William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire

His Grace The Duke of Devonshire KG PC
Lord Steward of the Household
In office 1689–1707
Preceded by	The Duke of Ormond
Succeeded by	William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire
Personal details
Born	25 January 1640
Died	18 August 1707 (Age 67)
Spouse(s)	Lady Mary Butler

William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire KG PC FRS (25 January 1640 – 18 August 1707) was an English soldier and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1661 to 1684 when he inherited his father's peerage as Earl of Devonshire. He was part of the 'Immortal Seven' group that invited William III, Prince of Orange to depose James II of England as monarch during the Glorious Revolution, and was rewarded with the elovation to Duke of Devonshire in 1694.

Life

Cavendish was the son of William Cavendish, 3rd Earl of Devonshire and his wife Lady Elizabeth Cecil. In 1661, he was elected Member of Parliament for Derbyshire in the Cavalier Parliament.^[1] He was a Whig under Charles II of England and James II of England and was leader of the anti-court and anti-Catholic party in the House of Commons, where he served as Lord Cavendish. He was re-elected MP for Derbyshire in the two elections of 1679 and in 1681. In 1684 he succeeded to the peerage as Earl of Devonshire on the death of his father and then sat in the House of Lords.^[1] He was a strong supporter of the "Glorious Revolution" of 1688 which brought William III of Orange to the throne, signing as one of the Immortal Seven the invitation to William.

After the revolution, Cavendish was a leading Whig, serving as William's Lord Steward, and was created the Duke of Devonshire (1694) and also Marquess of Hartington in recognition for his services. He rebuilt Chatsworth House.

Cavendish was given an honorary MA by the University of Cambridge in 1705.^[2]

Family

Cavendish married Lady Mary Butler (1646–1710), daughter of James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde and his wife, Lady Elizabeth Preston, on 26 October 1662. They had four children:

• Lady Elizabeth Cavendish (1670–1741), married Sir John Wentworth, 1st Baronet and had issue
• William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire (c. 1672 – 4 June 1729)
• Lord Henry Cavendish (1673 – 10 May 1700)
• Lord James Cavendish (died 14 December 1751)

See also

• List of deserters from James II to William of Orange

References

1. 1 2 History of Parliament Online - Cavendish, William, Lord Cavendish
2. ↑ "Cavendish, William (CVNS705W)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge. 

Dukes of Devonshire
Barons Cavendish of Hardwick	William Cavendish, 1st Baron Cavendish of Hardwick (1605–1618)
Earls of Devonshire	William Cavendish, 1st Earl of Devonshire (1618–1626) William Cavendish, 2nd Earl of Devonshire (1626–1628) William Cavendish, 3rd Earl of Devonshire (1628–1684) William Cavendish, 4th Earl of Devonshire (1684–1694)
Dukes of Devonshire	William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire (1694–1707) William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire (1707–1729) William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire (1729–1755) William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire (1755–1764) William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire (1764–1811) William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire (1811–1858) William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire (1858–1891) Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire (1891–1908) Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire (1908–1938) Edward Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire (1938–1950) Andrew Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire (1950–2004) Peregrine Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire (2004–)