Henry Grey, 10th Earl of Kent facts for kids
Henry Grey, 10th Earl of Kent (born 24 November 1594 – died 28 May 1651), was an English politician. He was known as Lord Ruthin from 1639 to 1643. He served in the House of Commons in 1640 and later became the Earl of Kent in 1643.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Henry Grey was the oldest son of Rev. Anthony Grey, 9th Earl of Kent. His mother was Magdalene Purefoy. His father was a church leader in Aston Flamville, Leicestershire.
Henry Grey became known as Lord Ruthin in 1639. In April 1640, he was chosen to be a Member of Parliament for Leicestershire. This was for a short meeting of Parliament called the Short Parliament.
A Life in Politics
Henry Grey took on many important roles in the English government. These roles helped him serve his country during a time of big changes.
Early Political Roles
In 1642, Parliament chose Henry Grey to be the first commissioner of the militia in Leicestershire. This meant he helped organize the local military forces.
When his father passed away in 1643, Henry Grey inherited the title of Earl of Kent. This made him a member of the House of Lords.
Important Government Positions
In 1644, he became a commissioner for martial law. This role involved dealing with military justice. He also became the Lord Lieutenant of Rutland. A Lord Lieutenant was the King's representative in a county.
In 1645, Henry Grey became the speaker of the House of Lords. This was a very important job, like being the leader of the upper house of Parliament. He also became a chief commissioner of the Great Seal. This seal was used to make official government documents valid. He held this position until 1646.
He was also appointed Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire in 1646. He kept this role until he died.
Later Years in Parliament
Henry Grey became speaker of the House of Lords again in 1647. He also joined a committee that looked after the navy and customs.
He was part of a group of lords who took important bills to the king. However, the king did not sign them. In 1648, he joined the Derby House Committee. This committee was a key part of Parliament's government.
He was again named chief commissioner of the Great Seal in 1648. However, he did not take part in the trial or death of the king. He stayed in his role until the House of Lords was abolished in 1649.
Family Life
Henry Grey married twice. His first wife was Mary Courteen. They had a son named Henry, who sadly passed away when he was young. Mary died in 1644.
Later in 1644, he married Annabel Benn. She was the widow of Anthony Fane. Henry and Annabel had two children:
- Anthony, who inherited his father's title.
- Elizabeth, who married Banastre Maynard, 3rd Baron Maynard.
Henry Grey passed away at the age of 56. His wife had a monument built in his memory at Flitton Church in Bedfordshire.
See also
