Sir Robert Cecil
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The Right Honourable The Earl of Salisbury KG PC |
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The Earl of Salisbury by John de Critz the Elder ca. 1602
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| Lord High Treasurer | |
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In office 4 May 1608 – 24 May 1612 |
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| Monarch | James I |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Dorset |
| Succeeded by | Commission of the Treasury The Earl of Northampton, First Lord |
| Lord Privy Seal | |
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In office 1598–1612 |
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| Monarch |
Elizabeth I James I |
| Preceded by | The Lord Burghley |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Northampton |
| Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster | |
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In office 8 October 1597 – 1599 |
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| Monarch | Elizabeth I |
| Preceded by | In commission |
| Succeeded by | In commission |
| Secretary of State | |
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In office 5 July 1596 – 24 May 1612 |
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| Monarch |
Elizabeth I James I |
| Preceded by | William Davison |
| Succeeded by | John Herbert |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Robert Cecil 1 June 1563 City of London, England |
| Died | 24 May 1612 (aged 48) Marlborough, Wiltshire England |
| Spouse(s) | Lady Elizabeth Brooke |
| Relations | The Lord Burghley (Father) |
| Residence | Hatfield House |
| Alma mater | St John's College, Cambridge |
Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury, KG, PC (1 June 1563? – 24 May 1612) was an English administrator and politician.
He was the younger son of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley by his second wife Mildred Cooke. His elder half-brother was Thomas Cecil, 1st Earl of Exeter, and the philosopher Francis Bacon was his first cousin.
Robert was small and hunchbacked, in an age which attached much importance to physical beauty in both sexes, and he endured much ridicule as a result : Queen Elizabeth called him "my pygmy", and King James I nick-named him "my little beagle". Nonetheless his father recognised that it was Robert rather than Thomas who had inherited his own political genius. While Burghley was fond of both his sons, he is said to have remarked that Robert could rule England, but Thomas could hardly rule a tennis court.
Cecil attended St John's College, Cambridge in the 1580s, but did not take a degree. He also attended "disputations" at the Sorbonne. In 1584 he sat for the first time in the House of Commons, representing his birthplace, the borough of Westminster. In 1589 Cecil married Elizabeth Brooke, the daughter of William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham, and his second wife, Frances Newton. Their son, William Cecil was born in Westminster on 28 March 1591 and baptised in St Clement Danes on 11 April. Elizabeth died when their son was six years old. They also had one daughter, Frances (1593–1644), who married Henry Clifford, 5th Earl of Cumberland.
He became an MP, elected to represent Westminster in 1584 and 1586 and Hertfordshire in 1589, 1593, 1597 and 1601.
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