Baron Fitzwalter

Baron FitzWalter is an ancient title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1295 for Robert FitzWalter. The title was created by writ, which means that it can descend through both male and female lines. His great-grandson, the fourth Baron, was an Admiral of the Fleet. The fourth baron's grandson, the seventh Baron, was succeeded by his daughter and only child, Elizabeth. She was the wife of John Radcliffe. Their son, the ninth Baron, was attainted for treason in 1495 with his title forfeited. However, his son Robert Radcliffe obtained a reversal of the attainder by Act of Parliament in 1509 and later served as Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire. He was created Viscount FitzWalter in 1525 and Earl of Sussex in 1529. His grandson, the third Earl, was summoned to the House of Lords through a writ of acceleration in 1553 in his father's junior title of Baron FitzWalter. Lord Sussex later served as Lord Deputy of Ireland. He was succeeded by his younger brother, the fourth Earl. He had earlier represented Maldon, Hampshire and Portsmouth in the House of Commons and also served as Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire. When he died the titles passed to his only child, the fifth Earl. He was Lord Lieutenant of Essex.

On his death in 1629 the barony of FitzWalter separated from the viscountcy and earldom. The latter titles were inherited by the late Earl's cousin and heir male, the sixth Earl, who notably sat as a Member of Parliament for Petersfield, Bedford and Portsmouth. When he died in 1643 the viscountcy and earldom became extinct. The claim to the barony of FitzWalter was passed on to the fifth Earl's heir-general Henry Mildmay, de jure fifteenth Baron. He was the descendant of Lady Frances Mildmay, only daughter of the second Earl of Sussex by his second wife, Anne Calthorpe. He claimed the barony in 1641 and 1645 but was unsuccessful both times and was never summoned to the House of Lords. His grandson Henry Mildmay, de jure sixteenth Baron, successfully claimed the title in 1660. However, his younger brother Benjamin Mildmay successfully petitioned for the peerage in 1667 and was summoned to the House of Lords as the seventeenth Baron FitzWalter. In 1730 his younger son, the nineteenth Baron, was created Viscount Harwich, in the County of Essex, and Earl FitzWalter, in the Peerage of Great Britain. Lord FitzWalter later served as President of the Board of Trade and was also Lord Lieutenant of Essex.

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