Henry Grey, 8th Earl of Kent facts for kids
Henry Grey, 8th Earl of Kent (born around 1583 – died 21 November 1639) was an important English nobleman. He lived at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire, England. He held the title of Earl of Kent from 1623 until he passed away.
Early Life and Family
Henry Grey was the only son of Charles Grey, 7th Earl of Kent and his wife, Susan Cotton. He studied at Trinity College, Cambridge, which is a famous university.
On 16 November 1601, Henry married Elizabeth Talbot. She was the daughter of Gilbert Talbot, 7th Earl of Shrewsbury. They did not have any children. In 1603, Henry was given the special title of a Knight.
Public Service and Roles
Henry Grey was involved in the government of his time. He was chosen to be a member of parliament (MP) for Tavistock in 1601. An MP is someone elected to represent people in the country's parliament.
Later, in 1614, he became a "knight of the shire" for Bedfordshire. This was another important role, representing his home county in parliament.
He also served as the Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire. This was a high-ranking official who represented the King or Queen in a county. He held this position from 1621 to 1627, and again from 1629 until his death. For some of these years, he shared the role with his father or with Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Cleveland.
Legacy
Henry Grey did not have any children. When he died, his main title, Earl of Kent, went to his closest male relative. This was his second cousin, Anthony Grey, 9th Earl of Kent.
Another one of his titles, Baron Grey de Ruthyn, was given to his nephew, Charles Longueville, 12th Baron Grey de Ruthyn. Charles was the son of Henry's sister, Susan.
