Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery
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Thomas Herbert by John Greenhill
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| 8th President of the Royal Society | |
| In office 1689–1690 |
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| Preceded by | John Vaughan |
| Succeeded by | Robert Southwell |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | |
| In office 1690–1692 |
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| Monarch | William III and Mary II |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Torrington |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Cornwallis |
| Lord Privy Seal | |
| In office 1692–1699 |
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| Preceded by | In Commission Last held by Lord Halifax |
| Succeeded by | The Viscount Lonsdale |
| Lord President of the Council | |
| In office 18 May 1699 – 29 January 1702 |
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| Monarch | William III |
| Preceded by | The Duke of Leeds |
| Succeeded by | The Duke of Somerset |
| In office 9 July 1702 – 25 November 1708 |
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| Monarch | Anne |
| Preceded by | The Duke of Somerset |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Somers |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1656 |
| Died | 22 January 1733 (aged 76–77) |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 13 |
| Parents |
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Thomas Herbert, 8th Earl of Pembroke and 5th Earl of Montgomery (born around 1656, died January 22, 1733), was an important English and later British politician. He served during the time of King William III and Queen Anne. He was known for holding many high-ranking jobs in the government.
His Family and Home
Thomas Herbert was the third son of Philip Herbert, 5th Earl of Pembroke. His family was very well-known and important.
Thomas became the Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery in 1683. This happened because his two older brothers had passed away without any sons to inherit their titles. When he became an Earl, he also inherited his family's beautiful home, Wilton House, which is located in Wiltshire, England.
His Work in Government
Before he became an Earl, Thomas Herbert was a Member of Parliament for Wilton. A Member of Parliament is someone elected to represent people and help make laws in the House of Commons. After 1683, when he became an Earl, he could no longer be a Member of Parliament. Instead, he joined the House of Lords, which is another part of the British Parliament.
Thomas Herbert held many important positions in the government:
- First Lord of the Admiralty (1690-1692): This job meant he was in charge of the Royal Navy, which is the country's sea force.
- Lord Privy Seal (1692-1699): In this role, he was responsible for the King's or Queen's personal seal, which was used to approve important government documents.
- Lord President of the Council (1699-1702 and 1702-1708): This was a very senior position. He led meetings of the Privy Council, a group of advisors to the monarch.
- President of the Royal Society (1689-1690): This was a special role where he led the Royal Society, a famous group of scientists and thinkers.
He also served as Lord High Admiral for short times and was the main representative for Great Britain at the Ryswick peace talks in 1697. This was a big meeting where different countries signed a peace treaty.
His Family Life
Thomas Herbert was married three times and had many children. His first wife was Margaret Sawyer, and they had seven sons and five daughters. Their eldest son, Henry Herbert, 9th Earl of Pembroke, inherited his father's titles.
Later, he married Barbara Slingsby and then Mary Howe. He had one daughter with Barbara.
See also
