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The Duke of Northumberland is a title in the peerage of Great Britain has been created several times. It is chiefly associated with the Percy family.

1551 creation

The title Duke of Northumberland was created in 1551 for John Dudley. This appellation for his dukedom was unusual, as Dudley was earl of Warwick, not Northumberland. In 1553 Dudley advanced the claim of his daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey, to the English throne, but when she was deposed by Queen Mary, Dudley was convicted of high treason and executed. A bastard son of one of his younger sons, Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester, Sir Robert Dudley, claimed the dukedom and used the title in early 17th century when in exile in Italy.

1674 creation

George Fitzroy, a bastard of king Charles II, was awarded the title in 1674, but it became extinct in 1716 as Fitzroy left no heirs. In the same year, Philip Wharton, 1st Duke of Wharton was created "Duke of Northumberland", together with other subsidiary titles in the Jacobite Peerage, by "King James III & VIII" (James Francis Edward Stuart, known as the "Old Pretender" or the "Chevalier de St. Georges").

1766 creation

The title was created for the third time in 1766 for heirs of a totally different family, the earlier earls of Northumberland, and it has been in the Percy family ever since. The seat of the Dukes of Northumberland is Alnwick Castle, in Alnwick, Northumberland; their London residence is Syon House in Brentford.

The subsidiary titles of the Duke of Northumberland are: Earl of Northumberland (created 1749), Earl Percy (1766), Earl of Beverley (1790), Baron Warkworth (1749) and Baron Lovaine (1784). All titles are in the Peerage of Great Britain. The courtesy title of the eldest son and heir to the Duke is Earl Percy.

List of titleholders

Dukes of Northumberland, First Creation (1551)

also Earl of Warwick (England, 1547); Viscount Lisle (England, 1543); Baron Lisle (England, 1444)

• John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland (1504–1553) was a Tudor courtier and general, acted as de facto regent for Edward VI, and was executed for high treason for his part in attempting to place Lady Jane Grey on the throne, when certain of his honours were forfeit.

Dukes of Northumberland, Second Creation (1683)

also Earl of Northumberland, Viscount Falmouth and Baron of Pontefract (all England, 1674)

• George Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Northumberland (1665–1716), bastard son of Charles II, died without heirs male

Titular Dukes of Northumberland (Jacobite Peerage, 1716)

Duke of Wharton; Marquess of Wharton (Great Britain, 1715); Marquess of Malmesbury (Great Britain, 1715); Marquess of Catherlough (Ireland, 1715); Earl of Wharton (England, 1706); Earl of Rathfarnham (Ireland, 1715); Viscount Winchendon (England, 1706); Baron Wharton (England, 1544); Baron Trim (Ireland, 1715)

• Philip Wharton, 1st Duke of Wharton, "1st Duke of Northumberland" (1698–1731), a high-profile Whig, forfeited most of his titles for supporting the Jacobite cause, and died without surviving issue anyway.

Earls of Northumberland (1749)

• Algernon Seymour, 7th Duke of Somerset, 1st Earl of Northumberland (1684–1750) was a very rich nobleman

also Duke of Somerset (England, 1547); Earl of Hertford (England, 1559); Earl of Egremont (Great Britain, 1749); Baron Beacuchamp (England, 1559); Baron Seymour of Trowbridge (England, 1641); Baron Percy (Great Britain, 1722)

• Elizabeth Percy née Seymour (1716–1776), only daughter of the 1st Earl, married Sir Hugh Smithson

• Hugh Percy, 2nd Earl of Northumberland (1714–1786) changed his name to Percy when he inherited his father-in-law's earldom by special remainder

also Baron Lovaine (Great Britain, 1784)

Dukes of Northumberland, Third Creation (1766)

also Earl of Northumberland (Great Britain, 1749); Earl Percy (Great Britain, 1766); Earl of Beverley (Great Britain, 1790); Baron Warkworth (Great Britain, 1749); Baron Percy (Great Britain, 1776); Baron Lovaine (Great Britain, 1784); Baron Prudhoe (United Kingdom, 1816)

• Hugh Percy, 1st Duke of Northumberland (1714–1786)
• Hugh Percy, 2nd Duke of Northumberland (1742–1817)
• Hugh Percy, 3rd Duke of Northumberland (1785–1847)
• Algernon Percy, 4th Duke of Northumberland (1792–1865)
• George Percy, 5th Duke of Northumberland, 2nd Earl of Beverley (1778–1867)
• Algernon Percy, 6th Duke of Northumberland (1810–1899)
• Henry Percy, 7th Duke of Northumberland (1846–1918)

• Henry Percy, Earl Percy (1871–1909)

• Alan Percy, 8th Duke of Northumberland (1880–1930)
• Henry Percy, 9th Duke of Northumberland (1912–1940)
• Hugh Percy, 10th Duke of Northumberland (1914–1988)
• Henry Percy, 11th Duke of Northumberland (1953–1995)
• Ralph Percy, 12th Duke of Northumberland (b. 1956)

The heir apparent is the present holder's elder son George Dominic Percy, Earl Percy (b. 1984).

See also

• Henry Percy, Earl Percy
• Eustace Percy, 1st Baron Percy of Newcastle
• Northumbrian tartan

In popular culture

Lord Percy Percy, played by Tim McInnerny, is a major character in the first two series of the British sitcom Blackadder. Actually two characters with almost identical personalities, Percy is the Duke of Northumberland in the first series, The Black Adder, and heir to the same title in Blackadder II. Loyal despite being abused for his bumbling, Percy is a sidekick to the title character of the series, Edmund Blackadder.

External links

• An Online Gotha - Northumberland