Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Burlington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard Boyle
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The Earl of Burlington.
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| Born | 20 October 1612 Youghal, County Cork, Ireland |
| Died | 15 January 1698 (aged 85) |
| Title | 1st Earl of Burlington |
| Tenure | 1664–1698 |
| Other titles | 2nd Earl of Cork |
| Known for | English civil war |
| Nationality | Irish |
| Spouse(s) | Lady Elizabeth Clifford |
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Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Burlington, 2nd Earl of Cork (born October 20, 1612 – died January 15, 1698) was an important Anglo-Irish nobleman. He held a high position as the Lord High Treasurer of Ireland. He was also a Cavalier, which meant he supported King Charles I during the English Civil War.
Contents
Richard Boyle's Early Life
Richard Boyle was born in a place called The College in Youghal, a town in the south-east of County Cork, Ireland. He was the sixth child and second son of Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork. His mother was Catherine Fenton.
Family Connections
Richard had a famous brother named Robert Boyle, who was a well-known chemist. His sister was Lady Ranelagh. When Richard was 11 years old, on August 13, 1624, he was made a knight. This happened at his father's house in Youghal. The person who knighted him was Lord Falkland, who was the King's main representative in Ireland. After becoming Sir Richard Boyle, he traveled to other countries. He received money from his father for these travels.
Richard Boyle and the English Civil War
In 1639, Sir Richard Boyle agreed to help King Charles I. He promised to gather and equip 100 horsemen for the King's fight against the Scots in the north of England. His father gave him a lot of money for this, about £5553.
Supporting the King
Richard Boyle was chosen to be a Member of Parliament for Appleby in 1640. He also became a member of the King's special advisory group, the Privy Council of England. However, when the English Civil War began, he was removed from Parliament. This was because he strongly supported the King, who was known as a Royalist.
Fighting in Ireland
Richard Boyle and Lord Inchiquin led forces that defeated an Irish army. This battle happened at Battle of Liscarroll on September 3, 1642. Their victory helped protect the Protestant people in southern Ireland for many years. About a year later, on September 15, 1643, a ceasefire was agreed with the Irish forces.
Joining the Fight in England
In December, Richard Boyle asked the King if he could bring his soldiers to England to help him. He landed his men near Chester in February of the next year. He then marched to help the King in Dorset. He also gave the King large amounts of money to support his cause. Richard Boyle fought throughout the Civil War. He continued fighting until the King's forces were finally defeated.
After the War
After the war, the new government, called the Commonwealth, made him pay a large fine of £1631. He then left England and went abroad. However, he returned to Ireland in 1651 after the government asked him to.
Titles and Important Jobs
Richard Boyle gained several important titles and jobs throughout his life.
New Titles
On September 2, 1642, his brother, Lord Boyle of Kinalmeaky, died. Richard Boyle then became the 2nd Viscount Boyle of Kinalmeaky. A year later, on September 15, 1643, his father died. Richard then became the 2nd Earl of Cork. On November 4, 1644, King Charles I gave him another title: Baron Clifford of Londesborough.
Working for the King
After the King was put back on the throne in 1660, Richard Boyle was given many important roles.
- On November 16, 1660, he became a Privy Counsellor and the Lord Treasurer of Ireland. This meant he was a top advisor and managed the country's money.
- On February 22, 1660, he was put in charge of keeping records for County Cork and County Waterford.
- On March 19, 1660, he was chosen as one of the people to help settle Ireland after the King's declaration.
- On June 25, 1661, he took his place in the Irish House of Lords in the Irish Parliament. Because he was Lord Treasurer, he sat above all the other noblemen.
Becoming Earl of Burlington
King Charles II gave him an even higher title. On March 20, 1664, he became the Earl of Burlington. From then on, he was often called Lord Burlington. On March 13, 1666, he was also made the Lord Lieutenant of Yorkshire. This meant he was the King's main representative in that area.
Burlington House
In 1667, Richard bought a large house called Burlington House in London. It was not finished yet, so he completed its building. This house was the biggest building on his land, which was called the Burlington Estate. The house was named after him.
Challenging King James II
Lord Burlington and other noblemen and bishops were against King James II. King James II wanted to bring back Roman Catholicism. On November 17, 1688, they asked the King to call a "regular and free" parliament. King James was not happy about this request.
After William of Orange arrived in England, King James went to Ireland. In 1689, King James called a parliament there. This parliament passed a law against Protestants who were seen as disloyal to the King. It took away their lands, including those of the Earl of Burlington. However, this law was canceled the next year when William of Orange became King.
On March 3, 1691, Richard was made a member of a new group. This group was called the Society of the Royal Fishery in Ireland.
Richard Boyle's Family and Death
When Richard Boyle was 22, he married Lady Elizabeth Clifford. She was 21 years old. They got married on July 5, 1635, at Skipton Castle. Elizabeth was the daughter of Henry Clifford, 5th Earl of Cumberland.
Children
Richard and Elizabeth had six children:
- Charles Boyle, 3rd Viscount Dungarvan (1639–1694).
- Richard Boyle, who sadly died in a battle in 1665. This was the Battle of Lowestoft.
- Frances Boyle, who married two different men.
- Elizabeth Boyle, who married Nicholas Tufton, 3rd Earl of Thanet.
- Mary Anne Boyle, who married Edward Montagu, 2nd Earl of Sandwich.
- Henrietta Boyle, who married Lawrence Hyde, 1st Earl of Rochester.
His Passing
Lord Burlington died on January 6, 1698. He was buried on February 3, 1698, in Londesborough, Yorkshire. His grandson, Charles Boyle, 2nd Earl of Burlington, took over his titles after him.
Images for kids
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Burlington House, a grand home completed by Richard Boyle.
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