Duke of Devonshire is a title in the Peerage of England held by members of the Cavendish family. This (now the senior) branch of the Cavendish family has been one of the wealthiest British aristocratic families since the 16th century and has been rivalled in political influence perhaps only by the

Marquesses of Salisbury A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman ...

and the Earls of Derby.

History

Although the Cavendish family estates are centred in

Derbyshire Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands, England. It includes much of the Peak District National Park, the southern end of the Pennine range of hills and part of the National Forest. It borders Greater Manchester to the nor ...

, they hold the titles of "Duke of Devonshire" and their subsidiary title of earldom of Devonshire (neither peerage is related to the ancient title of Earl of Devon). The first Earl may have chosen "Devonshire" simply because places and lands he was associated with were already attached to existing peerages at the

College of Arms The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the British Sover ...

. The title remains associated with "Devonshire" even though in modern usage it is the

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

Devon Devon ( , historically known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South West England. The most populous settlement in Devon is the city of Plymouth, followed by Devon's county town, the city of Exeter. Devo ...

. Another reason for the choice of a non-local or regional name was to avoid antagonising the powerful

Stanley family The Stanley family (or Audley-Stanley family) is an English family with many notable members, including the Earls of Derby and the Barons Audley who descended from the early holders of Audley and Stanley, Staffordshire. The two branches of the Aud ...

from the Midlands who had strong associations with Derbyshire since their ancestors had been gifted estates in the county by

William the Conqueror William I; ang, WillelmI (Bates ''William the Conqueror'' p. 33– 9 September 1087), usually known as William the Conqueror and sometimes William the Bastard, was the first Norman king of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 10 ...

, and they had also been the Earls of Derby since the late 15th century. (See British peerage ranks) Every Duke of Devonshire has so far been appointed a Knight of the Garter, except () the present one.

Cavendish knights, and the 1st Earl of Devonshire

The Cavendish family descends from Sir John Cavendish, who took his name from the village of Cavendish, Suffolk, where he held an estate in the 14th century. He served as

Chief Justice of the King's Bench Chief may refer to: Title or rank Military and law enforcement * Chief master sergeant, the ninth, and highest, enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force * Chief of police, the head of a police department * Chief of the bo ...

from 1372 to 1381, and was killed in the

Peasants' Revolt The Peasants' Revolt, also named Wat Tyler's Rebellion or the Great Rising, was a major uprising across large parts of England in 1381. The revolt had various causes, including the socio-economic and political tensions generated by the Blac ...

in 1381. Two of his great-grandsons were George Cavendish,

Thomas Cardinal Wolsey Thomas Wolsey ( – 29 November 1530) was an English statesman and Catholic bishop. When Henry VIII became King of England in 1509, Wolsey became the king's almoner. Wolsey's affairs prospered and by 1514 he had become the controlling figure ...

's biographer, and George's younger brother Sir William Cavendish. Sir William gained great wealth from his position in the Exchequer and also (allegedly) from unfairly taking advantage of the dissolution of the Monasteries. He married (1547) as his third wife the famous

Bess of Hardwick Elizabeth Cavendish, later Elizabeth Talbot, Countess of Shrewsbury ( Hardwick; c. 1527 13 February 1608), known as Bess of Hardwick, of Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire, was a notable figure of Elizabethan English society. By a series of well-made ...

, with whom he had eight children. One of their sons, Sir Charles Cavendish (1553–1617), was the father of William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne (1592–1676; see

Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne Duke of Newcastle upon Tyne was a title that was created three times, once in the Peerage of England and twice in the Peerage of Great Britain. The first grant of the title was made in 1665 to William Cavendish, 1st Marquess of Newcastle ...

for more information on this branch of the family), while another son, Henry Cavendish, was the ancestor of the Barons Waterpark. Yet another son, William Cavendish (1552–1626), was a politician and a supporter of the colonization of

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

. In 1605 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Cavendish, of Hardwicke in the County of Derby, and in 1618 he was further honoured when he was made Earl of Devonshire. Both titles are in the Peerage of England.

The 2nd Earl of Devonshire and the first five Dukes of Devonshire

He was succeeded by his eldest son, William Cavendish, 2nd Earl of Devonshire, who served as Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire and was a patron of the philosopher

Thomas Hobbes Thomas Hobbes ( ; 5/15 April 1588 – 4/14 December 1679) was an English philosopher, considered to be one of the founders of modern political philosophy. Hobbes is best known for his 1651 book '' Leviathan'', in which he expounds an influ ...

(1588–1679). On his early death in 1628 the titles passed to his son,

William Cavendish, 3rd Earl of Devonshire William Cavendish, 3rd Earl of Devonshire, KB, FRS (c. 10 October 161723 November 1684) was an English nobleman and politician, known as a royalist supporter. Life The eldest son of William Cavendish, 2nd Earl of Devonshire and his wife Christi ...

, who also served as Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire. He was succeeded by his son, the fourth Earl. He was a strong supporter of the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and later served under William III and Mary II as Lord Steward of the Household. In 1694 he was created Marquess of Hartington and Duke of Devonshire in the Peerage of England. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Duke, who held political office as Lord President of the Council and Lord Privy Seal and was also Lord-Lieutenant of Devonshire. His eldest son, the third Duke, served as Lord Privy Seal, as Lord Steward of the Household and (from 1737 to 1745) as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland. On his death the titles passed to his eldest son, the fourth Duke, who was a prominent politician. He was summoned to the

House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by appointment, heredity or official function. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminst ...

through a writ of acceleration in his father's junior title of Baron Cavendish, of Hardwicke in 1751 and served as First Lord of the Treasury and titular Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1756 to 1757. Devonshire married Charlotte Boyle, 6th Baroness Clifford, daughter of the famous architect Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington (on whose death in 1753 the earldom of Burlington became extinct). Their third and youngest son Lord George Cavendish was recreated Earl of Burlington in 1831. Devonshire was succeeded by his eldest son, William Cavendish, who became the fifth Duke of Devonshire. He had already succeeded his mother as seventh Baron Clifford in 1754. He served as Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire from 1782 to 1811 but is best remembered for his first marriage (1774) to Lady Georgiana Spencer (1757–1806), the celebrated beauty and society hostess.

The sixth, seventh and eighth Dukes

Their only son, the sixth Duke, served as Lord Chamberlain of the Household from 1827 to 1828 and from 1830 to 1834. Known as the "Bachelor Duke", he never married and on his death in 1858 the barony of Clifford fell into abeyance between his sisters. He was succeeded in the other titles by his first cousin once removed, the second Earl of Burlington, who became the seventh Duke (see the Earl of Burlington for earlier history of this branch of the family). He was the son of William Cavendish, eldest son of the aforementioned first Earl of Burlington, youngest son of the fourth Duke. He was

Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire. The Lord Lieutenant is the King's personal representative in each county of the United Kingdom. Historically the Lord Lieutenant was responsible for organising the county' ...

and Derbyshire and Chancellor of the University of London and of the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

. He was succeeded by his second, but eldest surviving son, the eighth Duke. The eighth Duke was a noted statesman and the most famous member of the Cavendish family. Known under his courtesy title of Marquess of Hartington until 1891, he held political office for a period spanning 40 years, notably as

Secretary of State for India His (or Her) Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for India, known for short as the India Secretary or the Indian Secretary, was the British Cabinet minister and the political head of the India Office responsible for the governance of th ...

and as Secretary of State for War, and three times declined to become

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is ...

. He married Louise, Dowager Duchess of Manchester, who became known as the "Double Duchess".

The ninth, tenth and eleventh Dukes

Devonshire died childless and was succeeded by his nephew, the ninth Duke. He was the eldest son of Lord Edward Cavendish, third son of the seventh Duke. He was a Conservative politician and served as

Governor-General of Canada The governor general of Canada (french: gouverneure générale du Canada) is the federal viceregal representative of the . The is head of state of Canada and the 14 other Commonwealth realms, but resides in oldest and most populous realm, t ...

from 1916 to 1921 and as Secretary of State for the Colonies from 1922 to 1924. His elder son, the tenth Duke, also a Conservative politician, served as

Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs The position of Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs was a British ministerial position, subordinate to that of Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs, created in 1925 to deal with British relations with the Dominions – Canada, Aust ...

, as Under-Secretary of State for India and Burma and as

Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies The Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies was a junior Ministerial post in the United Kingdom government, subordinate to the Secretary of State for the Colonies and, from 1948, also to a Minister of State. Under-Secretaries of State for the ...

. He married Lady Mary Gascoyne-Cecil, who was Mistress of the Robes to

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

from 1953 to 1966. Their elder son and heir apparent

William Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington William John Robert Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington (10 December 1917 – 9 September 1944) was a British politician and British Army officer. He was the elder son of Edward Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire, and therefore the heir to the duke ...

, married Kathleen Kennedy, daughter of Joseph Kennedy and sister of the future

President of the United States The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal gove ...

, John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Lord Hartington was killed in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

in 1944 shortly after the marriage. The couple had no children. Devonshire was therefore succeeded by his second and only surviving son, the eleventh Duke. He sat on the Conservative benches in the House of Lords and held political office (under his uncle

Harold Macmillan Maurice Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, (10 February 1894 – 29 December 1986) was a British Conservative statesman and politician who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963. Caricatured as " Supermac", ...

and later under

Sir Alec Douglas-Home Alexander Frederick Douglas-Home, Baron Home of the Hirsel (; 2 July 1903 – 9 October 1995), styled as Lord Dunglass between 1918 and 1951 and being The 14th Earl of Home from 1951 till 1963, was a British Conservative politician who se ...

) from 1960 to 1964. Devonshire married the Hon. Deborah Mitford, the youngest of the famous Mitford sisters. As of 2022, the titles are held by their second and only surviving son, Peregrine Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire, who succeeded in 2004. The ninth and tenth dukes both served as

Chancellor Chancellor ( la, cancellarius) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the or lattice work screens of a basilica or law cou ...

of the

University of Leeds , mottoeng = And knowledge will be increased , established = 1831 – Leeds School of Medicine1874 – Yorkshire College of Science1884 - Yorkshire College1887 – affiliated to the federal Victoria University1904 – University of Leeds , ...

Other notable members of the Cavendish family

Numerous other members of the Cavendish family have also gained distinction.

Lord Henry Cavendish Lord Henry Cavendish (1673 – 10 May 1700) was an English nobleman and politician, the second surviving son of William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire. Cavendish was educated abroad, traveling through Austria, Germany, and the Low Cou ...

(1673–1700), second son of the first Duke, was Member of Parliament for

Derby Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby g ...

. Lord James Cavendish (died 1751), third son of the first Duke, also represented this constituency in the House of Commons. Lord Charles Cavendish (1704–1783), second son of the second Duke, was a politician and scientist. His son Henry Cavendish (1731–1810) was an influential scientist noted for his discovery of

hydrogen Hydrogen is the chemical element with the symbol H and atomic number 1. Hydrogen is the lightest element. At standard conditions hydrogen is a gas of diatomic molecules having the formula . It is colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-to ...

. Lord James Cavendish (1701–1741), third son of the second Duke, was a soldier and briefly represented Malton in Parliament. Lord George Cavendish (died 1794), second son of the third Duke, was a long-standing Member of Parliament and served as Comptroller of the Household from 1761 to 1762. Lord Frederick Cavendish, third son of the third Duke, was a Field Marshal in the Army.

Lord John Cavendish Lord John Cavendish (22 October 1732 – 18 December 1796) was a British nobleman and politician. Background Cavendish was the youngest son of William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire, and his wife Catherine, daughter of John Hoskins. Prime ...

, fourth son of the third Duke, was a politician and served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in 1782 and 1783. Lord Richard Cavendish, second son of the fourth Duke, represented Lancaster and

in the House of Commons. Lady Dorothy Cavendish, daughter of the fourth Duke, married Prime Minister William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland (who assumed the additional surname of Cavendish). Augustus Clifford, illegitimate son by the fifth Duke and his mistress and later second wife Elizabeth Hervey, was a naval commander and was created a baronet in 1838 (see

Clifford baronets There have been two baronetcies created for a person with the surname Clifford. The Clifford Baronetcy, of the Navy, was created for Augustus William James Clifford, the illegitimate son of the William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire, 5th Duk ...

). William Cavendish, eldest son of the first Earl of Burlington and father of the seventh Duke, represented Aylesbury and Derby in Parliament. George Henry Compton Cavendish, second son of the first Earl of Burlington, was Member of Parliament for Aylesbury. The Hon. Henry Frederick Compton Cavendish, third son of the first Earl of Burlington, was a

general A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". O ...

in the Army. The Hon. Charles Compton Cavendish, fourth son of the first Earl of Burlington, was created

Baron Chesham Baron Chesham, of Chesham in the County of Buckingham, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom created in 1858 for the Hon. Charles Cavendish, who had earlier represented Aylesbury, Newtown, East Sussex, Youghal and Buckinghamshire in t ...

in 1858. Lord Frederick Cavendish, third son of the seventh Duke, was a Liberal politician. He had just been appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland in 1882 when he was assassinated by nationalists in

Phoenix Park The Phoenix Park ( ga, Páirc an Fhionnuisce) is a large urban park in Dublin, Ireland, lying west of the city centre, north of the River Liffey. Its perimeter wall encloses of recreational space. It includes large areas of grassland and t ...

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 ...

. His wife Lady Frederick (Lucy) Cavendish was a pioneer of women's education. Lord Edward Cavendish, fourth and youngest son of the seventh Duke, sat as Member of Parliament for several constituencies. His second son Lord Richard Cavendish represented North Lonsdale in Parliament. In 1911 he was one of the proposed recipients of peerages in case the Bill that was to become the

Parliament Act 1911 The Parliament Act 1911 (1 & 2 Geo. 5 c. 13) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is constitutionally important and partly governs the relationship between the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two Houses of Pa ...

was not accepted by the House of Lords. His grandson Hugh Cavendish was created a life peer as Baron Cavendish of Furness in 1990. Lady Dorothy Cavendish, daughter of the ninth Duke, was the wife of Prime Minister

Courtesy titles and family seats

The Duke of Devonshire's eldest son may use the courtesy title ''Marquess of Hartington'', whilst the eldest son of the eldest son may use the title ''Earl of Burlington'', and his eldest son may use the title ''Lord Cavendish''. St Peter's Churchyard, Edensor - Cavendish family plot1

St Peter's Churchyard, Edensor - Cavendish family plot1

The family seats are Chatsworth House, Bolton Abbey in

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...

, and Lismore Castle in Co Waterford, in the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern side of the island. ...

Compton Place Compton Place is a mansion house in the parish of Eastbourne, East Sussex, England. It was rebuilt from 1726 by Sir Spencer Compton (later 1st Earl of Wilmington), to the design of the architect Colen Campbell, and was completed after Campbe ...

Eastbourne Eastbourne () is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, east of Brighton and south of London. Eastbourne is immediately east of Beachy Head, the highest chalk sea cliff in Great Britain and part of the l ...

belongs to the family (which developed Eastbourne as a seaside resort in the 19th century) but is let. In 1908 Holker Hall, then in

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancas ...

, now in

Cumbria Cumbria ( ) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in North West England, bordering Scotland. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local government, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. ...

, was left to a junior branch of the family. The family previously owned Londesborough Hall,

;

Hardwick Hall Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire is an architecturally significant country house from the Elizabethan era, a leading example of the Elizabethan prodigy house. Built between 1590 and 1597 for Bess of Hardwick, it was designed by the architect ...

;

Chiswick House Chiswick House is a Neo-Palladian style villa in the Chiswick district of London, England. A "glorious" example of Neo-Palladian architecture in west London, the house was designed and built by Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington (1694– ...

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a historic county in southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the ceremonial county of Greater London, with small sections in neighbour ...

; and two

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

mansions on Piccadilly: Devonshire House and Burlington House. In 1907 the Duke owned 192,322 acres across the

British Isles The British Isles are a group of islands in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner and Outer Hebrides, the Northern Isl ...

, principally in

County Cork County Cork ( ga, Contae Chorcaí) is the largest and the southernmost county of Ireland, named after the city of Cork, the state's second-largest city. It is in the province of Munster and the Southern Region. Its largest market towns a ...

and County Waterford.H. Evans, 'Cavendish', ''Our old nobility'' (Рипол Классик), 132. The traditional burial place of the Dukes of Devonshire is at St Peter's Church, Edensor, in the closest village to Chatsworth House. The ducal graves can be found on the highest spot of Edensor's churchyard in the Cavendish family plot.

Earls of Devonshire (1618)

:''Other titles: Baron Cavendish of Hardwick, in the county of Derby (1605)'' * William Cavendish, 1st Earl of Devonshire (1552–1626) was an English courtier * William Cavendish, 2nd Earl of Devonshire (1591–1628), eldest son of the 1st Earl *

(1617–1684), elder son of the 2nd Earl * William Cavendish, 4th Earl of Devonshire (1640–1707) was created Duke of Devonshire in 1694

Dukes of Devonshire (1694)

:''Other titles: Marquess of Hartington, in the county of Derby (1694), Earl of Devonshire (1618) and Baron Cavendish of Hardwick, in the county of Derby (1605)'' *

William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire, (25 January 164018 August 1707) was an English soldier, nobleman, and Whig politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1661 to 1684 when he inherited his father's peerage as Earl of Devonshire. ...

(1640–1707), only son of the 3rd Earl * William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire (1673–1729), eldest son of the 1st Duke * William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire (1698–1755), eldest son of the 2nd Duke * William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire (1720–1764), eldest son of the 3rd Duke ''Other titles (5th & 6th Dukes): Baron Clifford (1628)'' * William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire (1748–1811), eldest son of the 4th Duke *

William George Spencer Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire William George Spencer Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire, (21 May 1790 K. D. Reynolds, ‘Cavendish, William George Spencer, sixth duke of Devonshire (1790–1858)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; ...

(1790–1858), only son of the 5th Duke, was called "The Bachelor Duke" and died unmarried ''Other titles (7th Duke onwards): Earl of Burlington and Baron Cavendish of Keighley, in the county of York (1831)'' *

William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire, (27 April 1808 – 21 December 1891), styled as Lord Cavendish of Keighley between 1831 and 1834 and known as Earl of Burlington between 1834 and 1858, was a British landowner, benefactor, nobleman, ...

(1808–1891), eldest son of William Cavendish (1783–1812), eldest son of The 1st Earl of Burlington (by the second creation; 1754–1834), third son of the 4th Duke * Spencer Compton Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire (1833–1908), second son of the 7th Duke, died without issue * Victor Christian William Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire (1868–1938), eldest son of Lt.-Col. Lord Edward Cavendish (1838–1891), fourth son of the 7th Duke * Edward William Spencer Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire (1895–1950), eldest son of the 9th Duke ** William John Robert Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington (1917–1944), elder son of the 10th Duke, was killed in action in

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, without issue * Andrew Robert Buxton Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire (1920–2004), second and younger son of the 10th Duke **Mark Cavendish (born 1941), eldest son of the 11th Duke, died in infancy * Peregrine Andrew Morny "Stoker" Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire (born 1944), second son of the 11th Duke The

heir apparent An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...

is the present holder's only son, William "Bill Burlington" Cavendish, Earl of Burlington (born 1969), married to Laura Montagu (''née'' Roundell). The heir-in-line is Lord Burlington's second child and only son, James, Lord Cavendish (born 15 December 2010). Lord Burlington, although entitled to use the courtesy title Marquess of Hartington has continued to be styled by the Burlington title since his father succeeded as 12th Duke.

Family tree

Line of succession

'' William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire (1720–1764)'' ** Coronet of a British Earl

'' George Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington (1754–1834)'' ***'' William Cavendish (1783–1812)'' **** Coronet of a British Duke

'' William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire, 7th Marquess of Hartington, 2nd Earl of Burlington (1808–1891)'' *****''Lt-Col. Lord Edward Cavendish (1838–1891)'' ****** Coronet of a British Duke

'' Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire (1868–1938)'' ******* Coronet of a British Duke

Edward Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire Edward William Spencer Cavendish, 10th Duke of Devonshire, (6 May 1895 – 26 November 1950), known as the Marquess of Hartington from 1908 to 1938, was a British politician. He was the head of the Devonshire branch of the House of Caven ...

(1895–1950)'' ******** Coronet of a British Duke

'' Andrew Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire (1920–2004)'' ********* Coronet of a British Duke

Peregrine Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire (born 1944) **********(1)

William Cavendish, Earl of Burlington William Cavendish, Earl of Burlington (born 6 June 1969), professionally also known by the name Bill Burlington, is a British nobleman, aristocrat, photographer, and the son and heir of the 12th Duke of Devonshire. He was styled Earl of Burling ...

(b. 1969) ***********(2) James, Lord Cavendish (b. 2010) ******'' Rt. Hon. Lord Richard Cavendish (1871–1946)'' *******''Richard Edward Osborne Cavendish (1917–1972)'' ******** Coronet of a British Baron

(3) Hugh Cavendish, Baron Cavendish of Furness (b. 1941) *********(4) Hon. Frederick Richard Toby Cavendish (b. 1972) **********(5)Henry Aurelian William Cavendish (b.2014) **********(6) Alfred George Augustus Cavendish (b. 2021) ********(7) Edward Osborne Cavendish (b. 1955) ***''General Hon. Henry Cavendish (1789–1873) ****''William Henry Frederick Cavendish (1817–1881)'' *****''Cecil Charles Cavendish (1855–1931)'' ******''Brigadier Ronald Valentine Cecil Cavendish (1896–1943)'' *******''Maj-Gen. Peter Boucher Cavendish (1925–2011)'' ********(8) Ronald Simon Constantine Cavendish (b. 1954) *********(9) Nicholas Peter Lancaster Cavendish (b. 1993) ********(10) Mark Francis Cavendish (b. 1955) ********(11) Rupert William John Cavendish (b. 1962) *********(12) Martin Alexander Cavendish (b. 1993) *******'' Robin Francis Cavendish (1930–1994)'' ********(13) Jonathon Stewart Cavendish (b. 1959) *********(14) Theodore Robin Cavendish (b. 1996) ****''Francis William Henry Cavendish (1820–1893)'' *****''Reginald Richard Frederick Cavendish (1857–1941) ******''Godfrey Lionel John Cavendish (1884–1914)'' *******''Hubert Gordon Compton Cavendish (1913–1993) ********(15) Richard Gordon John Cavendish (b. 1949) *********(16) Charles William Gordon Cavendish (b. 1975) *****''Ernest Lionel Francis Cavendish (1863–1946)'' ******''Alwyn Lionel Compton Cavendish (1890–1928)'' *******''Charles Francis Alwyn Compton Cavendish (1919–2009)'' ********(17) William Alwyn Charles Chichester Cavendish (b. 1956) *********(18) Myles Joseph Charles Cavendish (b. 1991) ********(19) Mark Andrew Lionel Compton Cavendish (b. 1958) *********(20) George Andrew Francis Stuart Cavendish (b. 1989) *********(21) Edward Charles Robert Pitcairn Cavendish (b. 1994) ****''George Henry Cavendish (1824–1889)'' *****''William Henry Alexander George Delmar Cavendish (1849–1919)'' ******''Charles Alfred William Delmar (1878–1939)'' *******''Richard Blake Delmar Cavendish (1916–1980)'' ********(22) Anthony Leigh Cable (b. 1942) ******''William Henry George Cavendish (1886–1965)'' *******''Edwin Pearson Delmar Cavendish (1908–1970)'' ********''Adrian Delmar Cavendish (1947–2019)'' *********(23) John Spencer Cavendish (b. 1987) *******''William Delmar Cavendish (1911–1997)'' ********(24) William Anthony Delmar Cavendish (b. 1952) *********(25) Edward William Henry Delmar Cavendish (b. 1987) *** Coronet of a British Baron

Charles Cavendish, 1st Baron Chesham Charles Compton Cavendish, 1st Baron Chesham (28 August 1793 – 12 November 1863) was a British Liberal politician. Early life Cavendish was the fourth son of George Augustus Henry Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington, third son of the former Pr ...

(1793–1863)'' **** Coronet of a British Baron

William Cavendish, 2nd Baron Chesham William George Cavendish, 2nd Baron Chesham (29 October 1815 – 26 June 1882) was a British Liberal politician. Early life Chesham was born on 29 October 1815 into the Cavendish family, headed by the Duke of Devonshire. He was the eldest son o ...

(1815–1882)'' ***** Coronet of a British Baron

'' Charles Cavendish, 3rd Baron Chesham (1850–1907)'' ****** Coronet of a British Baron

''John Cavendish, 4th Baron Chesham (1894–1952)'' ******* Coronet of a British Baron

'' John Cavendish, 5th Baron Chesham (1916–1989)'' ******** Coronet of a British Baron

Nicholas Cavendish, 6th Baron Chesham Nicholas Charles Cavendish, 6th Baron Chesham (7 November 1941–27 August 2009), was a British Conservative politician. A member of the Cavendish family headed by the Duke of Devonshire, Chesham was the son of John Cavendish, 5th Baron Chesham ...

(1941–2009)'' ********* Coronet of a British Baron

(24)

Charles Cavendish, 7th Baron Chesham Charles Gray Compton Cavendish, 7th Baron Chesham (born 11 November 1974 in Sydney, Australia), is the present Baron Chesham having succeeded to the title on 27 August 2009 on the death of his father, Nicholas Cavendish, 6th Baron Chesham. A me ...

(b. 1974) **********(26) Hon. Oliver Nicholas Bruce Cavendish (b. 2007) *********(27) Hon. William George Grey Cavendish (b. 1980) ********(28) Hon. John Charles Gregory Cavendish (b. 1952) *****''Hon. William Adrian Cavendish (1862–1931)'' ******''Evan George Charles Cavendish (1891–1955)'' *******''Greville Adrian Cavendish (1925–2019)'' ********(29) Rupert Edward Greville Cavendish (b. 1955) ********(30) Piers Anthony Charles Cavendish (b. 1956) *********(31) Patrick Alexander Cavendish (b. 1990)

Earls of Devonshire

The earldom of Devonshire was originally granted as a recreation of the title held by the last

Baron Mountjoy The titles of Baron Mountjoy and Viscount Mountjoy have been created several times for members of various families, including the Blounts and their descendants and the Stewarts of Ramelton and their descendants. The first creation was for Walter ...

, which became extinct on his death in 1606. It is a separate title from that of Earl of Devon, which still belongs to the

Courtenay family The House of Courtenay is a medieval noble house, with branches in France, England and the Holy Land. One branch of the Courtenays became a Royal House of the Capetian Dynasty, cousins of the Bourbons and the Valois, and achieved the title o ...

In fiction

The fifth Duke and Duchess of Devonshire are portrayed in the 2008 film '' The Duchess'' directed by

Saul Dibb Saul Dibb (born 18 August 1968) is an English director and screenwriter. His father is the documentary maker Mike Dibb. Born in London, England, Saul Dibb is a graduate of the University of East Anglia. He is best known for co-writing and dire ...

. The film is based on Amanda Foreman's biography of the scandalous 18th-century English aristocrat Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire (portrayed by Keira Knightley) and her relationship with the

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are r ...

( Ralph Fiennes) and his next wife, Lady Elizabeth Foster. Along with Jane Austen, the fifth Duke and his second wife appear, soon after Georgiana's death, in ''Jane and the Stillroom Maid'', a murder mystery by

Stephanie Barron Francine Barron Mathews (born May 23, 1963) is an American writer of mystery and spy fiction who also writes historical mysteries under the name Stephanie Barron. She features in ''Great Women Mystery Writers'' (2007).page 161-164, ''Great Women M ...

. In John Buchan's novel '' The Three Hostages'' (1924), 'the late Duke of Devonshire' is cited as an epitome of Englishness. This probably refers to the eighth duke. In the episode 'The Man in the Killer Suit' in the 2014 tv series ''Forever'', a case occurs where someone masquerades as a 'viscount cavendish'. While the title is wrongly used, other references during the episode show that they are in fact referring to the Dukes of Devonshire.

References

Sources

* *Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). ''Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage'' (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990, *

External links

www.burkespeerage.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Devonshire Dukedoms in the Peerage of England Devonshire History of Devon 1694 establishments in England Noble titles created in 1694 British landowners *