Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury facts for kids

Quartered arms of Sir Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury, KG.

Gilbert Talbot (born 20 November 1552 – died 8 May 1616) was an important English nobleman. He was known as the 7th Earl of Shrewsbury. He also held other titles like the 7th Earl of Waterford. From 1582 to 1590, people called him Lord Talbot. He was also a Knight of the Garter, which is a very special honor.

Gilbert Talbot's Life

Early Years and Family

Gilbert Talbot was born on November 20, 1552. He was the oldest son of George Talbot, 6th Earl of Shrewsbury. His mother was Gertrude Manners. She was the daughter of the first Earl of Rutland.

Marriage and Family Life

On February 6, 1568, Gilbert married Mary Cavendish. Mary was the daughter of his stepmother, Bess of Hardwick. Mary was known for being very strong-willed, just like her mother.

Gilbert and Mary had three daughters:

• Lady Mary Talbot (1580–1649), who married William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke.
• Lady Elizabeth Talbot (1582–1651), who married Henry Grey, 8th Earl of Kent.
• Lady Alethea Talbot (1585–1654), who married Thomas Howard, 21st Earl of Arundel.

Sadly, two sons, George and John, died when they were babies.

Family Disagreements

Gilbert often had arguments with his family. When his stepmother Bess of Hardwick and his father had a disagreement, Gilbert sided with his wife and mother-in-law. Later, when his father died in 1590, Gilbert and Bess had a big fight. He refused to give her the money she was supposed to get as a widow.

It seems Gilbert liked to argue! He also had disagreements with his own brother and other relatives. Even Elizabeth I, the Queen, was sometimes annoyed with him. People said his wife, Mary, was much stronger than he was.

Life at Court

In 1572, Gilbert was chosen to be a knight of the shire for Derbyshire. This meant he represented the area in Parliament.

In 1576, Gilbert and his wife stayed at Goodrich Castle. They sent his father gifts like a special hat, boots, and a drink called perry.

A funny thing happened in 1578. Gilbert was walking in the tournament grounds at Greenwich Palace. He happened to see Queen Elizabeth at a window in her nightgown! Later, she playfully slapped him on the forehead. Gilbert thought this was a sign that the Queen liked him. He wrote to his father about it.

In 1589, he became Baron Talbot and joined the House of Lords. When his father died in 1590, Gilbert became the 7th Earl of Shrewsbury.

Royal Honors and More Feuds

In 1592, Gilbert became a Knight of the Garter. This was a very high honor. However, he soon argued with his friend John Stanhope. Gilbert thought he would get the job of Earl Marshal of England, but John's brother got it instead.

Gilbert's stepbrother, Charles Cavendish, even challenged Stanhope to a duel because of this! The duel never happened because Stanhope was found to be wearing a sword-proof jacket. Queen Elizabeth was not happy and sided with Stanhope.

After this, Gilbert even challenged his own brother, Edward, to a duel over some land. Edward refused to fight. Gilbert then accused his brother of trying to poison him, but he lost the case.

Interests and Patronage

Gilbert was interested in different things. In 1599, he hired a clockmaker to make special clocks. In 1600, he hosted a fancy dinner in London for a French ambassador. After dinner, a large crowd watched a French acrobat perform on a rope.

He also supported artists, just like his daughter Alethea. She later became the Countess of Arundel. Gilbert also enjoyed sports. In 1607, he wrote that he was resting on a couch and was "neither fit for football nor tennis."

Later Life and Challenges

Gilbert and Mary also helped raise their orphaned niece, Arbella Stuart. Arbella was a close relative of King James I of England. She upset the King by marrying without his permission. This caused big problems for Gilbert and Mary. Mary was sent to the Tower of London for helping Arbella. Gilbert lost his place on the Privy Council, a group of important advisors to the King.

Gilbert did not have any sons who lived to inherit his titles. So, when he died, his younger brother, Edward, became the next Earl of Shrewsbury. However, some of Gilbert's large estates (lands and properties) went to his daughters.