Henry Howard, 12th Earl of Suffolk

Henry Howard, 12th Earl of Suffolk, 5th Earl of Berkshire, KG, PC (16 May 1739 – 7 March 1779) was a British politician, styled Viscount Andover from 1756 to 1757.


The Earl of Suffolk

KG PC
Henry Howard, Painting by Joshua Reynolds, c. 1770s
Lord Privy Seal
In office
1771–1771
Preceded byThe Earl of Halifax
Succeeded byThe Duke of Grafton
Coat of arms of Henry Howard, 12th Earl of Suffolk, KG, PC

Educated at Eton and Magdalen College, Oxford, he succeeded his grandfather as Earl of Suffolk in 1757. He was awarded a MA degree from Oxford in 1759 and a DCL degree in 1761. He was High Steward of Malmesbury from 1763 to 1767, and Deputy Earl Marshal from 1763 to 1765. On 25 May 1764, he married Hon. Maria Constantia Hampden-Trevor, daughter of Robert Hampden-Trevor, 1st Viscount Hampden, who died on 7 February 1767 giving birth to their only child:

  • Maria Constantia Howard (7 February 1767 – 21 July 1775)

In 1771, he was appointed a Privy Counsellor (PC) and briefly served as Lord Privy Seal before becoming Secretary of State for the Northern Department under Lord North from 1771 to 1779. In this capacity he secured the use of Hessian and Hanoverian mercenaries to help suppress the American Revolution. In the same capacity he helped to secure the survival of Sweden as an independent nation by counteracting Russia's plan to undo the Revolution of Gustavus III in 1772. He was made a Knight of the Garter (KG) in 1778.

On 14 August 1777, Suffolk married Lady Charlotte Finch, daughter of Heneage Finch, 3rd Earl of Aylesford, by whom he had two children:

He died on 7 March 1779; his posthumous son Henry succeeded him for two days in August.

He is buried in Charlton Church, Wiltshire, together with his first wife.

References

  • Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Howard, Henry, twelfth earl of Suffolk and fifth earl of Berkshire (1739–1779), politician, by Peter D. G. Thomas
Political offices
Preceded by
The Earl of Effingham
Deputy Earl Marshal
17631765
Succeeded by
The Earl of Scarbrough
Preceded by
The Earl of Halifax
Lord Privy Seal
1771
Succeeded by
The Duke of Grafton
Preceded by
The Earl of Halifax
Northern Secretary
17711779
Succeeded by
The Viscount Weymouth
Preceded by
The Earl of Rochford
Leader of the House of Lords
1775–1779
Succeeded by
The Viscount Weymouth
Peerage of England
Preceded by
Henry Bowes Howard
Earl of Suffolk,
Earl of Berkshire

1757–1779
Succeeded by
Henry Howard


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