Earls of Rutland

Earls of Rutland
Sodacan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Title	Earls of Rutland
Caption	Belvoir Castle, principal seat of the Manners family
Created	1390 (first creation), 1525 (second creation)
Peerage	Peerage of England
First holder	Edward of Norwich (first creation), Thomas Manners (second creation)
Last holder	John of Gaunt?
Subsidiary titles	Baron de Ros, Duke of Rutland (later creation)
Family seat	Belvoir Castle

Earls of Rutland were holders of an English peerage associated with the county of Rutland and borne by prominent medieval and early modern houses including the Houses of York, Neville, Manners and descendants associated with Belvoir Castle, Rutland County and the Peerage of England. The title intersected with major figures and events such as the Hundred Years' War, the Wars of the Roses, the Reformation, and the reigns of Richard II, Henry IV of England, Henry VIII, and Elizabeth I. Holders engaged with institutions including the House of Lords, the Order of the Garter, and regional governance in the East Midlands.

History and Creation of the Title

The earldom was first created in 1390 for Edward of Norwich, a member of the House of Plantagenet and grandson of Edward III of England, whose career connected to campaigns like the Hundred Years' War and court politics under Richard II. After forfeitures and inheritances tied to dynastic conflicts culminating in the Wars of the Roses, the earldom lapsed and was recreated in 1525 by Henry VIII for Thomas Manners, a descendant of Anne St Leger and linked to families including the Neville family and the Fitzalan family. The Manners line consolidated regional influence through marriage alliances with Howard family branches, links to the Duke of Norfolk and service at Tudor courts such as those of Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Mary I.

List of Earls (First and Second Creations)

The first creation (1390) included figures drawn from Plantagenet cadet branches who participated in campaigns like Battle of Agincourt and court conflicts with nobles such as Thomas Percy, Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland, and Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury. The title returned in the second creation (1525) with the Manners dynasty whose members included parliamentarians, royal court officers, and peers engaged with events such as the Pilgrimage of Grace, the Spanish Armada, and Hanoverian succession controversies. Successors intermarried with families like the Cecil family, Russell family, and Seymour family, and held offices including Lord Lieutenant posts, seats in the House of Commons prior to elevation, and appointments under sovereigns from Mary Tudor to George III of the United Kingdom.

Family Seats and Estates

Principal seats included Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire, which served as a stronghold and staged restorations during periods involving architects such as Anthony Salvin and landscapers connected to the fashioning of grounds comparable to work by Lancelot "Capability" Brown. Estates extended across counties including Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, and Rutland (district), with manors tied historically to families like the de Ros family and holdings recorded in sources such as the Domesday Book and later surveys like the Hearth Tax returns and county histories by antiquaries including William Dugdale.

Heraldry and Titles Held

Arms borne by the earls reflected alliances with the House of York, the Neville family, and the de Ros family using quarterings, a practice consistent with heraldic norms overseen by the College of Arms. Subsequent holders accumulated subsidiary titles and honors including baronies such as Baron de Ros, knighthoods in the Order of the Garter, and later elevation to ducal rank within peerages tied to the Duke of Rutland creation. Heraldic displays appeared in ecclesiastical settings like St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle and parish churches such as St Mary's, Belvoir.

Political and Social Influence

Earls engaged in national politics through membership in the House of Lords and informal influence at royal courts, interacting with figures such as Thomas Wolsey, William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, Francis Bacon, and military commanders like Edward Poynings. They served as royal commissioners, sheriffs, and lieutenants during crises like the Spanish Armada and uprisings such as the Cornish Rebellion of 1497, fostering patronage networks reaching cultural figures including poets connected to the Elizabethan era and architects of the Georgian architecture period.

Extinction, Succession and Legacy

Periods of extinction, forfeiture, and recreation reflected larger dynastic shifts following events like the Battle of Bosworth Field, the accession of Henry VII, and legal mechanisms such as royal letters patent and attainder. Succession disputes and inheritances linked the earldom to baronial claims exemplified by contests among families such as the Vere family and the Talbot family, while legacy persisted through the ducal line, preservation of estates like Belvoir, patronage of local institutions including parish churches and charities, and commemorations in county histories, gazetteers, and collections maintained by institutions such as the National Trust and county record offices.

Category:Peerage of England