Lionel Cranfield, 1st Earl of Middlesex facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lionel Cranfield
1st Earl of Middlesex
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| Lord High Treasurer | |
| In office 1621 – 25 April 1624 |
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| Preceded by | Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester |
| Succeeded by | James Ley, 1st Earl of Marlborough |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1575 London, England |
| Died | 6 August 1645 |
| Spouses | Elizabeth Sheppard Anne Brett |
| Children | Martha Cranfield, Countess of Monmouth Elizabeth Cranfield, Lady Sheffield Countess of Mulgrave Mary Cranfield Gertrude Howard James Cranfield, 2nd Earl of Middlesex Frances Cranfield, Countess of Dorset Lionel Cranfield, 3rd Earl of Middlesex Edward Cranfield Susanna Cranfield |
| Occupation | mercer |
Lionel Cranfield, 1st Earl of Middlesex (born 1575 – died 6 August 1645) was an important English businessman and politician. He was a member of the House of Commons from 1614 to 1622. After this, he was given the special title of Baron Cranfield.
Contents
Lionel Cranfield's Early Life and Career
Lionel Cranfield was the second son of Thomas Cranfield. His father was a mercer, which is a type of merchant who sells fine fabrics. Lionel was born in London, England. He learned the mercer trade by working for Richard Sheppard in London. Around 1599, he became a business partner with Sheppard.
Cranfield was introduced to King James I in 1605. This introduction helped him start a career in the King's service.
Working for the King
In 1605, Cranfield was put in charge of collecting money from royal lands in Dorset and Somerset. This included lands that belonged to Anne of Denmark, the Queen. He had clerks and deputies helping him with this big job. Part of the money he collected was used to pay the people who looked after Portland Castle and Sandsfoot Castle.
In 1613, Lionel Cranfield was made a knight. This meant he could be called "Sir Lionel." He also became the Surveyor-General of Customs. This job involved overseeing taxes on goods coming into and leaving the country.
Rising Through the Ranks
Cranfield became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Hythe in 1614. An MP is a person elected to represent a group of people in the government. He continued to gain more important roles. In 1616, he became a Master of Requests. In 1618, he briefly managed the King's clothes and household goods as Keeper of the Great Wardrobe.
By 1619, he was in charge of the Court of Wards and Liveries. He also became the Chief Commissioner of the Navy. This meant he helped manage the country's navy. He was known for being very good at managing money.
Becoming a Lord and His Downfall
In 1621, Cranfield was elected MP for Arundel. He was very good at saving money for the government. His business skills were very helpful to King James I.
In 1621, he was given the title of Baron Cranfield. This meant he became a member of the House of Lords. Later that same year, he became the Lord High Treasurer. This was a very important job, as he was in charge of all the King's money. In September 1622, he was given an even higher title: Earl of Middlesex.
Loss of Power
However, Cranfield soon lost his important jobs and influence. He disagreed with the idea of going to war with Spain. This made the Prince of Wales (who later became King Charles I) and the Duke of Buckingham angry.
In May 1624, he was accused of corruption by the House of Commons. This process is called impeachment. The House of Lords found him guilty. He was sentenced to lose all his offices and pay a large fine. He was also put in prison for a short time.
Luckily, he was released from prison quickly. The next year, he was pardoned, meaning he was officially forgiven. In 1640, he was allowed to return to his seat in the House of Lords. Lionel Cranfield, 1st Earl of Middlesex, died on 6 August 1645.
Cranfield's Homes
Lionel Cranfield owned several impressive homes. One was Chelsea House, which he bought in 1619. He hired famous architects like Inigo Jones to improve it. Another home was Copthall in Essex. These homes were furnished with beautiful items. Some furniture from Copthall was later moved to Knole in 1701.
Family Life
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Lionel Cranfield married Elizabeth Sheppard, his business partner's daughter, in 1599. After she passed away, he married Anne Brett in 1621. Anne was a cousin of the Duke of Buckingham's mother. He married her partly to gain support from Buckingham.
He had several children. His son, James Cranfield, 2nd Earl of Middlesex (1621–1651), inherited his title as the 2nd Earl. James supported the Parliament during the English Civil War. When James died, his brother, Lionel, became the 3rd Earl. However, Lionel died without children in 1674, and so the titles of Earl of Middlesex and Baron Cranfield ended.
Cranfield's youngest surviving daughter, Frances, married Lord Buckhurst. Their oldest son, Charles, was later given the title of Earl of Middlesex in 1675. This title was then held by the Earls and later Dukes of Dorset until 1843, when it also ended.
Children by Elizabeth Sheppard (died 1617)
- Martha Cranfield, Countess of Monmouth (born 1601)
- Elizabeth Cranfield, Lady Sheffield Countess of Mulgrave (born 1608)
- Mary Cranfield (1610–1636)
Children by Anne Brett (died 1670)
- James Cranfield, 2nd Earl of Middlesex (1621–1651)
- Frances Cranfield, Countess of Dorset (1622–1687)
- Lionel Cranfield, 3rd Earl of Middlesex (1625–1674)
- Edward Cranfield (born around 1628)
- Susanna Cranfield (around 1631–1636)
Memorial
There is a special memorial for Lionel Cranfield in the Chapel of St Benedict at Westminster Abbey.
