Biography of John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu 1690-1749

On 23rd December 1662 Josceline Percy 11th Earl of Northumberland (age 18) and [his mother] Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland (age 16) were married. She by marriage Countess of Northumberland. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester (age 55) and [his grandmother] Elizabeth Leigh Countess Southampton. He the son of Algernon Percy 10th Earl of Northumberland (age 60) and Elizabeth Howard Countess Northumberland (age 39). They were third cousins.

In 1673 [his father] Ralph Montagu 1st Duke Montagu (age 34) and [his mother] Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland (age 27) were married. She the wealthy daughter of [his grandfather] Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester who had died six years previously. She the daughter of Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester and [his grandmother] Elizabeth Leigh Countess Southampton. They were third cousin once removed.

In 1690 John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu was born to [his father] Ralph Montagu 1st Duke Montagu (age 51) and [his mother] Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland (age 44).

In 1690 [his mother] Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland (age 44) died.

On 8th September 1692 [his father] Ralph Montagu 1st Duke Montagu (age 53) and [his step-mother] Elizabeth "Mad Duchess" Cavendish Duchess Albermarle Duchess of Montagu (age 38) were married at Newcastle House. She the daughter of Henry Cavendish 2nd Duke Newcastle upon Tyne who had died the year before and the widow of Christopher Monck 2nd Duke Albemarle. She the daughter of Henry Cavendish 2nd Duke Newcastle upon Tyne and Frances Pierrepont Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne (age 62).

In 1705 John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu (age 15) and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu (age 15) were married. She the daughter of John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough (age 54) and Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough (age 44). He the son of Ralph Montagu 1st Duke Montagu (age 66) and Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland. They were third cousins.

In 1705 [his father] Ralph Montagu 1st Duke Montagu (age 66) was created 1st Duke Montagu. [his step-mother] Elizabeth "Mad Duchess" Cavendish Duchess Albermarle Duchess of Montagu (age 50) by marriage Duchess Montagu.

Around 1706 [his daughter] Isabella Montagu Duchess Manchester was born to John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu (age 16) and [his wife] Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu (age 16). She married (1) before 21st October 1739 her fourth cousin William Montagu 2nd Duke Manchester, son of Charles Montagu 1st Duke Manchester and Doddington Greville Duchess Manchester (2) 1743 Edward Hussey-Montagu 1st Earl Beaulieu.

In 1706 [his son] John Montagu was born to John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu (age 16) and [his wife] Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu (age 16). He died aged five in 1711.

On 9th March 1709 [his father] Ralph Montagu 1st Duke Montagu (age 70) died. He was buried at Westminster Abbey [Map]. His son John (age 19) succeeded 2nd Duke Montagu, 4th Baron Montagu of Boughton in Northamptonshire. [his wife] Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu (age 19) by marriage Duchess Montagu.

Around 1711 [his daughter] Mary Montagu Duchess of Montagu was born to John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu (age 21) and [his wife] Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu (age 21). She married 7th July 1730 her fourth cousin once removed George Brudenell aka Montagu 1st Duke Montagu, son of George Brudenell 3rd Earl Cardigan and Elizabeth Bruce 3rd Countess Cardigan, and had issue.

In 1711 [his son] John Montagu (age 5) died.

On 15th September 1712 Sidney Godolphin 1st Earl Godolphin (age 67) died. His son Francis (age 34) succeeded 2nd Earl Godolphin, 2nd Viscount Rialton, 2nd Baron Godolphin of Rialton in Cornwall. [his sister-in-law] Henrietta Churchill 2nd Duchess of Marlborough (age 31) by marriage Countess Godolphin.

On 22nd March 1714 [his sister-in-law] Elizabeth Churchill Countess Bridgewater (age 27) died. She was buried at St Peter and St Paul Church, Little Gaddesden on 29th March 1714.

On 15th April 1716 [his sister-in-law] Anne Churchill Countess Sunderland (age 33) died.

In 1719 John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu (age 29) was appointed 532nd Knight of the Garter by King George I (age 58).

On 16th June 1722 [his father-in-law] John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough (age 72) died at Cranbourne Lodge, Windsor. His daughter [his sister-in-law] Henrietta (age 40) succeeded 2nd Duchess Marlborough, 2nd Marchioness of Blandford, 2nd Countess of Marlborough, 2nd Baroness Churchill of Sandridge in Hertfordshire. Francis Godolphin 2nd Earl Godolphin (age 43) by marriage Duke Marlborough.

On 24th November 1722 [his half-sister] Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset (age 55) died.

Before 1723 Godfrey Kneller (age 76). Portrait of John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu (age 32).

On 27th December 1725 [his son] Edward Montagu was born to John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu (age 35) and [his wife] Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu (age 36). He died aged one in 1727.

Vesta Monumenta. 1727. The ruins of Furness Abbey [Map] in Lancashire. Engraving by George Vertue (age 43) after an untraced drawing originally commissioned by John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montague (age 37).

In May 1727 [his son] Edward Montagu (age 1) died.

On 7th July 1730 [his son-in-law] George Brudenell aka Montagu 1st Duke Montagu (age 17) and Mary Montagu Duchess of Montagu (age 19) were married. She the daughter of John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu (age 40) and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu (age 40). He the son of George Brudenell 3rd Earl Cardigan (age 44) and Elizabeth Bruce 3rd Countess Cardigan (age 41). They were fourth cousin once removed.

On 24th October 1733 [his sister-in-law] Henrietta Churchill 2nd Duchess of Marlborough (age 52) died. Her nephew Charles (age 26) succeeded 3rd Duke Marlborough, 3rd Marquess of Blandford, 3rd Earl of Marlborough, 3rd Baron Churchill of Sandridge in Hertfordshire. Elizabeth Trevor Duchess of Marlborough (age 20) by marriage Duchess Marlborough.

Around 1735 Gavin Hamilton (age 12). Portrait of John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu (age 45) and [his wife] Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu (age 45), and [his daughter] Mary Montagu Duchess of Montagu (age 24).

Before 21st October 1739 [his son-in-law] William Montagu 2nd Duke Manchester (age 39) and Isabella Montagu Duchess Manchester (age 33) were married. She by marriage Duchess Manchester. She the daughter of John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu (age 49) and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu (age 50). He the son of Charles Montagu 1st Duke Manchester and Doddington Greville Duchess Manchester. They were fourth cousins.

Around 1740 George Knapton (age 42). Portrait of John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu (age 50).

In 1743 [his son-in-law] Edward Hussey-Montagu 1st Earl Beaulieu (age 22) and Isabella Montagu Duchess Manchester (age 37) were married. She the daughter of John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu (age 53) and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu (age 53).

On 6th July 1749 John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu (age 59) died without surviving male issue. Duke Montagu extinct. His estates were inherited by his daughter Mary (age 38) and her husband George Brudenell aka Montagu 1st Duke Montagu (age 36) who changed his name to Montagu from Brudenell. Monument in St Edmund's Church, Warkton [Map]. Sculpted by Louis Francois Roubiliac (age 46). Erected by his widow, Mary Churchill (age 59), the daughter of the 1st Duke of Marlborough, who stands at the left hand side of the monument.

On 14th May 1751 [his former wife] Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu (age 61) died. Monument in St Edmund's Church, Warkton [Map]. Sculpted by Louis Francois Roubiliac (age 48). Erected by her Daughter, Lady Mary Montagu. The monument is adorned with figures representing the three fates of Clotho, Atropos and Lachesis, arranged to show the cutting of Mary's life thread, and Lachesis' dismay at it being cut short. Three putti also figure on the monument, one of whom holds the spindle from which the thread was cut.

Clotho: Clotho is one of the Three Fates. She spins the thread of human life.

Atropos: Atropos is one of the Three Fates. She cuts the thread of human life.

Lachesis: Lachesis is one of the Three Fates. She measures the thread of human life.

Adeline Horsey Recollections. The wicked Countess and her lover lived at Cliveden [Map] - "the bower of wanton Shrewsbury and of love" - and her spirit is supposed to haunt the beautiful riverside retreat, but I am thankful to say she has never appeared in the old home of her innocent girlhood. Her portrait by Sir Peter Lely hangs in the White Hall at Deene, and is a fine example of the artist's well-known very décolleté style of "robes loosely flowing, hair as free", with the usual mise en scène of a beauty of Charles II's time. The third Earl of Cardigan was Master of the Buckhounds to Queen Anne; he married a daughter of the Earl of Ailesbury, and their fourth son inherited the Ailesbury title and estates. Lord Cardigan's [his former son-in-law] eldest son married the heiress of the Duke of Montagu in 1766¹. He was a friend of Horace Walpole, the influence of whose pseudo-Gothic tastes may still be seen in the south front of Deene [Map], built at this time, and which now incorporates the great ball-room built for me by my dear husband.

Note 1. Married on 7th July 1730. He was created Duke in 1766.

[his son] George Montagu was born to John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu.