Earl of Essex

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Earldom of Essex
Arms of Capell, Earl of Essex: Gules, a lion rampant, between three cross crosslets fitcheeé or[1]
Creation date	1139 (first creation) 1199 (second creation) 1239 (third creation) 1376 (fourth creation) 1461 (fifth creation) 1540 (sixth creation) 1543 (forfeit 1553–59) (seventh creation) 1572 (eighth creation) 1661 (ninth creation)
Created by	Stephen (first creation) John (second creation) Henry III (third creation) Edward III (fourth creation) Edward IV (fifth creation) Henry VIII (sixth creation) Henry VIII (seventh creation) Elizabeth I (seventh creation, restoration) Elizabeth I (eighth creation) Charles II (ninth creation)
Peerage	Peerage of England
First holder	Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex
Present holder	Paul Capell, 11th Earl of Essex (ninth creation)
Heir presumptive	William Jennings Capell
Subsidiary titles	Viscount Malden Baron Capell of Hadham
Former seat(s)	Cassiobury House
Motto	Fide et fortitudine (By faith and fortitude)

Earl of Essex is a title in the Peerage of England which was first created in the 12th century by King Stephen of England. The title has been recreated eight times from its original inception, beginning with a new first Earl upon each new creation. The most well-known Earls of Essex were Thomas Cromwell (c. 1485 – 1540) (sixth creation), chief minister to King Henry VIII, Sir William Parr (1513-1571) who was brother to Queen Catherine Parr who was the sixth wife of King Henry VIII, and Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex (1565–1601) (eighth creation), a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I who led Essex's Rebellion in 1601.

The current holder of the earldom is Paul Capell, 11th Earl of Essex (born 1944), a retired school teacher from Caton, Lancashire.^[2]

The family seat was Cassiobury House, near Watford, Hertfordshire.

The title was first created in the 12th century for Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex (died 1144).^[3] Upon the death of the third earl in 1189, the title became dormant or extinct. Geoffrey Fitz Peter, who had married Beatrice de Say, granddaughter of the first earl's sister and eventual heir to the Mandeville honour, gained the earldom in 1199 at its second creation by King John. The Essex title passed to two of Fitz Peter's sons before again becoming extinct upon the death of the second son, William, the 3rd Earl of Essex, who had taken the surname de Mandeville.^[4]

The third creation was for Humphrey de Bohun, 2nd Earl of Hereford in 1239, whose father Henry had married Maud, sister of the sixth earl. All three of the Earldoms of Hereford, Northampton and of Essex became extinct in 1373. There were several more creations, including one briefly for Thomas Cromwell, before the Devereux creation in 1572. Walter Devereux was the first earl of this creation; he was related to the Bourchier family who had held the honour earlier. This line continued to his son Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex (1566–1601) a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I and his son Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, the general who commanded the Parliamentary army at the Battle of Edge Hill, the first major battle of the English Civil War (for further history of the Devereux family, see the Viscount Hereford). Following its extinction in September 1646, the present creation was made in 1661.

The Capell (or Capel) family descends from Sir Arthur Capell of Raines Hall in Essex and of Hadham in Hertfordshire. His grandson Arthur Capell represented Hertfordshire in both the Short and Long Parliaments. In 1641 he was raised to the Peerage of England as Baron Capell of Hadham, in the County of Hertford.^[5] Capell later fought as a Royalist in the Civil War. He was tried and condemned to death by the Parliamentarians and beheaded in May 1649.^[5] He was succeeded by his eldest son, the second Baron. In 1661 he was created Viscount Malden, in the County of Essex, and Earl of Essex, with remainder, failing heirs male of his own, to, firstly, his brother Henry Capell (later Baron Capell of Tewkesbury; see below), failing which to, secondly, his brother Edward Capell. These titles are also in the Peerage of England. Lord Essex later served as Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland and as First Lord of the Treasury. On his death, the titles passed to his son, the second Earl. He was a lieutenant-general in the army and served as Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire. He was succeeded by his son, the third Earl. He served as Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard from 1739 to 1743 and was also Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire. When he died the titles passed to his son, the fourth Earl. He also served as Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire.

He was succeeded by his eldest son from his first marriage, the fifth Earl. He sat in the House of Commons for many years and was Lord-Lieutenant of Hertfordshire from 1801 to 1817. Lord Essex assumed the surname of Coningsby. In 1839, at the age of seventy-six, he married the vocalist and actress Catherine Stephens. He was succeeded by his nephew, the sixth Earl. He was the son of the Hon. John Thomas Capell, second son of the fourth Earl from his second marriage to Harriet Bladen. On his death, the titles passed to his grandson, the seventh Earl. He was the eldest son of Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur de Vere Capell, Viscount Malden, eldest son of the sixth Earl. The line of the sixth Earl failed on the death of the seventh Earl's grandson, the ninth Earl, in 1981. The succession was unclear and it was not until 1989 that the late Earl's third cousin once removed, Robert Edward de Vere Capell, managed to prove his claim, and became the tenth Earl. He was the great-grandson of the Hon. Algernon Henry Champagné Capell (younger brother of the sixth Earl), son of the aforementioned the Hon. John Thomas Capell (half-brother of the fifth Earl), son of the second marriage of the fourth Earl. As of 2017^[update] the titles are held by his only son, the eleventh Earl, who succeeded in 2005.

Two other members of the Capell family have also gained distinction. The Hon. Henry Capell, second son of the first Baron, was a politician and was created Baron Capell of Tewkesbury in 1692. The Hon. Sir Thomas Bladen Capell (1776–1853), youngest son of the second marriage of the fourth Earl, was an admiral in the Royal Navy.

• Geoffrey de Mandeville, 1st Earl of Essex (died 1144)
• Geoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex (died 1166)
• William de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex (died 1189) (extinct)

• Geoffrey Fitzpeter, 1st Earl of Essex (died 1213)
• Geoffrey FitzGeoffrey de Mandeville, 2nd Earl of Essex (died 1216)
• William FitzGeoffrey de Mandeville, 3rd Earl of Essex (died 1227) (extinct)

• Humphrey de Bohun, 1st Earl of Essex (died 1275)
• Humphrey de Bohun, 2nd Earl of Essex (died 1298)
• Humphrey de Bohun, 3rd Earl of Essex (died 1322)
• John de Bohun, 4th Earl of Essex (died 1336)
• Humphrey de Bohun, 5th Earl of Essex (1309–1361)
• Humphrey de Bohun, 6th Earl of Essex (1342–1373) (extinct)

• Thomas of Woodstock, Earl of Essex (1355–1397) (forfeit)

• Henry Bourchier, 1st Earl of Essex (died 1483)
• Henry Bourchier, 2nd Earl of Essex (died 1540) (extinct)

• Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex (1485–1540) (forfeit)

• William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton (1513–1571) (forfeit 1553; restored 1559; extinct 1571)

• Walter Devereux, 1st Earl of Essex (1541–1576)
• Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex (1566–1601)
• Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex (1591–1646) (extinct)

• Arthur Capell, 1st Baron Capell of Hadham (1604–1649)
• Arthur Capell, 2nd Baron Capell of Hadham (1631–1683) (created Earl of Essex in 1661)

• Arthur Capell, 1st Earl of Essex (1631–1683)
• Algernon Capell, 2nd Earl of Essex (1670–1710)
• William Capell, 3rd Earl of Essex (1697–1743)
• William Anne Capell, 4th Earl of Essex (1732–1799)
• George Capel-Coningsby, 5th Earl of Essex (1757–1839)
• Arthur Algernon Capell, 6th Earl of Essex (1803–1892)
  • Arthur de Vere Capell, Viscount Malden (1826–1879)
• George Devereux de Vere Capell, 7th Earl of Essex (1857–1916)
• Algernon George de Vere Capell, 8th Earl of Essex (1884–1966)
• Reginald George de Vere Capell, 9th Earl of Essex (1906–1981) (dormant 1981)
• Robert Edward de Vere Capell, 10th Earl of Essex (1920–2005) (revived 1989)
• (Frederick) Paul de Vere Capell, 11th Earl of Essex (born 1944)

The heir presumptive is the present holder's fourth cousin once-removed William Jennings Capell (born 1952).
The heir presumptive's heir apparent is his only son Kevin Devereux Capell (born 1982)

v t e  Family tree of the Earls of Essex, Earls of Hereford, and Viscounts Hereford

Godwin c. 1001–1053 Earl of Wessex Earl of Hereford (1st creation), 1043 Earl of Hereford (3rd creation), 1058 Earl of Hereford (2nd creation), 1052 Earl of Hereford (4th creation), 1067 Sweyn Godwinson 1020–1052 Earl of Hereford Harold Godwinson (c. 1022–1066) Earl of Hereford, King of the English William de Mandeville (d. before 1130) Ralph the Timid d. 1057 Earl of Hereford William FitzOsbern 1011–1071 1st Earl of Hereford Earldom of Hereford (1st creation) forfeit, 1051 Earldom of Hereford (3rd creation) extinct, 1066 Earldom of Hereford (2nd creation) extinct, 1057 Earl of Essex (1st creation), 1140 Earl of Hereford (5th creation), 1141 William de Say I Beatrice ("Beatrix") de Say d. 1197 Geoffrey de Mandeville d. 1144 1st Earl of Essex Roger de Breteuil 1058– after 1087 2nd Earl of Hereford Miles of Gloucester d. 1143 1st Earl of Hereford Earldom of Hereford (4th creation) forfeit, 1074 William de Say II d. 1184 Geoffrey de Saye I d. 1214 Geoffrey de Mandeville d. 1166 2nd Earl of Essex William de Mandeville d. 1189 3rd Earl of Essex Margaret of Hereford 1122/1123–1197 Roger Fitzmiles before 1125–1155 2nd Earl of Hereford Earldom of Essex (1st creation) extinct, 1189 Earldom of Hereford (5th creation) extinct, 1155 Earl of Essex (2nd creation), 1199 Geoffrey Fitz Peter c. 1162–1213 1st Earl of Essex Beatrice de Say Geoffrey de Saye II 1155–1230 Hawise ("Alice") de Clare Humphrey III de Bohun before 1144–1181 Earl of Hereford (6th creation), 1199 Geoffrey FitzGeoffrey de Mandeville c. 1191–1216 2nd Earl of Essex William FitzGeoffrey de Mandeville d. 1227 3rd Earl of Essex Maud FitzGeoffrey Maud de Mandeville Henry de Bohun 1176–1220 1st Earl of Hereford Earldom of Essex (2nd creation) extinct, 1227 Earl of Essex (3rd creation), 1239 Humphrey de Bohun 1204–1275 1st Earl of Essex, 2nd Earl of Hereford Humphrey de Bohun d. 1265 Edward I 1239–1307 King of England Humphrey de Bohun c. 1249–1298 2nd Earl of Essex, 3rd Earl of Hereford Edward II 1284–1327 King of England Elizabeth of Rhuddlan 1282–1316 Humphrey de Bohun 1276–1322 3rd Earl of Essex, 4th Earl of Hereford Edward III 1312–1377 King of England John de Bohun 1306–1336 4th Earl of Essex, 5th Earl of Hereford Humphrey de Bohun 1309–1361 5th Earl of Essex, 6th Earl of Hereford William de Bohun c. 1312–1360 1st Earl of Northampton Humphrey de Bohun 1342–1373 6th Earl of Essex, 7th Earl of Hereford Earldom of Essex (3rd creation) and Earldom of Hereford (6th creation) extinct, 1373 Earl of Essex (4th creation), 1376 Thomas of Woodstock 1355–1397 Earl of Essex Eleanor de Bohun c. 1366–1399 Mary de Bohun c. 1369/1370–1394 Henry IV 1367–1413 King of England Earldom of Essex (4th creation) forfeit, 1397 William Bourchier 1374–1420 Anne of Gloucester 1383–1438 Earl of Essex (5th creation), 1461 Henry Bourchier c. 1404/1406–1483 1st Earl of Essex William Bourchier d. 1480 Viscount Bourchier Anne Woodville 1438–1489 Elizabeth Woodville c. 1437–1492 Edward IV 1442–1483 King of England John Devereux c. 1464–1501 9th Baron Ferrers of Chartley Cecily Bourchier (died c. 1492/1493) Henry Bourchier c. 1467/80–1540 2nd Earl of Essex Elizabeth of York 1466–1503 Thomas Parr 1478–1517 Earldom of Essex (5th creation) forfeit 1540 Viscount Hereford Earl of Essex (6th creation), 1540 Walter Devereux 1488–1558 1st Viscount Hereford, 10th Baron Ferrers of Chartley Thomas Cromwell 1485–1540 Earl of Essex Henry VIII 1491–1547 King of England Earldom of Essex (6th creation) forfeit, 1540 Earl of Essex (7th creation), 1543 Richard Devereux c. 1513–1547 Catherine Parr 1512–1548 William Parr 1513–1571 Marquess of Northampton, Earl of Essex Earldom of Essex (7th creation) forfeit 1553, restored 1559, extinct 1571 Earl of Essex (8th creation), 1572 Devereux Baronet of Castle Bromwich, 1611 Walter Devereux 1541–1576 1st Earl of Essex, 2nd Viscount Hereford Edward Devereux c. 1550–1622 1st Baronet Robert Devereux 1565–1601 2nd Earl of Essex, 3rd Viscount Hereford Walter Devereux 1578–1658 5th Viscount Hereford, 2nd Baronet George Devereux c. 1581–1665 Earldom of Essex forfeit, 1601 Earldom of Essex (8th creation) restored, 1604 Baron Capell of Hadham, 1641 Robert Devereux 1591–1646 3rd Earl of Essex, 4th Viscount Hereford Arthur Capell 1604–1649 1st Baron Capell of Hadham Leicester Devereux 1617–1676 6th Viscount Hereford, 3rd Baronet Earldom of Essex (8th creation) extinct, 1646 Earl of Essex (9th creation) and Viscount Malden, 1661 Baron Capell of Tewkesbury in the County of Gloucester, 1692 Arthur Capell 1631–1683 2nd Baron Capell of Hadham 1st Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden Henry Capell 1638–1696 Baron Capell of Tewkesbury Price Devereux c. 1637–1673 Vaughan Devereux d. 1700 Barony Capell of Tewkesbury extinct, 1696 Algernon Capell 1670–1710 2nd Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden Leicester Devereux 1674–1683 7th Viscount Hereford, 4th Baronet Edward Devereux 1675–1700 8th Viscount Hereford, 5th Baronet Price Devereux 1664–1740 9th Viscount Hereford, 6th Baronet Arthur Devereux d. 1711 William Capell 1697–1743 3rd Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden Price Devereux 1694–1748 10th Viscount Hereford, 7th Baronet Edward Devereux c. 1710–1760 11th Viscount Hereford, 8th Baronet Frances Hanbury-Williams c. 1735–1759 William Capell 1732–1799 4th Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden Harriet Bladen 1735–1821 Edward Devereux 1740–1783 12th Viscount Hereford, 9th Baronet George Devereux 1744–1804 13th Viscount Hereford, 10th Baronet George Capel-Coningsby 1757–1839 5th Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden John Thomas Capell 1769–1819 Henry Fleming Lea Devereux 1777–1843 14th Viscount Hereford, 11th Baronet Arthur Algernon Capell 1803–1892 6th Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden Algernon Capell 1807–1886 Adolphus Capell 1813–1899 Henry Devereux 1807–1839 Robert Devereux 1809–1855 15th Viscount Hereford, 12th Baronet Arthur de Vere Capell 1826–1879 styled Viscount Malden Charles Capell 1845–1924 Horatio Bladen Capell 1839–1933 Robert Devereux 1843–1930 16th Viscount Hereford, 13th Baronet George Devereux de Vere Capell 1857–1916 7th Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden Arthur Algernon de Vere Capell 1891–1950 Horace Charles George Arthur Capell 1868–1953 Algernon Essex Capell 1869–1952 Henry Addison Devereux Capell 1873–1925 Robert Charles Devereux 1865–1952 17th Viscount Hereford, 14th Baronet Algernon George de Vere Capell 1884–1966 8th Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden Bladen Ozro Capell 1897–1959 Algernon Arthur Capell Robert Capell Sixth in line to the Earldom of Essex Robert Devereux 1894–1934 Earldom of Essex (9th creation) revived, 1989 Reginald George de Vere Capell 1906–1981 9th Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden Robert Edward de Vere Capell 1920–2005 10th Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden Bladen Horace Capell 1922–1978 Colin Capell Robert Milo Leicester Devereux 1932–2004 18th Viscount Hereford, 15th Baronet Earldom of Essex (9th creation) dormant, 1981 Frederick Paul de Vere Capell b. 1944 11th Earl of Essex and Viscount Malden William Jennings "Bill" Capell b. 1952 Heir presumptive to the Earldom of Essex Clint Capell Third in line to the Earldom of Essex Craig Capell Fourth in line to the Earldom of Essex Kevin Capell b. 1982 Second in line to the Earldom of Essex Dylan Capell Fifth in line to the Earldom of Essex Charles Robin de Bohun Devereux b. 1975 19th Viscount Hereford, 16th Baronet Henry Devereux b. 2015 Heir apparent to the Hereford Viscountcy

At the time of the Capell creation, the Barons Hadham were based at the family seat at Hadham Hall in Little Hadham, Hertfordshire, which was originally purchased in the early 16th century by Sir William Capel, a wealthy draper and Lord Mayor of London. In 1627 his descendant Arthur Capell married Elizabeth Morrison, daughter and heir of Sir Charles Morrison of Cassiobury in Watford.^[6] The turmoil of the Civil War took its toll on the Capell family, and Arthur, a Royalist, was executed in 1649.^[7][5] Arthur Capell's eldest son, also called Arthur Capell, inherited both the Hadham and Cassiobury estates. After the Restoration, having been created Viscount Malden and 1st Earl of Essex,^[8] the younger Capell became an ambitious courtier of Charles II. Now one of the wealthiest men in England, he embarked on an ambitious project to redecorate Cassiobury House in the style of the sumptuous state rooms of Windsor Castle, hoping to attract a visit from the King to Cassiobury. Although a royal visit was not forthcoming, the 1st Earl's favour for Cassiobury completed the family's move to Watford, and Hadham Hall fell into disuse.^[9] The Capell family finally sold Hadham in 1900 and it is now a private residence; Cassiobury remained in the family until 1927 when, like many other British country houses in the period between the world wars, it was demolished.^[10]

• Osmond, Airy; Leslie, Stephen (1887). "Capel, Arthur (1631-1683)" . In Stephen, Leslie (ed.). Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 9. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

• Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Essex, Earls of" . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 9 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 781.
• Chisholm, Hugh; Phillips, Walter (1911). "Capel, Arthur Capel, Baron" . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 5 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 248–249.
• Hesilrige, Arthur G. M. (1921). Debrett's Peerage and Titles of courtesy. London: Dean & Son. p. 354.
• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press^{[ISBN missing]}
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages ^{[self-published source] [better source needed]}

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Arthur Algernon Capell, 6th Earl of Essex
• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by George Devereux de Vere Capell, 7th Earl of Essex
• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Algernon George de Vere Capell, 8th Earl of Essex
• Everything2: Earl of Essex