Giles Strangways facts for kids
Giles Strangways was an important English politician who lived from 1615 to 1675. He came from Melbury House in Somerset. Giles Strangways was a member of the House of Commons, which is a part of the English Parliament, for many years between 1640 and 1675. During the Civil War, he supported the King and was known as a Royalist.
His Family Background
Giles Strangways was the son of Sir John Strangways, who also lived at Melbury. His mother was Grace Trenchard.
Early Political Life
In April 1640, Giles Strangways was chosen to be a Member of Parliament for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis in Dorset. This was for a short time, in what was called the Short Parliament. Later that year, in November 1640, he was elected again for Bridport, Dorset, in the Long Parliament.
Giles Strangways was a strong supporter of King Charles I during the Civil War. He even became a Colonel in a group of soldiers who rode horses. Because he supported the King, he was stopped from being a Member of Parliament in January 1644. He also had to pay a very large fine of £10,000. He was put in the Tower of London for two and a half years. Part of this time, he was held as a hostage for his father. When he was finally set free, he had a special gold medal made to remember his time in prison.
Helping the King
In 1651, after losing a big battle, King Charles II was trying to escape from England. The King stayed at Trent Manor, which was the home of Francis Wyndham. Francis Wyndham asked his cousin, Giles Strangways, for help. They wanted to find a ship to take the King safely to France.
Giles Strangways could not find a ship himself. However, he was able to give King Charles II 300 gold coins to help him. He also encouraged Francis Wyndham to keep looking for a ship near the area of Lyme (now called Lyme Regis).
Later Years
In 1661, Giles Strangways was again elected as a Member of Parliament. This time, he represented Dorset in the Cavalier Parliament. He continued to serve in Parliament until he passed away in 1675.
His Family
Giles Strangways married Susanna Edwards, who was from London. They had several children, including:
- Thomas Strangways (1643–1713), who also became a Member of Parliament.
- John Strangways (died 1676), who also became a Member of Parliament.
- Wadham Strangways, who also became a Member of Parliament.
