George Villiers (died 1606) facts for kids

Portrait of George Villiers by William P. Sherlock

Sir George Villiers (born around 1544 – died January 4, 1606) was an important English knight and country gentleman. He was like a chief officer for Leicestershire in 1591, called the High Sheriff of Leicestershire. Later, he was chosen to be a Member of Parliament for Leicestershire from 1604 until he passed away.

Sir George Villiers was the father of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, who became a very close friend and advisor to King James I. Many of Sir George's other children also became important at the royal court. This helped the Villiers family become a powerful and influential family in England for many years.

Who Was Sir George Villiers?

Sir George Villiers was born around 1544. He was the oldest son of William Villiers and Colett. His family, the Villiers, had lived in Brooksby, Leicestershire, since at least the year 1235. This shows they were a very old and established family in the area.

Sir George's Important Roles

Sir George Villiers was known as a "prosperous sheep farmer," meaning he was good at raising sheep and made a lot of money from it.

In 1591, he became the High Sheriff of Leicestershire. This was a very important job, like being the main law enforcement officer and administrator for the county. He was responsible for keeping the peace and carrying out the king's orders.

He was knighted in 1593, which meant he was given the title "Sir" by the King for his service. Later, from 1604 until his death, he was elected as a Knight of the Shire for Leicestershire. This meant he was a Member of Parliament, representing his county in the English government.

Sir George's Family Life

Sir George Villiers was married twice and had many children who became very important in English history.

First Marriage

His first wife was Audrey Saunders. They had two sons and four daughters:

• Sir William Villiers (died 1629) was the oldest son. He became a baronet in 1619.
• Sir Edward Villiers married Barbara St. John and had ten children.
• Elizabeth Villiers (died 1654) married John Boteler, 1st Baron Boteler of Brantfield.
• Anne Villiers (born 1588) married Sir William Washington. She was related to George Washington, who later became the first President of the United States.
• Frances Villiers passed away without having children.

Second Marriage

Around 1590, Sir George married his second wife, Mary Beaumont. She was his cousin and became a very influential woman herself. They had three sons and one daughter:

• John Villiers, 1st Viscount Purbeck married Frances Coke.
• George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham was the most famous of Sir George's children. He became a powerful figure in the court of King James I.
• Christopher Villiers, 1st Earl of Anglesey also gained a noble title.
• Susan Villiers married William Feilding, 1st Earl of Denbigh.

An Ancestor of Many Prime Ministers

It's amazing to think that Sir George Villiers is an ancestor of many British Prime Ministers! This means that many leaders of the United Kingdom are related to him.

Some of the Prime Ministers who are descendants of Sir George Villiers include:

You can learn more about these leaders by looking up Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom.