Title in the Peerage of England
The title Earl of Wiltshire is one of the oldest in the Peerage of England, going back to the 12th century. It is currently held by the Marquess of Winchester, and is used as a courtesy title for the eldest son of the marquess.
The
King Stephen
. The title lapsed after Harvey lost his English lands during the Anarchy, since at that time one could not be an earl without the territory to support the dignity.
Patrick of Salisbury was created Earl of Wiltshire by the
Empress Matilda, probably after July 1143, but he was usually styled
Earl of Salisbury. He was the second but eldest surviving son of William of Salisbury and the grandson of Walter of Salisbury, the founder of
Bradenstoke Priory, in Wiltshire. He was
Sheriff of Wiltshire in October 1152, when he was addressed as "Earl Patrick, sheriff" in a writ of Stephen.
[1] Patrick of Salisbury, Earl of Wiltshire, passed the title to his great-granddaughter
Margaret Longespée. She married
Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, they had a daughter who became
suo jure Countess of Lincoln and Wiltshire on her mother's death. She married three times, but the earldom of Wiltshire seems to have reverted to the crown with her death in October 1348.
[2]
William le Scrope was created Earl of Wiltshire in 1397. He was executed during the events leading to the deposition of
Richard II by
Henry IV. The charter which granted his earldom limited its inheritance to
heirs male, but did not contain the usual additional limitation
of his body. Thus in 1859 a collateral descendant attempted to claim the earldom, but the claim was rejected by the
House of Lords.
The next creation was for
James Butler, eldest son of the 4th Earl of Ormond. He fought on the Lancastrian side at the
Battle of Towton, and afterwards was executed and posthumously attainted.
The earldom was next held by three members of the Stafford family, beginning with John, a younger son of the 1st Duke of Buckingham.
Anne Boleyn's father Thomas was the recipient of the next creation, but after outliving his son and with no other male heirs upon his death the title became vacant. He was the great-nephew of James Butler, the earl of the 1449 creation.
Finally, in 1550 William Paulet was created Earl of Wiltshire. He was made Marquess of Winchester the next year, and his descendants continue to hold both titles.
Earl of Wiltshire, First Creation (1139)
Earl of Wiltshire, creation by the Empress Matilda (c. 1145)
Earl of Wiltshire, Second Creation (1397)
Earl of Wiltshire, Third Creation (1449)
Earl of Wiltshire, Fourth Creation (1470)
Earl of Wiltshire, Fifth Creation (1510)
Earl of Wiltshire, Sixth Creation (1529)
Earl of Wiltshire, Seventh Creation (1550)
The title 'Earl of Wiltshire' is now used as the courtesy title of Lord Winchester's eldest son and heir.
Family tree
Dukes of Bolton family tree
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Earl of Wiltshire (1st creation), 1139 | | | | | | | | | | Earl of Wiltshire (1st creation recreated), after 1143 Earl of Salisbury (1st creation), 1145 |
Viscount of Léon | | | | | | | | | | Patrick of Salisbury c. 1122–1168 1st Earl of Salisbury and Earl of Wiltshire |
Earldom of Wiltshire (1st creation) lapsed, 1141 | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| | | | King Henry II 1133–1189 | | Ida de Tosny (d. after 1181) | | William of Salisbury d. 1196 2nd Earl of Salisbury and Earl of Wiltshire | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | William Longespée 1176–1226 3rd Earl of Salisbury and Earl of Wiltshire jure uxoris | | Ela of Salisbury 1187–1261 3rd Countess of Salisbury and Countess of Wiltshire | | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | William III Longespée d. 1257 |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | Margaret Longespée d. 1310 4th Countess of Salisbury and Countess of Wiltshire |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | , 5th Countess of Salisbury and Countess of Wiltshire suo jure |
| | | | Earl of Wiltshire (2nd creation), 1397 | | | | | | Earldoms of Wiltshire (1st creation) and Salisbury (1st creation) forfeit, 1322 |
| | | | William Scrope 1350–1399 Earl of Wiltshire |
| | | | Earldom of Wiltshire (2nd creation) forfeit, 1399 |
Earl of Stafford |
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Earl of Wiltshire (3rd creation), 1449 | | | | | | | | | | | | Earl of Wiltshire (4th creation), 1470 | |
James Butler 1420–1461 Earl of Ormond, Earl of Wiltshire | | Thomas Butler 1426–1515 Earl of Ormond | | Humphrey Stafford c. 1425–1458 | | John Stafford 1427–1473 1st Earl of Wiltshire |
Earldom of Wiltshire (3rd creation) forfeit, 1461 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| | | | Earl of Stafford | | Edward Stafford 1470–1499 2nd Earl of Wiltshire |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Earldom of Wiltshire (4th creation) extinct, 1499 |
Baron St John, 1539, Earl of Wiltshire (7th creation), 1550 Marquess of Winchester, 1551 | | Earl of Wiltshire (6th creation), 1529 | | Earl of Wiltshire (5th creation), 1510 |
| | Henry Stafford c. 1479–1523 Earl of Wiltshire |
| | | | | Earldom of Wiltshire (6th creation) extinct, 1539 | | Earldom of Wiltshire (5th creation) extinct, 1523 | |
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John Paulet c. 1510–1576 2nd Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire | | Anne Boleyn c. 1501–1536 | | King Henry VIII 1491–1547 | | | | |
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William Paulet c. 1532–1598 3rd Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire | | | | | | Queen Elizabeth I 1533–1603 |
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William Paulet c. 1560–1628 4th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire | | | | | | | | | | |
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William Paulet c. 1587/1588–1621 styled Earl of Wiltshire | | John Paulet c. 1598–1674 5th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire | | Henry Paulet d. 1672 |
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| | | | Duke of Bolton , 1689 | | | | | |
| | | | Charles Paulet d. 1699 1st Duke of Bolton, 6th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire | | Francis Paulet c. 1645–1695/1696 |
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| | | | Charles Paulet 1661–1722 2nd Duke of Bolton, 7th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire | | Norton Paulet c. 1679–1741 |
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Charles Powlett 1685–1754 3rd Duke of Bolton, 8th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire | | Harry Powlett 1691–1759 4th Duke of Bolton, 9th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire | | | | | |
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Charles Powlett d. 1765 5th Duke of Bolton, 10th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire | | Harry Powlett 1720–1794 6th Duke of Bolton, 11th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire | | George Paulet 1722–1800 12th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire |
| | | | Dukedom of Bolton extinct | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | Charles Ingoldsby Paulet 1765–1843 13th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire | |
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| | | | | | | | John Paulet 1801–1887 14th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire | | Lord Charles Paulet 1802–1870 |
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| | | | Augustus John Henry Beaumont Paulet 1858–1899 15th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire | | Henry William Montague Paulet 1862–1962 16th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire | | Charles William Paulet 1832–1897 |
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| | | | | | | | Charles Standish Paulet 1873–1953 | | Cecil Henry Paulet 1875–1916 |
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| | | | | | | | Richard Charles Paulet 1905–1968 17th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire | | George Cecil Paulet 1905–1961 |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | Nigel George Paulet 1941–2016 18th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | Christopher John Hilton Paulet b. 1969 19th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | Michael John Paulet b. 1999 styled Earl of Wiltshire Heir apparent to the Marquessate |
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See also
Notes
Complete Peerage
, (Salisbury) Vol XI, page 37, note (e)
- ^ Cokayne's Complete Peerage, Vol XII (Wiltshire), pages 727–730.)