Richard Spencer (Royalist) facts for kids

Sir Richard Spencer (born 1593, died 1661) was an important English gentleman and politician. He was a knight, which is a special title given by the King. Richard Spencer was a Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons for many years. He strongly supported the King's side, known as the Royalists, during the English Civil War.

Early Life and Education

Richard Spencer was born in 1593. His father was Robert Spencer, who was a Baron. A Baron is a nobleman, a person with a high social rank. Richard was the son of Robert Spencer and his wife Margaret.

He went to Corpus Christi College, Oxford in 1609 when he was about 16 years old. He earned a special degree called a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in 1612. He had three brothers: Edward, John, and William.

Becoming a Member of Parliament

Richard Spencer started his political career in 1621.

• First Election: In 1621, he was chosen to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for the town of Northampton. An MP is a person elected to represent their area in the House of Commons, which is part of England's government.
• Studying Law: He also studied law at Gray's Inn in 1624.
• Re-elections: He was re-elected as an MP for Northampton in 1624, 1625, 1626, and 1628.
• King Charles's Rule: He served as an MP until 1629. At that time, King Charles I decided to rule England without Parliament for eleven years. This meant there were no elections or meetings of MPs for a long time.

Supporting the King

After Parliament was shut down, Richard Spencer continued to be involved in public life.

• Justice of the Peace: By 1636, he became a Justice of the Peace (J.P.) for Kent. A J.P. was a local official who helped keep law and order.
• English Civil War: When the English Civil War began, Richard Spencer was a strong supporter of King Charles I. He was on the side known as the Royalists or Cavaliers.
• Helping the King's Army: In 1642, he helped the King by raising two groups of soldiers on horseback. He even led these soldiers himself in a big battle called the Battle of Edgehill.
• Difficult Times: He later gave up his command in 1643. He faced some financial difficulties and even had to pay off debts. He also traveled to France and Brussels for a time before returning to England around 1653. He was briefly imprisoned when he came back.

Return to Politics

After the King was restored to power, Richard Spencer hoped for new roles.

• New Roles: He became a Justice of the Peace and a Deputy Lieutenant for Kent in 1660. These were important local government jobs.
• Back in Parliament: In 1661, he was elected as an MP again, this time for the town of Rye. He took his seat in Parliament after being away for 32 years! This new Parliament was called the Cavalier Parliament.

Family Life and Passing

Richard Spencer had a family and lived in Kent.

• Marriage: In 1628, he married Mary Sandys.
• Children: They lived in Orpington, Kent, and had four sons and two daughters.
• Death: Sir Richard Spencer passed away later in 1661 when he was 68 years old. He was buried in Orpington.