Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford

For a later namesake, see Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford (1672–1739). For other people with the same name, see Thomas Wentworth.

The Right Honourable
The Earl of Strafford
KG, JP, PC
Portrait by Anthony van Dyck, 1639
Lord Deputy of Ireland
In office
1632–1640
Vice-admiral of Munster
In office
1634–1640
Custos Rotulorum of the West Riding of Yorkshire
In office
1630–1641
President, Council of the North
In office
1628–1641
Member of Parliament
for Yorkshire
1614–1621; 1625
In office
March 1628 – July 1628
Member of Parliament
for Pontefract
In office
January 1624 – February 1624
Personal details
Born13 April 1593
Chancery Lane, London
Died12 May 1641(1641-05-12) (aged 48)
Tower Hill
Cause of deathExecution
Resting placeWentworth, South Yorkshire
Spouses
Margaret Clifford
​
​
(m. 1611; died 1622)​
Arabella Holles
​
​
(m. 1625; died 1631)​
Elizabeth Rhodes
​
​
(m. 1632⁠–⁠1641)​
Children
Parents
  • William Wentworth (father)
  • Anne Atkins (mother)
Alma materSt John's College, Cambridge
Signature
Coat of arms of Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford, KG

Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford, KG (13 April 1593 (N.S.) – 12 May 1641), was an English statesman and a major figure in the period leading up to the English Civil War. He served in Parliament and was a supporter of King Charles I. From 1632 to 1640 he was Lord Deputy of Ireland, where he established a strong authoritarian rule. Recalled to England, he became a leading advisor to the King, attempting to strengthen the royal position against Parliament. When Parliament condemned Lord Strafford to death, Charles reluctantly signed the death warrant and Strafford was executed.[1] He had been advanced several times in the Peerage of England during his career, being created 1st Baron Wentworth in 1628,[2][3] 1st Viscount Wentworth in late 1628 or early 1629, and, finally, 1st Earl of Strafford in January 1640.[2][4] He was known as Sir Thomas Wentworth, 2nd Baronet, between 1614 and 1628.

  1. ^ Empey, Mark (2021). "Power, Prerogative, and the Politics of Sir Thomas Wentworth in Early Stuart England and Ireland". The Historical Journal. 65 (2): 275–296. doi:10.1017/S0018246X21000509. ISSN 0018-246X. S2CID 236317185.
  2. ^ a b Dictionary of Irish Biography: Wentworth, Sir Thomas (see 'Early career'). https://www.dib.ie/biography/wentworth-sir-thomas-a8968.
  3. ^ C.P. Hill, Who's Who in Stuart Britain, p. 70. Shepheard-Walwyn, London, 1988.
  4. ^ C.P. Hill, Who's Who in Stuart Britain, p. 72. Shepheard-Walwyn, London, 1988.