Theodosia Harington facts for kids

Theodosia Harington, Lady Dudley (who passed away in 1649) was an important English noblewoman. Even though her husband left her, she stayed connected to the royal court thanks to her large and influential family.

Early Life and Family

This family tree shows how Theodosia Harington was connected to important families.

Theodosia was the eighth and youngest daughter of Sir James Harington from Exton, Rutland. Her father was a lawyer and a politician who served in Parliament for a long time. Her mother was Lucy Sidney.

The Haringtons were one of the most important land-owning families in Rutland. Theodosia's oldest brother, John, was given the title of Baron Harington of Exton in 1603. Theodosia had many sisters who married into other important families, which helped her family's social network grow even stronger.

Lady Dudley and Princess Elizabeth

Theodosia Harington, Lady Dudley, became a member of Princess Elizabeth's royal household.

In 1581, Theodosia married Edward Sutton, 5th Baron Dudley (1567-1643). After her marriage, she was usually known as "Lady Dudley." They had five children together.

Lady Dudley attended the funeral of Mary, Queen of Scots in 1587. This shows she was part of important events at the time.

Sadly, her husband left her for another woman. In 1597, her son Ferdinando and daughter Anne were cared for by her sister Elizabeth Harington and her uncle. This happened because her husband had abandoned the family.

In 1600, Lady Dudley was present when a special visitor, Louis Verreycken, met with Queen Elizabeth I of England. She was there with her sisters, showing her continued presence at court.

Many books were dedicated to Theodosia and her sisters. For example, Sir William Cornwallis dedicated his Essayes to her and two of her sisters. Also, Robert Cawdrey dedicated his dictionary, the Table Alphabeticall, to five of the Harington sisters. This shows how well-known and respected they were.

After King James VI of Scotland also became King of England in 1603 (this was called the Union of the Crowns), Theodosia Harington's family connections became even more important. Her niece, Lucy Russell, was a courtier (someone who attended the royal court). Thanks to these connections, Theodosia's daughter, Anne Sutton (known as "Mistress Dudley"), and her niece Elizabeth Dudley became ladies-in-waiting to Princess Elizabeth. This also likely helped her oldest daughter, Mary, marry a Scottish nobleman, the Earl of Home, in 1605.

Theodosia Harington herself seems to have been a very important member of Princess Elizabeth's household. Before Princess Elizabeth's wedding in London, Frederick V of the Palatinate, her future husband, gave Lady Dudley a valuable gift of silver.

Later Life and Legacy

In 1626, Lady Dudley sold a large diamond to Charles I of England for a lot of money (£1,700). In 1628, a friend named William Mason left her £600 in his will. He made sure that the money would go directly to her, not to her husband, because of her difficult marriage. Mason also left gifts to Theodosia's daughters and other family members.

More books were dedicated to Theodosia and her sisters, including The Fourth Part of the True Watch by John Brinsley in 1624. She also supported a writer named Richard Sherwood, who wrote a short book about marriage for her. Another book, A Happy Husband, was dedicated to her granddaughter, Margaret Home.

In 1639, it was noted that Lady Dudley was living at the royal court. In 1648, she was staying in London with her granddaughter, Anne Maitland, Countess of Lauderdale.

Theodosia Harington died in Norwich in 1649 or 1650. She was buried at St Margaret's, Westminster on January 12, 1650.

Lady Dudley's Will

Lady Dudley wrote her will on September 11, 1649. She had lent money to both the Scottish Army and the English Parliament during the difficult times of the English Civil War.

She left a farm and land near Norwich to her grandsons. She also left a special silver plate to her "noble friend and loving niece," the Countess of Löwenstein. This was her niece Elizabeth Dudley, who was also a lady-in-waiting to Princess Elizabeth.

Family

Theodosia, Lady Dudley, had one son and four daughters:

• Ferdinando Sutton (1588–1621), who married Honora Seymour.
• Mary Sutton (1586–1645), who married Alexander Home, 1st Earl of Home.
• Anne Sutton (died December 1615), known as "Mistress Dudley." She was a lady-in-waiting to Princess Elizabeth. Anne married Hans Meinhard von Schönberg, an ambassador, in 1615. She passed away after giving birth to Frederick Schomberg, 1st Duke of Schomberg.
• Margaret Sutton (1597-1674), who married Sir Miles Hobart. They had several sons. She was buried at St Margaret's, Westminster.
• Theodosia Sutton.