William Russell, 1st Duke of Bedford

The Duke of Bedford
William Russell, 1st Duke of Bedford
Born	August 1616
Died	7 September 1700 (aged 85)
Title	Duke of Bedford
Tenure	11 May 1694 – 7 September 1700
Other titles	1st Marquess of Tavistock 5th Earl of Bedford 5th Baron Russell 3rd Baron Russell of Thornhaugh 1st Baron Howland
Successor	Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke
Spouse(s)	Anne Carr, Countess of Bedford
Issue	Francis Russell William Russell John Russell Edward Russell Robert Russell Anne Russell James Russell George Russell Diana Russell Catharine Russell Margaret Russell
Parents	Francis Russell, 4th Earl of Bedford Catharine Brydges

William Russell, 1st Duke of Bedford KG PC (August 1616 – 7 September 1700) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 until 1641 when he inherited his Peerage as 5th Earl of Bedford and removed to the House of Lords. He fought in the Parliamentarian army and later defected to the Royalists during the English Civil War. He is also known for developing the Bloomsbury area of London.

He was the son of Francis Russell, 4th Earl of Bedford and his wife Catherine, the daughter and coheir of Giles Brydges, 3rd Baron Chandos.

Russell was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford, and then, in 1635 went to Madrid where he hoped to learn Spanish. He returned by July 1637, at which point he concluded a marriage (initially against his father's wishes), to Anne, the sole heir of Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset.

In April 1640, Russell was elected Member of Parliament (MP) for in the Short Parliament. He was re-elected MP for Tavistock in the Long Parliament in November 1640 and sat until 1641.John Pym was the other MP for Tavistock. Russell followed his father's lead and sided with Parliament in its emerging conflict with Charles I which would shortly lead to the English Civil War.

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