Sir Richard Temple, 3rd Baronet facts for kids
Sir Richard Temple, 3rd Baronet (born March 28, 1634 – died May 8, 1697), was an English politician. He served in the House of Commons, which is like the main law-making body, for many years between 1654 and 1697. He was also made a Knight of the Bath, a special honor.
Sir Richard Temple's Life
Richard Temple was the son of Sir Peter Temple, 2nd Baronet and his second wife, Christian Leveson. His family lived at a famous place called Stowe. He started studying law at Gray's Inn in 1648. He also went to Emmanuel College, Cambridge that same year. When his father passed away in 1653, Richard became the 3rd Baronet. A Baronet is a special title, like a knight, that can be passed down in a family.
His Time in Politics
In 1654, Richard Temple was chosen to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for Warwickshire. An MP is someone elected to represent people in the House of Commons. He served in the First Protectorate Parliament. Later, in 1659, he was elected MP for Buckingham in the Third Protectorate Parliament.
He was elected again for Buckingham in 1660 for the Convention Parliament. This was a very important time in English history. In 1661, he received the honor of being made a Knight of the Bath. He was re-elected to Parliament in 1661 for the Cavalier Parliament and stayed an MP until 1679.
Sir Richard was involved in important government work. He was part of the Council for foreign plantations in 1671. This group helped manage England's colonies far away. From 1672 to 1694, he also worked as a commissioner of customs. This meant he helped collect taxes on goods coming into the country.
He played a big role in opposing the "Popish Plot." This was a time when many people worried about a Catholic plot against the King. He also supported preventing James, Duke of York, from becoming king. In 1676, Sir Richard Temple ordered a new house to be built at Stowe. This house is still the main part of the famous building today.
Sir Richard Temple's Death
Sir Richard Temple, 3rd Baronet, passed away when he was 63 years old.
His Family
Sir Richard Temple married Mary Knapp on August 25, 1675. She was the daughter of Henry Knapp. They had several children together:
- His son, Sir Richard Temple, 4th Baronet, took over the Baronet title. He later received an even higher honor and became Viscount Cobham. A Viscount is a noble title, just below an Earl.
- His oldest daughter, Maria, married a man named Richard West.
- His second daughter, Hester, married Richard Grenville in 1710. Hester later inherited the Stowe estate from her brother, Richard Temple. This made Stowe the main family home. She eventually became the 1st Countess Temple, which is another high noble title.
- Christian, a younger daughter, married Sir Thomas Lyttelton, 4th Baronet. When her brother, Sir Richard Temple, became Viscount Cobham, it was decided that if he didn't have any sons, the title would go to Hester's sons. If Hester didn't have sons, it would go to Christian's sons. This is how the title eventually passed to Christian's descendant, Charles Lyttelton, 8th Viscount Cobham, in 1889.
