Robert Pierrepont, 1st Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull facts for kids
Robert Pierrepont, 1st Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull (born August 6, 1584 – died July 25, 1643) was an important English nobleman. He lived during a time of great change in England. Robert Pierrepont eventually joined the Royalist side in the English Civil War. This was a big conflict between the King and Parliament. He became a high-ranking leader for the King's forces. Sadly, he was killed by accident during the war. This happened after he was captured by the other side.
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Early Life and Education
Robert Pierrepont was born into a well-known family. His father was Sir Henry Pierrepont from Holme Pierrepont in Nottinghamshire. His mother was Frances Cavendish. She was the daughter of Sir William Cavendish and Bess of Hardwick. Robert had a sister named Grace. She later became Lady Manners of Haddon Hall.
In 1596, Robert went to Oriel College, Oxford, to study. This is a famous university in England. Later in his life, he helped pay for the rebuilding of a part of the college. This shows he cared about his old school.
Political Career and Titles
Robert Pierrepont started his career in politics. In 1601, he became one of the two Members of Parliament for Nottinghamshire. This meant he helped make laws for the country. In 1608, he became a Justice of the Peace (JP) for Nottinghamshire. This role involved keeping law and order.
In 1615, he was appointed High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire. This was another important local position. As he grew older, he received special titles from the King. In 1627, he became Baron Pierrepont and Viscount Newark. The next year, he was made the Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull. These titles showed his high status.
In 1633, he bought a large estate called Thoresby Park. This was a beautiful area with a big house.
Role in the English Civil War
When the English Civil War began, Robert Pierrepont tried to stay out of it. He wanted to remain neutral. He even made a famous statement about it. He said that if he ever took up arms for either side, he hoped a cannonball would split him in two. This was a very strong and sad prediction.
However, he eventually decided to join the King's side. The King's supporters were called Royalists. Robert Pierrepont became a lieutenant-general for King Charles I. This meant he was a top commander. He led the King's forces in several counties. These included Lincoln, Rutland, Huntingdon, Cambridge, and Norfolk.
While fighting for the King, he was defending a town called Gainsborough. During this battle, he was captured by the Parliament's forces. These were the soldiers fighting against the King.
Robert Pierrepont was being taken by boat along the River Trent. They were on their way to Hull. Suddenly, Royalist forces on the river bank fired at the boat. They were trying to hit the Parliament's soldiers. But by accident, a cannonball hit the Earl himself. He was killed instantly on July 25, 1643, at 58 years old. His sad prediction had come true.
Family Life
Robert Pierrepont married Gertrude Talbot. They got married on January 8, 1601. Gertrude was the daughter of Henry Talbot.
Robert and Gertrude had five sons. Their oldest son was Henry Pierrepont. He became his father's heir and later received the title of first Marquess of Dorchester. Two other sons were also notable. Francis Pierrepont became a colonel in the Parliament's army. This was interesting because his father fought for the King. William Pierrepont was another son. His daughters married important noblemen.
Robert Pierrepont also had a daughter named Lady Frances. She was born in 1615. She married Philip Rolleston. After Robert's death, his son Henry took over his titles. Henry built the first Thoresby Hall in 1670. A famous author named Frances Catherine Barnard was a descendant of Robert Pierrepont.
Arms
