Philip Sidney, 3rd Earl of Leicester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Leicester
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Portrait by Peter Lely
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| Member of Parliament for Yarmouth (Isle of Wight) |
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| In office May 1659 – March 1660 |
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| Monarch | Charles II |
| Member of Parliament for Isle of Wight |
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| In office September 1654 – January 1655 |
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| Member of Parliament for Kent |
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| In office July 1653 – December 1653 |
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| Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | |
| In office April 1646 – April 1647 |
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| Monarch | Charles I |
| Member of Parliament for Yarmouth (Isle of Wight) |
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| In office November 1640 – April 1653 |
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| Member of Parliament for St Ives |
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| In office April 1640 – April 1640 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born |
Philip Sidney
10 January 1619 Baynard's Castle, London |
| Died | 6 March 1698 (aged 79) Leicester House, Westminster |
| Resting place | Penshurst Place |
| Nationality | English |
| Spouse | Lady Catherine Cecil (1628–1652) |
| Alma mater | Christ Church, Oxford |
| Occupation | Politician and soldier |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  England |
| Branch/service | Infantry |
| Years of service | 1642 to 1643 |
| Rank | Lieutenant-General |
| Unit | Lord Lisle’s Regiment of Horse |
| Battles/wars | Bishops Wars Irish Confederate Wars |
Philip Sidney, 3rd Earl of Leicester (born January 10, 1619 – died March 6, 1698) was an important English politician. He served in the House of Commons, which is like a part of today's Parliament. He was elected several times between 1640 and 1659. Later, in 1677, he became the Earl of Leicester.
During the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, a time of civil war in England, Philip Sidney supported the Parliamentarians. These were the people who supported Parliament against the King. At this time, he was known by his other title, Viscount Lisle.
Early Life and Family
Philip Sidney was the son of Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester. His mother was Dorothy Percy. She was the daughter of Henry Percy, 9th Earl of Northumberland.
In April 1640, Philip Sidney was first elected as a Member of Parliament (MP). He represented Yarmouth, Isle of Wight in what was called the Short Parliament. Later that year, in November 1640, he was elected as an MP for both Yarmouth and St Ives for the Long Parliament. He chose to represent Yarmouth. In 1641, he also served as a Colonel in a cavalry regiment in Ireland.
Role in the English Civil War
Lord Lisle, as he was known, strongly supported the Parliamentarian side during the English Civil War. From 1646 to 1647, he held a very important position. He was the Lord Lieutenant and Commander-in-Chief of Ireland. This meant he was in charge of both the government and the army in Ireland for Parliament.
He continued to be involved in politics even after major events like Pride's Purge in 1648. He served in the Rump Parliament and was a councillor of state from 1648 to 1650. He was even chosen to be a judge for the trial of King Charles I. However, he decided not to take part in the trial.
From 1651 to 1652, he was the president of the council. In 1653, he continued as a councillor of state and also advised the Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell. That same year, he was elected as an MP for Kent in the Barebones Parliament. In 1654, he became an MP for the Isle of Wight. This constituency only existed for a short time. In 1658, he was appointed to Cromwell's "House of Lords" as "Lord Viscount Lisle." In 1659, he was again elected to the House of Commons.
Later Life and Family
After King Charles II returned to the throne in 1660, Lord Lisle received a pardon. This meant he was forgiven for his actions during the civil war. In 1677, when his father passed away, he inherited the title of Earl of Leicester.
Lord Lisle married Lady Catherine Cecil in 1645. She was the daughter of William Cecil, 2nd Earl of Salisbury. Philip and Catherine had two children: Dorothy and Robert. Robert later became the 4th Earl of Leicester after his father's death.
Philip Sidney also had two notable younger brothers. His brother, Algernon Sydney, also fought for Parliament in the First English Civil War. Another brother, Henry Sydney (1641-1704), was involved in a major historical event. He was one of the people who signed the 1688 Invitation to William. This invitation asked William of Orange to come to England and remove James II of England from the throne.
Images for kids
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Portrait by Peter Lely
