Henry Sydney, 1st Earl of Romney facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Earl of Romney PC
Master-General of the Ordnance
In office 1693–1702
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
In office March 1692 – May 1693
Secretary of State for the Northern Department
In office 1690–1692
Lord Lieutenant of Kent
In office 1689–1704
Member of Parliament for Tamworth
In office January 1689 – April 1689
Envoy to the United Provinces
In office June 1679 – 1681
Member of Parliament for Bramber
In office July 1679 – January 1681
Personal details
Born	1641 Paris
Died	8 April 1704(1704-04-08) (aged 63) St James's, London
Resting place	St James's Church, Piccadilly
Nationality	English
Political party	Whig
Occupation	Soldier and politician
Military service
Years of service	1678–1694
Rank	Lieutenant General
Unit	Colonel, First Foot Guards
Battles/wars	Williamite War in Ireland The Boyne; Waterford; First Limerick

Henry Sydney, 1st Earl of Romney (born March 1641 – died 8 April 1704) was an English Army officer and a Whig politician. He held important roles like Master-General of the Ordnance. He is most famous for being one of the "Immortal Seven." This group invited William of Orange to England. This invitation led to the Glorious Revolution in 1688. This event changed who ruled England.

Henry Sydney's Early Life and Family

Penshurst Place, the Sydney family home in Kent

Henry Sydney was born in Paris around March 1641. He was the fourth son of Robert Sydney, 2nd Earl of Leicester. His mother was Lady Dorothy Percy. The family home was Penshurst Place in Kent, England.

Henry had several notable siblings. His brother Algernon Sydney was a political thinker. His sister Dorothy married Henry Spencer, 1st Earl of Sunderland. Her son, Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland, was Henry's close friend. Robert later became a powerful advisor to King James II.

Henry Sydney never married. He had one son, Henry Worthley. Henry Sydney died from smallpox in London on 8 April 1704. He was buried at St James's Church, Piccadilly. After his death, his titles ended.

Henry Sydney's Political and Military Career

Henry Sydney spent his early years traveling in Europe. He returned to England and began working at the royal court. In 1667, he joined the army as a captain. He also carried out diplomatic missions for England.

Envoy to the United Provinces

In 1678, England joined a war against France. Sydney was given command of a new army regiment. He became friends with William of Orange. In 1679, he became England's representative to the Dutch Republic. This role was called "Envoy to the United Provinces." He was very successful in this position.

Member of Parliament and the Exclusion Crisis

In 1679, Sydney was elected as a MP. This was during a time called the "Exclusion Bill Parliament." The main issue was whether to prevent the Catholic Duke of York from becoming king. Sydney supported excluding James. He preferred William of Orange to be the next king. William was married to James's daughter, Mary.

Because of his views, Sydney was dismissed from his role. However, he was allowed to return to the Netherlands in 1682. There, he commanded English soldiers in the Dutch army.

The Glorious Revolution

Sydney's nephew and close friend, Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland.

In 1688, King James II had a son. This meant there was a chance of a Catholic king ruling England for a long time. This worried many people. A group of seven important Englishmen decided to act. They were known as the "Immortal Seven." Henry Sydney was one of them. They wrote an "Invitation to William" of Orange. This invitation asked William to come to England with an army.

Sydney traveled to The Hague in August 1688. He became a major general in William's army. William's forces landed in England on 5 November. This event is known as the Glorious Revolution. Most of King James's army joined William. James II fled to France.

In 1689, Sydney was elected as an MP again. William and Mary became joint rulers of England. Sydney received many honors. He was made Viscount Sydney and became a Privy Councillor. He also became Lord Lieutenant of Kent.

Service in Ireland and Later Years

In 1690, Sydney joined William in the Williamite War in Ireland. He was made a colonel of the Grenadier Guards. He fought in important battles like the Battle of the Boyne. He also took part in the sieges of Waterford and Limerick.

In 1692, he became Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. This role meant he was the king's representative in Ireland. His time there was short, but he kept William's trust. In 1693, he became Master-General of the Ordnance. This was a very important military position. In 1694, he was given the title Earl of Romney.

He bought the role of Chief Ranger of Greenwich Park. This allowed him to live in the Queen's House. He made improvements to the area. He even changed a road, which is now called "Romney Road." He continued to advise William. He helped with talks that led to an important agreement in 1701.

When Queen Anne became queen in 1702, Sydney lost most of his jobs. He retired from politics. He died in London in 1704.

Henry Sydney's Legacy

People have different opinions about Henry Sydney. Some thought he was lazy. Others described him as honest and good at earning trust. He was known for his calm nature and good judgment.

It was once thought that the "broad arrow" symbol on government property came from his time as Master-General of the Ordnance. However, this idea is not supported by facts. The symbol was used before he held that position.

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  Henry Sydney, 1st Earl of Romney