Earl of Arlington

Earl of Arlington was a title in the Peerage of England created in 1672 for the influential courtier and statesman Henry Bennet, 1st Baron Arlington. The title became extinct upon the death of the 3rd Earl in 1778. The holders of the title were central figures in the Restoration court and politics, with the first Earl being a leading member of the Cabal Ministry under King Charles II. The title is historically associated with significant estates in Middlesex and Suffolk.

History of the title

The earldom was created by Letters patent from King Charles II on 22 April 1672 for Henry Bennet, 1st Baron Arlington, who had previously been elevated to the Baron Arlington in 1665. The creation was a reward for his long diplomatic and ministerial service, particularly during the complex negotiations following the Second Anglo-Dutch War and the secret Treaty of Dover. The title was named after the parish of Arlington in Sussex. Following the death of the 3rd Earl without male heirs in 1778, the title became extinct. The associated Baron Arlington title also vanished, though the family's wealth and properties passed through the female line to the Duke of Grafton via the marriage of the 1st Earl's daughter, Isabella Bennet, to Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton.

List of Earls of Arlington

* Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington (1618–1685), served as Secretary of State for the Southern Department and was a member of the Cabal Ministry. He was also appointed Lord Chamberlain of the Household. * Isabella Bennet, 2nd Countess of Arlington (1668–1723), succeeded her father under a special remainder in the letters patent. She married Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton, son of King Charles II and Barbara Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland. * Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton, 3rd Earl of Arlington (1683–1757), the son of Isabella and the 1st Duke, inherited the earldom from his mother. He was a prominent Whig politician and served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. The title became extinct upon his death in 1757, as he had no surviving legitimate male children. The Dukedom of Grafton and other titles passed to a younger son from a later marriage.

Family seat and estates

The principal family seat associated with the title was Euston Hall in Suffolk, a grand estate originally purchased by the 1st Earl. The hall was extensively rebuilt and landscaped under the direction of the 2nd Duke of Grafton, with work by architects including William Kent and later Matthew Brettingham. The Arlington family also held significant property in London, most notably Arlington House on the site of what would become Buckingham Palace. This mansion was located on land acquired from Sir William Blake and later sold to the Duke of Buckingham and Normanby, eventually becoming part of the Crown Estate. Their former London holdings are memorialized in place names like Arlington Street in St James's.

Notable holders and their roles

The 1st Earl, Henry Bennet, was one of the most powerful ministers of the Carolean era. As a key architect of foreign policy, he helped negotiate the Triple Alliance and the controversial Treaty of Dover. He was a founding governor of the Hudson's Bay Company and served as Lord Chamberlain, overseeing the royal household. His daughter, Isabella Bennet, 2nd Countess of Arlington, was a noted heiress whose marriage integrated the Arlington fortune with the royal-blooded House of FitzRoy. The 3rd Earl, Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Grafton, was a senior statesman during the reigns of King George I and King George II, holding the office of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and serving as a privy councillor. He was a loyal supporter of the political ascendancy of Sir Robert Walpole.

Coats of arms and heraldry

The armorial bearings of the Earls of Arlington combined the Bennet family arms with those of the FitzRoy dukes. The Bennet arms were *Argent, a bend between six martlets gules*. As a member of the Cabal Ministry, the 1st Earl's supporters included the personal badge of King Charles II. Upon the marriage to the Duke of Grafton, the arms were quartered with those of FitzRoy (*the Royal Arms of Charles II differenced by a baton sinister argent*) and Arlington in pretence. The full achievement featured the coronet of an earl and supporters granted by royal warrant. The heraldic legacy is preserved in the architecture of Euston Hall and in records at the College of Arms.

Category:Extinct earldoms in the Peerage of England Category:1672 establishments in England