even so, he did not have much power in his final years. He wrote to his wife that he was tired of his job. He said only his loyalty to James stopped him from retiring. He also complained about being very poor, saying he had not bought new clothes in five years.
Sir George Radcliffe died in Flushing, Netherlands, in May 1657.
George and his wife Anne had one son named Thomas. Thomas got back the family lands in County Sligo when King Charles II returned to the throne. But Thomas died in Dublin in 1679 without having any children. Anne, George's wife, died two years after him. She is buried in Westminster Abbey.
Radcliffe wrote a book called An essay towards the life of my Lord Strafford. This book has been used a lot by people writing about Strafford's life. Radcliffe's description of Strafford's second wife, Arabella Holles, was very beautiful. It suggests he had a special memory of her.
His Character
Historian Veronica Wedgwood described Sir George Radcliffe as a religious man with simple tastes. She said he was not extremely smart but was brave, very thorough, and a skilled lawyer. On the other hand, he could sometimes be easily annoyed, not tolerant of others, and might say things he shouldn't.
