John Byron, 1st Baron Byron facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Byron, Lord Byron
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Portrait by William Dobson
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| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| In office October 1643 – 23 August 1652 Hereditary peerage |
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| Preceded by | Peerage established |
| Succeeded by | Richard Byron, 2nd Baron Byron |
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| Born | 1599 Newstead, Nottinghamshire |
| Died | 23 August 1652 (aged 53) Paris |
| Spouses | Cecilia West, Eleanor Needham |
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John Byron, 1st Baron Byron (born 1599 – died 23 August 1652) was an important English nobleman. He was a strong supporter of King Charles I during the English Civil War. John Byron was a Royalist soldier, a politician, and a knight.
Contents
Life of John Byron
Early Life and Education
John Byron was born in 1599. His father was Sir John Byron, who lived at Newstead Abbey in Nottinghamshire. His mother was Anne Molyneux.
John Byron went to Trinity College, Cambridge for his education. When his father passed away in 1625, John took over his family's position and lands.
Political Career
John Byron became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Nottingham in 1624 and again in 1626. An MP is someone elected to represent people in the country's government.
In 1626, he was made a knight. This was a special honor given by the King. He was also elected as an MP for Nottinghamshire in 1628.
Later, he served as the High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire in 1634. This role meant he was the King's main officer in the county. From December 1641 to February 1642, he was the Lieutenant of the Tower of London. This was a very important job, as he was in charge of the famous Tower of London.
Role in the English Civil War
When the English Civil War began, John Byron quickly joined King Charles I. He was a loyal supporter of the King throughout the war.
He showed great bravery at the First Battle of Newbury. Because of his courage, King Charles made him a Baron in October 1643. This meant he became Lord Byron and a member of the House of Lords.
Lord Byron was then put in charge of the King's forces in Lancashire and Cheshire. However, his troops were defeated at the Battle of Nantwich in 1644. He had to retreat to Chester.
Later, he fought at the Battle of Marston Moor in July 1644. He led the King's right side of the army. But his soldiers were outnumbered and defeated. After this, he went to Carnarvon and gave up his command.
Even so, he bravely defended Carnarvon Castle for the King. He held out against long attacks from the Parliament's army. He finally surrendered the castle in 1646.
Later Life and Death
Lord Byron passed away in 1652 in Paris, France. He was living in exile there, meaning he could not return to England. He did not have any children. His younger brother, Richard Byron, 2nd Baron Byron, became the next Baron Byron.
Family
Lord Byron was married two times. His first wife was Cecilia West. She was the daughter of Thomas West, 3rd Baron De La Warr.
His second wife was Eleanor Needham (1627–1664). She was the daughter of Robert Needham, 2nd Viscount Kilmorey. Eleanor was known for being very beautiful. The famous painter Peter Lely painted her as Saint Catherine.
One of Lord Byron's younger brothers was Sir Robert Byron. He was also a soldier who fought for the King during the Civil War.
