John Anstis facts for kids
John Anstis (born August 29, 1669 – died March 4, 1744) was an important English official. He worked with heraldry, which is the study of coats of arms and family histories. He was also a politician. John Anstis became the highest-ranking herald in England. This top job was called Garter King of Arms. He got this position in 1718 after many years of hard work.
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Early Life and Education
John Anstis was born in St Neot, Cornwall. His birthday was August 29, 1669. He was the first son of John Anstis and Mary Smith. John went to Exeter College, Oxford, in 1685. Later, he studied law at the Middle Temple in London.
In 1695, he married Elizabeth Cudlipp. They had a large family with eight sons and six daughters. John became a lawyer in 1699.
Becoming a Politician
In 1701, John Anstis started helping the Earl Marshal. This official was in charge of the College of Arms. Anstis helped protect the Earl Marshal's rights.
In 1702, Anstis was elected to Parliament. He represented the area of St Germans. When the Garter King of Arms died in 1703, Anstis gave advice. He helped make sure the new Garter was chosen correctly. Sir Henry St George became the new Garter King of Arms.
His Role as a Herald
Anstis did not run for Parliament in 1705. In 1707, he was nominated for two herald positions. These were Carlisle Herald and Norfolk Herald. This was part of a plan to share the Garter's work. However, Anstis was never officially appointed to these roles. His main competitor for the Garter job was John Vanbrugh.
In 1710, Anstis tried again to become Garter. He used a change in government to help his cause. In 1711, he was re-elected to Parliament for St Mawes. Then, in 1713, he was elected for Launceston. He worked hard and stayed loyal to his political friends. Because of this, he was promised the Garter King of Arms job in 1714.
Anstis was re-elected as an MP for Launceston in 1715. He kept this seat until 1722. When Sir Henry St George died in 1715, the political situation changed. John Vanbrugh was nominated for the Garter job instead. Also, Anstis was arrested in 1715. He was suspected of being involved in a political plot.
Becoming Garter King of Arms
A long dispute followed between Anstis and Vanbrugh. Both claimed the title of Garter. Anstis finally won in May 1718. He officially became the Garter King of Arms.
In 1724, Anstis published an important book. It was called Register of the Most Noble Order of the Garter, From its Cover in Black Velvet Usually Called the "Black Book". He edited this book with Elias Ashmole. It was a copy of the "Black Book of the Garter." This book is the oldest record of the Order of the Garter. It was written around 1535. In his book, Anstis wrote about the importance of preserving old records. He said it was important to save what was left of these old writings.
In 1725, he helped Robert Walpole with a new idea. This was to bring back a medieval group called the Order of the Bath. Anstis wrote a book about it. He also wrote the rules for this new order.
Anstis led the coronation of King George II in 1727. In 1728, he did a lot of research. He wanted to prove his family was related to Archbishop Henry Chichele. This archbishop founded All Souls College, Oxford. This research could have helped his son, John Anstis, get a special position at the college. Although this didn't happen, Anstis did get his son a herald position in 1727. In 1737, he made sure his son would take over his Garter office.
Later Life and Legacy
John Anstis passed away on March 4, 1744. He was buried in Duloe, Cornwall. Anstis was a very dedicated historian. He corresponded with other scholars. His letters show his wide range of interests.
He left behind many notes and papers. These included over 8,000 pages on English history and heraldry. Many of his papers were sold later. Today, they are kept in important libraries. These include the British Library and the Bodleian Library.
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