Baron Sydney (an alternative spelling of the surname Sidney) was a title that was created three times in British history. The title was later elevated twice into a

viscounty A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. The status and any domain held by a viscount is a viscounty. In the case of French viscounts, the title is s ...

, and from there, once more into an

earldom Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. In modern Britain, an earl is a member of the peerage, ranking below a marquess and above a viscount. A feminine form of ''earl'' never developed; instead, ''countess'' is used. The titl ...

First creation (1603)

The first creation came in the

Peerage of England The Peerage of England comprises all peerages created in the Kingdom of England before the Act of Union in 1707. From that year, the Peerages of England and Scotland were closed to new creations, and new peers were created in a single Peerag ...

in 1603 when Robert Sidney was made Baron Sydney, of

Penshurst Penshurst is a historic village and civil parishes in England, civil parish located in a valley upon the northern slopes of the Weald, Kentish Weald, at the confluence of the River Medway and the River Eden, Kent, River Eden, within the Seveno ...

. In 1618, he was also granted the recreated title of

Earl of Leicester Earl of Leicester is a title that has been created seven times. The first title was granted during the 12th century in the Peerage of England. The current title is in the Peerage of the United Kingdom and was created in 1837. History Earl ...

List of Barons Sydney (first creation)

Robert Sidney, 1st Earl of Leicester Robert Sidney, 1st Earl of Leicester (19 November 1563 – 13 July 1626), was an English courtier, soldier, and landowner. He was chamberlain to Anne of Denmark. Family background Robert Sidney was the second son of Sir Henry Sidney, was ...

(1563–1626) *

Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester (1 December 1595 – 2 November 1677) was an English diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1614 and 1625 and then succeeded to the peerage as Earl of Leicester. Life Sidney was born ...

(1595–1677) *

Philip Sidney, 3rd Earl of Leicester Philip Sidney, 3rd Earl of Leicester (10 January 1619 – 6 March 1698) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1640 and 1659 and became Earl of Leicester in 1677. He supported the Parliamentarian caus ...

(1619–1698) In 1689, the barony was elevated to a viscountcy and granted to

Henry Sydney, 1st Earl of Romney Henry Sydney, 1st Earl of Romney (March 1641 – 8 April 1704) was an English Army officer, Whigs (British political party), Whig politician and peer who served as Master-General of the Ordnance from 1693 to 1702. He is best known as one of the ...

(younger brother of the 3rd Earl of Leicester).

Second creation (1768)

The second creation came in 1768 when Dudley Cosby (–1774), Minister Plenipotentiary to Denmark between 1763 and 1765, was made Baron Sydney, of Stradbally in the Queen's County, in the

Peerage of Ireland The peerage of Ireland consists of those Peerage, titles of nobility created by the English monarchs in their capacity as Lordship of Ireland, Lord or Monarchy of Ireland, King of Ireland, or later by monarchs of the United Kingdom of Great B ...

. He was the grandson and namesake of Dudley Cosby, who represented the Queen's County in the

Irish House of Commons The Irish House of Commons was the lower house of the Parliament of Ireland that existed from 1297 until the end of 1800. The upper house was the Irish House of Lords, House of Lords. The membership of the House of Commons was directly elected, ...

, and the great-nephew of

William Cosby Brigadier-General William Cosby (1690 – 10 March 1736) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator who served as the governor of New York from 1732 to 1736. During his short tenure as governor, Cosby was portrayed as one of the mos ...

. This creation, however, soon became extinct on Sydney's death in 1774.

Third creation (1783)

The third creation came on 6 March 1783 when Thomas Townshend was created Baron Sydney, of Chiselhurst in the County of Kent, in the

Peerage of Great Britain The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain between the Acts of Union 1707 and the Acts of Union 1800. It replaced the Peerage of England and the Peerage of Scotland, but was itself repla ...

, and entered the House of Lords. He was soon elevated to

Viscount Sydney Viscount Sydney (an alternative spelling of the surname Sidney) is a title that has been created twice. The title was elevated twice from a barony, and once into an earldom. First creation (1689) The first creation came on 9 April 1689 when He ...

Chislehurst Chislehurst () is a suburban district of south-east London, England, in the London Borough of Bromley. It lies east of Bromley, south-west of Sidcup and north-west of Orpington, south-east of Charing Cross. Before the creation of Greater ...

on 11 June 1789, and his grandson was eventually created Earl Sydney in 1874.

Family tree

References

External links

Dudley Alexander Sydney Cosby, Baron Sydney
at the National Gallery {{DEFAULTSORT:Sydney Extinct baronies in the Peerage of Ireland Extinct baronies in the Peerage of Great Britain Extinct baronies in the Peerage of England Noble titles created in 1603 Noble titles created in 1768 Noble titles created in 1783