Biography of George Fitzroy 1st Duke Northumberland 1665-1716

On 28th December 1665 George Fitzroy 1st Duke Northumberland was born illegitimately to King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 35) and Barbara Villiers 1st Duchess of Cleveland (age 25) at Merton College, Oxford University.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 27th July 1667. At the office all the morning; and at noon to the 'Change [Map], where I met Fenn; and he tells me that Sir John Coventry (age 31) do bring the confirmation of the peace; but I do not find the 'Change [Map] at all glad of it, but rather the worse, they looking upon it as a peace made only to preserve the [his father] King (age 37) for a time in his lusts and ease, and to sacrifice trade and his kingdoms only to his own pleasures: so that the hearts of merchants are quite down. He tells me that the King and my [his mother] Baroness Castlemayne (age 26) are quite broke off, and she is gone away, and is with child, and swears the King shall own it; and she will have it christened in the Chapel at White Hall so, and owned for the King's, as other Kings have done; or she will bring it into White Hall gallery, and dash the brains of it out before the King's face¹.

Note 1. Charles owned only four children by Baroness Castlemaine's - [his illegitimate sister] Anne, Countess of Sussex (age 6), and the Dukes of [his illegitimate brother] Southampton (age 5), [his illegitimate brother] Grafton (age 3), and Northumberland (age 1). The last of these was born in 1665. The paternity of all her other children was certainly doubtful. See pp. 50,52.

On 1st October 1674 George Fitzroy 1st Duke Northumberland (age 8) was created 1st Earl of Northumberland, 1st Viscount Falmouth, 1st Baron Pontefract by [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 44).

On 6th April 1683 George Fitzroy 1st Duke Northumberland (age 17) was created 1st Duke Northumberland by [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 52).

On 10th January 1684 George Fitzroy 1st Duke Northumberland (age 18) was appointed 489th Knight of the Garter by [his father] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 53).

John Evelyn's Diary. 30th March 1684. Easter day. The Bp. of Rochester [Dr. Turner] (age 46) preach'd before, the [his father] King (age 53) after which his Ma*, accompanied with three of his natural sonns, the Dukes of Northumberland (age 18), [his illegitimate half-brother] Richmond (age 11), and [his illegitimate half-brother] St. Alban's (age 13) (sons of [his mother] Cleaveland (age 43), Portsmouth (age 34) and Nelly (age 34) respectively), went up to the Altar; ye three boyes entering before the King within the railes, at the right hand, and three Bishops on the left, viz. London (age 52) (who officiated), Durham (age 51), and Rochester, with the Sub-dean Dr. Holder. the King kneeling before the Altar, taking his offering, the Bishop first receiv'd, and then his Ma* after which he retir'd to a canopied seate on the right hand. Note, there was perfume burnt before the Office began. I had receiv'd ye Sacrament at Whitehall early with the Lords and Household, ye Bp. of London officiating. Then went to St. Martin's [Map], where Dr. Tenison (age 47) preach'd (recover'd from ye small-pox); then went againe to Whitehall as above. In the afternoone went to St. Martin's againe.

John Evelyn's Diary. 24th October 1684. I din'd at Sir Stephen Fox's (age 57) with the Duke of Northumberland (age 18). He seem'd to be a young gentleman of good capacity, well bred, civil, and modest: newly come from travell, and had made his campaigne at the siege of Luxemburg. Of all his [his father] Ma*s (age 54) children (of which he had now six Dukes) this seem'd the most accomplish'd and worth the owning. He is extraordinary handsome and well shap'd. What ye Dukes of [his illegitimate half-brother] Richmond (age 12) and [his illegitimate half-brother] St. Alban's (age 14) will prove, their youth does not yet discover; they are very pretty boys.

John Evelyn's Diary. 18th December 1684. I went with Lord Cornwallis (age 28) to see the young gallants do their exercise, Mr. Faubert having newly rail'd in a manage, and fitted it for the academy. There were the Dukes of Norfolk (age 29) and Northumberland (age 18), Lord Newburgh, and a nephew of (Duras) Earle of Feversham (age 43). The exercises were, 1. running at the ring; 2. flinging a javelin at a Moor's head; 3. discharging a pistol at a mark; lastly, taking up a gauntlet with the point of a sword; all these perform'd in full speede. The D. of Northumberland hardly miss'd of succeeding in every one, a dozen times, as I think. The D. of Norfolk did exceeding bravely. Lords Newburgh and Duras seem'd nothing so dextrous. Here I saw the difference of what ye French call "belle homme a cheval", and "bon homme a cheval;" the Duke of Norfolk being the first, that is, rather a fine person on a horse, the Duke of Northumberland being both in perfection, namely, a graceful person and excellent rider. But the Duke of Norfolk told me he had not ben at this exercise these 12 yeares before. There were in the field ye Prince of Denmark (age 31), and the Lord Landsdown (age 23), sonn of ye Earle of Bath (age 56), who had ben made a Count of ye Empire last Summer for his service before Vienna.

In March 1686 George Fitzroy 1st Duke Northumberland (age 20) and Catherine Wheatley were married. Soon after the marriage Northumberland and his brother, Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton (age 22), allegedly attempted to privately convey her abroad to an English convent in Ghent [Map], Belgium. He the illegitmate son of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland and Barbara Villiers 1st Duchess of Cleveland (age 45).

John Evelyn's Diary. 29th March 1686. The Duke of Northumberland (age 20) (a natural son of the [his father] late King by the [his mother] Dutchess of Cleaveland (age 45)) marrying very meanly, with the helpe of his [his illegitimate brother] brother Grafton (age 22), attempted to spirit away his wife.

On 9th October 1709 [his mother] Barbara Villiers 1st Duchess of Cleveland (age 68) died at Chiswick Mall. Her son [his illegitimate brother] Charles (age 47) succeeded 2nd Duke Cleveland, 2nd Earl of Southampton and 2nd Baron Nonsuch. Anne Pulteney Duchess Southampton Duchess of Cleveland (age 45) by marriage Duchess Cleveland.

On 28th June 1716 George Fitzroy 1st Duke Northumberland (age 50) died at Epsom, Surrey without legitimate issue. Duke Northumberland, Earl of Northumberland, Viscount Falmouth, Baron Pontefract extinct.