Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Duke of Dorset
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Portrait by Godfrey Kneller, 1719
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| Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | |
| In office 15 December 1750 – 2 April 1755 |
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| Monarch | George II |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Harrington |
| Succeeded by | Marquess of Hartington |
| In office 23 June 1730 – 9 April 1737 |
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| Monarch | George II |
| Preceded by | The Lord Carteret |
| Succeeded by | The Duke of Devonshire |
| Lord President of the Council | |
| In office 3 January 1745 – 17 June 1751 |
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| Monarch | George II |
| Prime Minister | Henry Pelham |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Harrington |
| Succeeded by | The Earl Granville |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 18 January 1688 Dorset, Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Died | 10 October 1765 (aged 77) Knole, Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Spouse | |
| Children | |
| Parents | |
Lionel Cranfield Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset (born January 18, 1688 – died October 10, 1765) was an important English political leader. He served as the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, which was like being the King's main representative in Ireland.
Contents
Early Life and Rise to Power
Lionel Sackville was the son of the 6th Earl of Dorset. His mother was Lady Mary Compton. From the time he was born, he was known as Lord Buckhurst.
When his father passed away in 1706, Lionel became the 7th Earl of Dorset. Later, in 1720, he was given an even higher title and became the Duke of Dorset.
Lionel Sackville was chosen to tell King George I that he had become king in August 1714. King George I liked him a lot at first. He gave Lionel many important jobs and honors. These included being a Privy Councillor and a Knight of the Garter.
At King George I's coronation, Lionel carried the royal sceptre. At the coronation of King George II, he was the Lord High Steward and carried St Edward's Crown. Even though he had a disagreement with King George I in 1717, he was still made a duke three years later.
Serving as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
The Duke of Dorset served as the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland two times. His first term was from 1731 to 1737. His second term was from 1751 to 1755.
In 1739, he also became one of the first leaders of the Foundling Hospital. This was a charity that helped children.
His first time as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland was quite calm. However, his second term was much more difficult. There was a lot of political tension in the Irish government. Two main groups were arguing. One group was led by Henry Boyle. The other was led by George Stone, who was the Archbishop of Armagh.
The Duke of Dorset, influenced by his son George, openly supported the Archbishop. This caused problems. He couldn't remove Boyle from power. People started to accuse him of being controlled by the Archbishop. He became very unpopular, and because of this, he was eventually called back to England.
Later Years and Character
The Duke of Dorset's final years were mostly peaceful. One event was a riot in 1757. This riot happened because of a new law called the Militia Act. This law was meant to raise an army for the Seven Years' War. During the riot, he almost got hurt.
He passed away at Knole on October 9, 1765. He was buried in Withyham in Sussex.
People had different ideas about his personality. Horace Walpole said that while he looked very dignified, he enjoyed silly humor and spending time with ordinary people. He was also thought to always want power, no matter who was in charge.
However, Jonathan Swift believed he was one of the most pleasant and knowledgeable people he had ever met. Swift also said he was a great conversationalist. Even those who didn't like him admitted he had great dignity and behaved perfectly. This was a lasting trait from the time of Queen Anne's court.
Family Life
In January 1709, Lionel Sackville married Elizabeth Colyear. Her father was Lieutenant-General Walter Colyear.
Elizabeth later held important positions in the royal court. She was a Lady of the Bedchamber from 1714 to 1737. She was also the Mistress of the Robes from 1723 to 1731 for Caroline of Ansbach, who was the wife of King George II.
Lionel and Elizabeth had several children:
- Charles, who later became the 2nd Duke of Dorset.
- Lord John Sackville.
- Lord George Sackville.
They also had two daughters:
- Elizabeth, who married Thomas Thynne, 2nd Viscount Weymouth.
- Caroline, who married Joseph Damer, 1st Earl of Dorchester.
Images for kids
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Portrait by Godfrey Kneller, 1719
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The Boyne Obelisk, which Sackville helped start building in 1736. It was later destroyed in 1923.
