George Wharton (died 1609) facts for kids

Sir George Wharton (born 1583 – died November 8, 1609) was an important person in England. He came from a place called Wharton Hall in Westmorland. In 1601, he became a Member of Parliament for Westmorland. This meant he helped make laws for the country.

Sir George Wharton's Conflicts

Sir George Wharton was known for having arguments with other important people at the royal court. These were people who spent time with the King.

Argument with the Earl of Pembroke

In September 1608, Sir George had a disagreement with the Earl of Pembroke. This argument started over a game of cards. The very next day, while they were hunting, Sir George hit one of Pembroke's helpers with a stick. This made Pembroke very angry, and they argued again. Later that day, Sir George rode his horse towards Pembroke, and Pembroke hit him. The King himself had to step in to stop them from having a serious fight.

The Tragic Duel

On November 8, 1609, another argument happened. This time, it was between Sir George Wharton and Sir James Stewart. Sir James was the son of Lord Blantyre. Their argument also started over a game of cards and became very serious. They decided to have a duel, which was a dangerous fight between two people. Sadly, both Sir George Wharton and Sir James Stewart died during this duel in a place called Islington. They were even buried in the same grave.

King James's Reaction

After this tragic event, King James moved out of London. He wanted to avoid any bad feelings, especially towards his Scottish friends at court. An ambassador from Venice, named Marc' Antonio Correr, wrote about this. He also mentioned that Sir George Wharton was related to the family of Henry Wotton, who was the English ambassador in Venice.