William Russell, Lord Russell
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William Russell Lord Russell |
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Lord Russell, painted by Gerard Soest
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| Born | 29 September 1639 |
| Died | 21 July 1683 (aged 43) Lincoln's Inn Fields |
| Nationality | English |
| Alma mater | Cambridge University |
| Occupation | Member of Parliament |
| Spouse(s) | Rachel Wriothesley |
| Parent(s) |
William Russell, 5th Earl of Bedford Lady Anne Carr |
William Russell, Lord Russell (29 September 1639 – 21 July 1683), was an English politician. He was a leading member of the Country Party, forerunners of the Whigs, who laid the groundwork opposition in the House of Commons of England to the concept of a reign of an openly Catholic King (James II) during the reign of King Charles II but ultimately resulted in his execution for treason, almost two years before King Charles died and James acceded to the throne.
Born Hon. William Russell, he was the third son of William Russell, 5th Earl of Bedford, later created Duke of Bedford, and Lady Anne Carr. After the death of his elder brother Francis (1638—1679), he gained the courtesy title of Baron Russell and was thus referred to as Lord Russell.
He and Francis were at Cambridge University in 1654. They then travelled abroad, visiting Lyon and Geneva, residing for a time at Augsburg. Russell's account makes for a colourful depiction of his travels. The two made their way to Paris by 1658, and had returned to Woburn Abbey, Woburn (which was not in its present palatial form) by December 1659.
At the Restoration in 1660, when Charles II took the throne, Russell was elected as a Member of Parliament for the borough of , a seat traditionally held by a member of his family. For many years, Russell appears not to have been active in public affairs, but to have indulged in court intrigue, and is not recorded as speaking until 1674. In 1663 and 1664 he was engaged in two duels; he was wounded in the second one. In 1669, at age 30, he married the widowed Lady Vaughn. He thus became connected with the Earl of Shaftesbury, who had married his wife's cousin. They had a close and affectionate marriage.
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