Duke of Chandos
The Duke of Chandos was a title in the Peerage of Great Britain, created on 29 April 1719 and held by three successive members of the Brydges family before becoming extinct in 1789 upon the death of the third duke without male heirs.[1][2] The most prominent holder was the first duke, James Brydges (1673–1744), a British landowner, Whig politician, and financier who inherited the ancient Barony of Chandos in 1714 and was elevated to the dukedom by King George I for his political support and administrative services.[2] Born the eldest son of Sir James Brydges, 3rd Baronet of Wilton, he entered Parliament as MP for Hereford in 1698 and served until 1714, aligning with the Whig faction and the Duke of Marlborough.[3] From 1705 to 1713, as Paymaster-General of the Forces Abroad during the War of the Spanish Succession, he managed over £24 million in public funds, legitimately accumulating a fortune estimated at £600,000 through commissions and investments, though he was later cleared of any malfeasance in audits completed by 1718.[2] His wealth enabled lavish patronage of the arts; in 1717, he employed composer George Frideric Handel as Kapellmeister at his Edgware estate, Cannons, where Handel produced the Chandos Anthems (HWV 245–256) and other works between 1717 and 1718.[3] Brydges rebuilt Cannons into a grand Baroque palace by 1725 at a cost of £160,000, featuring an orchestra, exotic gardens, and collections of art, plants, and animals sourced from Europe and the Americas, establishing him as one of the era's leading connoisseurs.[4][2] Financial ambition led Brydges into riskier ventures, including a controlling stake in the Royal African Company in 1720, where he redirected efforts toward African botanical and mineral trade after the company's slave trade monopoly ended, though the strategy yielded no dividends.[5] He suffered severe losses in the 1720 South Sea Bubble collapse, yet recovered through strategic marriages: to Mary Lake (d. 1712), bringing the Canons estate; to Cassandra Willoughby (d. 1735), a botanist and co-heiress; and in 1736 to Lydia van Hattem, whose £40,000 dowry bolstered his finances.[3][1] The second duke, Henry Brydges (1708–1771), inherited heavy debts and sold Cannons in 1747, leading to its demolition and dispersal of contents, including architectural elements later used in London's National Gallery.[1] His son, the third duke, James Brydges (1731–1789), faced similar financial woes, residing at estates like Minchenden House and Chandos House before his death in September 1789 rendered the dukedom extinct, with the family's barony falling dormant except for the Scottish Lordship of Kinloss passing through female lines.[1] The Chandos legacy endures in cultural history through Handel's compositions and the preserved grounds of Canons Park, now a public space in Harrow, London.[4]History
Origins and Early Baronial Creations (1337–1554)
The barony of Chandos was first created on 27 January 1337 by writ of summons from King Edward III, elevating Roger de Chandos to the peerage as a reward for his longstanding military service in the Scottish wars under Edward II and early in Edward III's reign, where he served as a knight and banneret. The title was linked to ancestral estates in Herefordshire, notably the manor of Snodhill in Peterchurch, which had been held by the Chandos family since the 12th century and formed the core of the baronial holdings.[6] Roger's elevation reflected Edward III's strategy to bolster loyalty among the gentry through peerage grants amid ongoing border conflicts with Scotland. Members of the Chandos family distinguished themselves in the Hundred Years' War, contributing significantly to Edward III's continental campaigns against France.[6] The first creation lapsed into dormancy following the death of John Chandos, the third baron, on 16 December 1428 without male issue, as the title passed into abeyance among the co-heiresses—his sisters Margaret (who married Thomas Clifford) and Elizabeth (who married Sir John Berkeley)—complicating direct male-line succession under the era's primogeniture rules.[6] This female-line inheritance issue left the barony dormant for over a century, with estates dispersing among descendants until claims resurfaced in the Tudor period. In 1554, Queen Mary I revived the title through a new creation, summoning John Brydges to Parliament as Baron Chandos of Sudeley on 8 April, in recognition of his pivotal role as Lieutenant of the Tower of London and his efforts in quelling Wyatt's Rebellion earlier that year, a Protestant uprising against Mary's Catholic-leaning policies and her planned marriage to Philip II of Spain.[7] The grant included Sudeley Castle in Gloucestershire, enhancing the baronial estate and symbolizing the Tudor monarch's favor toward loyal Catholic adherents amid efforts to restore Roman influence in England.[8] This second creation effectively superseded the dormant first barony, tying the title to the Brydges lineage through prior female descent from the original Chandos holders.The Brydges Inheritance and Elevation to Dukedom (1554–1719)
The Brydges family, originating in Herefordshire and establishing itself as major landowners in Gloucestershire during the 14th and 15th centuries, traced its claim to the Chandos title through the marriage of Thomas Brydges to a descendant of Sir John Chandos (d. 1428) of Fownhope, Herefordshire.[7] This connection culminated in a new creation of the barony when Sir John Brydges, a veteran of Henry VIII's French wars and knighted in 1513, was elevated to Baron Chandos of Sudeley on 8 April 1554 by Queen Mary I.[7] The grant recognized his loyal service as Lieutenant of the Tower of London from August 1553 to June 1554, during which he supervised the imprisonment of high-profile figures including Lady Jane Grey, whom he escorted to her execution, and Princess Elizabeth.[7] John Brydges' son and heir, Edmund, succeeded as 2nd Baron Chandos in April 1557 and further solidified the family's status through appointments such as Knight of the Garter in 1557 and Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire.[9] In the Elizabethan era, the Brydges barons deepened their involvement in court and governance; Giles Brydges, 3rd Baron from 1573, served as steward of Cricklade in 1573 and Lord Lieutenant of Gloucestershire from 1586 until his death in 1594, while maintaining oversight of Braydon Forest.[10] Grey Brydges, 5th Baron from 1602, exemplified Jacobean courtly influence as a prominent nobleman and entertainer, participating in Ben Jonson's masque The Challenge at a Tilt in 1614, patronizing a company of players, and hosting lavish events at Sudeley Castle that earned him the epithet "King of the Cotswolds."[11] His career also included joint Lord Lieutenancy of Gloucestershire from 1603 (sole from 1613), membership in the Council in the Marches of Wales from 1617, and implication in the 1601 Essex Rebellion, for which he was briefly imprisoned and fined.[11] The family's royalist allegiance during the English Civil War, exemplified by George Brydges, 6th Baron's support for Charles I—including attempts to enforce the Commission of Array in 1642—led to temporary setbacks but positioned them for recovery under the Restoration.[12] James Brydges, who became 8th Baron in 1676, bolstered the dynasty's prestige and wealth through diplomatic service as ambassador of the Turkey Company to Constantinople from 1680 to 1684, appointed despite Charles II's reservations about his political views, enhancing trade ties and family influence.[13] By the late 17th century, strategic marriages and regained estates had solidified the Brydges as significant landowners across Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and beyond. The trajectory toward dukedom accelerated with James Brydges (1674–1744), son of the 8th Baron and heir to the title, whose appointment as Paymaster-General of the Forces Abroad from 1705 to 1713 during the War of the Spanish Succession enabled him to accumulate a vast fortune—estimated at over £600,000—through the investment and management of public military funds.[2] His financial acumen, though later scrutinized for irregularities, funded extensive land acquisitions and positioned him as one of Britain's wealthiest figures.[2] Following George I's accession in 1714, Brydges cultivated ties with the Hanoverian administration, securing elevations first to Marquess of Carnarvon and Earl of Carnarvon in 1714, then to Duke of Chandos, Marquess of Chandos, and Earl of Stowe in 1719 as a reward for his political loyalty amid the speculative boom of the South Sea Company, in which he held substantial interests.[2] This apex of the Brydges' ascent marked the transition from baronial continuity to ducal prominence, reflecting their enduring adaptation to Stuart and early Hanoverian politics.The Dukedom Period and Extinction (1719–1789)
The dukedom of Chandos was created on 29 April 1719 for James Brydges, 9th Baron Chandos, who had previously been elevated to the earldom of Carnarvon in 1714, marking the culmination of his rapid rise through political and financial influence. Shortly after the creation, Brydges faced severe financial repercussions from his heavy investments in speculative ventures, culminating in the collapse of the South Sea Company in 1720, known as the South Sea Bubble. He lost approximately £700,000 in the crash, which severely diminished his fortune and forced the abandonment of ambitious building projects, including a grand townhouse on Cavendish Square.[2] Brydges achieved partial recovery through strategic measures, such as selling his London residence on St James’s Square and marrying Lydia Catherine van Hattem in 1736, whose £40,000 dowry provided crucial financial relief. Despite these efforts, he died on 9 August 1744 deeply in debt, with outstanding obligations exceeding £83,000, though his estates generated an annual income of £8,500. His son, Henry Brydges, succeeded as 2nd Duke of Chandos.[3][2] Henry Brydges' tenure as duke, from 1744 until his death on 28 November 1771, was characterized by political withdrawal and a focus on managing the family's encumbered estates. Having served as a Member of Parliament for several constituencies between 1727 and 1744, he largely ceased active involvement in politics after inheriting the dukedom, aligning only sporadically with opposition groups earlier in his career. Financial pressures dominated his time, as he sold or mortgaged portions of the estates to alleviate debts accumulated from elections and inheritance, while holding minor offices such as clerk of the hanaper.[14][15] Upon Henry's death, the title passed to his grandson, James Brydges, as 3rd Duke of Chandos, who inherited on 28 November 1771. The 3rd Duke's first marriage in 1753 to Margaret Nicol, daughter of John Nicol of Minchenden House, produced no children and ended with her death in 1768; his second marriage in 1777 to Anne Eliza Gamon, a widow, yielded only daughters, leaving him without male heirs. He died on 29 September 1789 at age 57 from injuries received in a fall while attempting to remount his horse following a carriage accident at Tunbridge Wells, causing the dukedom and all associated English peerages—including the marquessate and earldom of Carnarvon, viscountcy of Wilton, and barony of Chandos—to become extinct, with only the Scottish lordship of Kinloss passing to his surviving daughter, Anne Eliza.[14][16][17] In the aftermath, distant relative Samuel Egerton Brydges, a writer and genealogist claiming descent from a cadet branch of the family, pursued revival of the barony of Chandos through parliamentary petition. In 1799, he published a pamphlet supporting his brother's claim, which the House of Lords rejected in 1803 after prolonged litigation, as Brydges could not sufficiently prove an unbroken male line of succession under the title's original limitations. He was created a baronet in 1814.[18] The extinction reinforced precedents in British peerage law regarding remainders limited to "heirs male," ensuring that subsidiary titles like the earldom of Carnarvon, created as integral to the dukedom with identical succession terms, could not devolve separately or to female lines, thereby preventing fragmentation and upholding the integrity of noble creations despite the Brydges' financial and dynastic decline.[14]Title Holders
Barons Chandos, First Creation (1337)
The Barons Chandos of the first creation trace their origin to a writ of summons issued by King Edward III on 13 March 1336/7, elevating Roger de Chandos to the peerage as the inaugural holder. This medieval barony, associated with lands in Herefordshire and Radnorshire, passed through three generations before falling into abeyance upon the death of the last male heir. The succession of holders is as follows:| Title | Name | Birth/Death Dates | Succession Details and Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Baron Chandos | Roger de Chandos | c. 1298 – 24 September 1353 | Summoned to Parliament 1337–1353; served in the early phases of the Hundred Years' War, including campaigns in Gascony; died while in royal service abroad, leaving his son as heir.[19] |
| 2nd Baron Chandos (de jure) | Thomas de Chandos | c. 1333 – 6 October 1375 | Succeeded his father in 1353; never formally summoned to Parliament but recognized as heir; participated in military expeditions to France under the Black Prince; died without legitimate male issue, passing the claim to his son.[20] |
| 3rd Baron Chandos (de jure) | John de Chandos | c. 1349 – 18 December 1428 | Succeeded his father in 1375; served as a knight in Herefordshire, holding estates at Snodhill; sat in Parliament multiple times (1386–1414) and held local offices such as sheriff of Herefordshire (1401–1402); died unmarried and without legitimate issue at Radnor, causing the barony to fall into abeyance among his sisters' descendants.[6] |
Barons Chandos, Second Creation (1554)
The second creation of the Barony of Chandos was granted on 8 April 1554 to Sir John Brydges, an English soldier and administrator who had served as Lieutenant of the Tower of London during the turbulent accession of Queen Mary I.[21] This revival of the title, extinct since 1428 in its first creation, passed through the Brydges family of Sudeley Castle, Gloucestershire, a lineage noted for military service, parliamentary representation, and local governance in the West Country.[7] The barons held the title continuously until its elevation to a dukedom in 1719, with eight holders preceding the promotion.[21] The Brydges barons were often involved in regional administration, such as lord-lieutenancies in Gloucestershire, and several served in the House of Commons before succeeding to the peerage.[21] No subsidiary titles were created during this period, though the family acquired baronetcies in Herefordshire through collateral branches.[21]| Baron | Name | Succession | Death Date | Notable Offices and Facts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | John Brydges | Created 8 April 1554 | 12 April 1557 | Knighted 1513; MP for Gloucestershire (1529–1536); sheriff of Gloucestershire (1549–1550); lieutenant of Boulogne (1544, 1547); lieutenant of the Tower of London (1553–1554). Supported Mary I's accession; guarded Princess Elizabeth with noted leniency and suppressed Wyatt's Rebellion. Succeeded by eldest son Edmund.[21][7] |
| 2nd | Edmund Brydges, KG | Succeeded father 12 April 1557 | 12 March 1573 | Knighted 1547; MP for Wootton Bassett (1545–1557); lord lieutenant of Gloucestershire (1559); Knight of the Garter (1572). Fought at Pinkie Cleugh (1547); involved in a Star Chamber case for poaching and affray (1550s). Succeeded by son Giles.[21][9] |
| 3rd | Giles Brydges | Succeeded father 11 March 1573 | 21 February 1594 | MP for Cricklade (1571); lord lieutenant of Gloucestershire. Died without surviving male issue; succeeded by brother William.[21] |
| 4th | William Brydges | Succeeded brother 21 February 1594 | 18 November 1602 | MP for Cricklade (1572–1583) and Gloucestershire (1584–1587); steward of Cricklade (1594); member of the Council in the Marches of Wales (1594); keeper of Braydon Forest (1594). Lived unobtrusively as a younger son until succession; appointed to parliamentary subsidy committees. Succeeded by son Grey.[21][22] |
| 5th | Grey Brydges | Succeeded father 18 November 1602 | 10 August 1621 | MP for Cricklade (1597–1598); lord lieutenant of Gloucestershire (1613–1621); Knight of the Bath (1603/4). Succeeded by son George.[21] |
| 6th | George Brydges | Succeeded father 10 August 1621 | February 1655 | Lord lieutenant of Gloucestershire (appointed 1641/2, royalist allegiance). Married twice but died without surviving male issue; succeeded by brother William.[21] |
| 7th | William Brydges | Succeeded brother February 1655 | 22 August 1676 | Died without male issue; succeeded by third cousin James Brydges.[21] |
| 8th | James Brydges | Succeeded third cousin 22 August 1676 | 16 October 1714 | Also 3rd Baronet of Wilton Castle; sheriff of Herefordshire (1667–1668); ambassador to the Ottoman Empire (1680–1686). Succeeded by son James, who was elevated to the dukedom in 1719.[21] |
Dukes of Chandos (1719)
James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos (1674–1744)James Brydges was the eldest son of James Brydges, 8th Baron Chandos of Sudeley, and succeeded his father as the 9th Baron Chandos in 1714.[23] He was created Marquess of Carnarvon and Duke of Chandos on 29 April 1719.[24] From 1705 to 1713, he served as Paymaster-General of the Forces Abroad during the War of the Spanish Succession, managing substantial public funds.[24] He married three times: first to Mary Lake in 1696, with whom he had several children including Henry, the 2nd Duke; second to Cassandra Willoughby, Dowager Countess of Anglesey, in 1713; and third to Lydia van Hattem in 1736. Brydges died on 9 August 1744 at his seat in Middlesex, aged 70.[23] Henry Brydges, 2nd Duke of Chandos (1708–1771)
Henry Brydges was the only surviving son of James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos, and his first wife Mary Lake; he was born on 17 January 1708. He succeeded his father as 2nd Duke of Chandos on 9 August 1744.[15] Brydges served as Member of Parliament for Hereford (1727–1734), Steyning (1734–1741), and Bishop's Castle (1741–1744), but his parliamentary activity was unremarkable, with no speeches recorded and limited involvement beyond supporting the administration.[15] He married three times: first to Lady Mary Bruce, daughter of Charles Bruce, 3rd Earl of Ailesbury, on 21 December 1728, with whom he had children including James, the 3rd Duke, before her death in 1738; second to Anne Wells, a former servant, on 25 December 1744, with no issue; and third to Elizabeth Major on 18 July 1767, also without children. He died on 28 November 1771, aged 63.[15] James Brydges, 3rd Duke of Chandos (1731–1789)
James Brydges was the eldest son of Henry Brydges, 2nd Duke of Chandos, and his first wife Lady Mary Bruce; he was born on 16 December 1731.[16] Styled Marquess of Carnarvon after 1744, he succeeded his father as 3rd Duke of Chandos on 28 November 1771.[16] He served as Member of Parliament for Winchester (1754–1761) and Radnorshire (1761–1768), generally supporting the Whig administration.[16] Brydges married twice: first to Margaret Nicol on 22 March 1753, with no children; and second to Anne Eliza Gamon on 20 June 1777, with whom he had one daughter, Lady Anne Elizabeth Brydges, but no sons.[17] Upon his death on 29 September 1789 at age 57, the Dukedom of Chandos became extinct, as did the associated marquessate, earldom, and barony of Chandos of Sudeley, with only the Lordship of Kinloss passing to his daughter.[17]