Duchess of Suffolk
| Earldom of Suffolk held with Earldom of Berkshire |
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|---|---|
Arms of the Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire
Arms: Quarterly 1st Gules, on a Bend between six Crosses-Crosslet fitchée Argent, an Escutcheon Or, charged with a Demi-Lion rampant pierced through the mouth by an arrow within a Double Tressure flory counterflory of the first (for Howard); 2nd Gules, three Lions passant guardant in pale Or, armed and langued Azure, in chief a Label of three-points Argent (for Thomas of Brotherton); 3rd Chequy Or and Azure (for Warenne); 4th Gules, a Lion rampant Or, armed and langued Azure (for Fitzalan) the whole differenced at the fess-point with a Crescent Sable. Crest: On a Chapeau Gules, turned up Ermine, a Lion statant guardant tail extended Or, gorged with a Collar Argent, charged on the shoulder with a Crescent for difference. Supporters: On either side a Lion Argent, charged on the shoulder with a Crescent for difference. |
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| Creation date | before 1069 (first creation) 1337 (second creation) 1385 (forfeit 1388–89, 1399)(third creation) 21 July 1603 (fourth creation) |
| Monarch |
William the Conqueror (first creation) Edward III (second creation) Richard II (third creation) Richard II (third creation, restoration) Henry IV (third creation, restoration) James VI and I (fourth creation) |
| Peerage | Peerage of England |
| First holder | Ralph the Staller, Earl of East Anglia |
| Present holder | Michael Howard, 21st Earl of Suffolk, 14th Earl of Berkshire |
| Heir apparent | Alexander Howard, Viscount Andover |
| Remainder to | Heirs male of the body, lawfully begotten |
| Subsidiary titles | Viscount Andover Baron Howard of Charlton |
| Extinction date | 1074 (first creation) 1382 (second creation) 1504 (third creation) |
| Seat(s) | Charlton Park, Wiltshire |
| Armorial motto |
NOUS MAINTIENDRONE (We will maintain) |
Earl of Suffolk is a title that has been created four times in the Peerage of England. The first creation, in tandem with the creation of the title of Earl of Norfolk, came before 1069 in favour of Ralph the Staller; but the title was forfeited by his heir, Ralph de Guader, in 1074. The second creation came in 1337 in favour of Robert de Ufford; the title became extinct on the death of his son, the second Earl, in 1382. The third creation came in 1385 in favour of Michael de la Pole. For more information on this creation, see the Duke of Suffolk (1448 creation). The fourth creation came in 1603. Lord Thomas Howard was the second son of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, by his second marriage to Margaret, daughter and heiress of the Thomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden. Howard was a prominent naval commander and politician and served as Earl Marshal, as Lord Chamberlain of the Household and as Lord High Treasurer. In 1597 he was summoned to Parliament in right of his mother as Baron Howard de Walden, and in 1603 he was further honoured when he was created Earl of Suffolk. His second son the Hon. Thomas Howard was created Earl of Berkshire in 1626.
Lord Suffolk was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Earl. He had already in 1610 been summoned to the House of Lords through a writ of acceleration in his father's junior title of Baron Howard de Walden. He later served as Captain of the Honourable Band of Gentlemen Pensioners and as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports. On his death the titles passed to his eldest son, the third Earl. He was Lord-Lieutenant of Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. Lord Suffolk had no sons and on his death in 1689 the barony of Howard de Walden fell into abeyance between his daughters (see the Baron Howard de Walden for later history of this title). He was succeeded in the earldom by his younger brother, the fourth Earl. He was childless and on his death the title passed to his younger brother, the fifth Earl. He was succeeded by his son, the sixth Earl. He was a politician and served as First Lord of Trade. In 1706, three years before he succeeded his father, he was raised to the Peerage of England in his own right as Baron Chesterford, in the County of Essex, and Earl of Bindon, in the County of Dorset. His son, the seventh Earl, was Lord-Lieutenant of Essex and is also remembered as the owner of the slave Scipio Africanus. The Earl was childless and on his early death in 1722 the barony of Chesterford and earldom of Bindon became extinct.
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