Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland

The Duke of Cleveland
Born	(1662-06-18)18 June 1662
Died	9 September 1730(1730-09-09) (aged 68)
Spouse(s)	Mary Wood Anne Pulteney
Issue	William FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Cleveland
Father	Charles II of England
Mother	Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland

Arms of Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland: The royal arms of King Charles II overall a bend sinister ermine

Charles Palmer, later Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland, 1st Duke of Southampton, KG, Chief Butler of England (18 June 1662 – 9 September 1730), styled Baron Limerick before 1670 and Earl of Southampton between 1670 and 1675 and known as The Duke of Southampton from 1675 until 1709 when he succeeded his mother to the dukedom of Cleveland.

Early life

He was the third eldest of the illegitimate sons of King Charles II of England, Scotland and Ireland, his mother being Barbara Villiers, later 1st Duchess of Cleveland, then the wife of Roger Palmer, 1st Earl of Castlemaine. In recognition of his legal father the Earl of Castlemaine, he was styled from birth by the courtesy title Lord Limerick, one of the Earl's lesser titles. His birth marked the separation of his legal parents; Lord Castlemaine, a Roman Catholic, had him christened in the Roman Catholic faith but six days later the King had him re-christened in the Church of England.

Personal life

In 1670, at the age of eight, he was betrothed to Mary Wood, only child and sole heiress of Sir Henry Wood, 1st Baronet, Clerk of the Green Cloth, but with the proviso that the marriage be delayed until Mary was aged sixteen. Following the death of her father, the Duchess of Cleveland more or less abducted Mary, with the intention of bringing her up with her own children. In 1675, he was created Duke of Southampton along with the subsidiary titles of Earl of Chichester and Baron Newbury. The marriage to Mary Wood took place in 1679, but within months the new Duchess had died of smallpox, leaving no children of the marriage.

In 1694, the Duke married secondly Anne, a daughter of Sir William Pulteney, of Misterton, Leicestershire, and they had six children:

• Lady Grace, born 28 March 1697, married in 1725 Henry Vane, later created Earl of Darlington
• William FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Cleveland and 2nd Duke of Southampton (19 February 1698 - 18 May 1774)
• Lord Charles Fitzroy (13 February 1698 - 31 July 1723)
• Lord Henry Fitzroy (17 August 1701 - 1709)
• Lady Anne, born 12 November 1702, married Francis Paddy, Esq.
• Lady Barbara, died unmarried

On the death of his mother in 1709, the Duke became also second Duke of Cleveland, by a special remainder in the grant of the dukedom which set aside his illegitimacy.

He died on 9 September 1730 and was buried at Westminster Abbey. He was succeeded by his eldest son William FitzRoy (1698–1774), who died without issue, when all his titles became extinct.

Ancestry

Ancestors of Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland

16. Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley 8. James I of England 17. Mary, Queen of Scots 4. Charles I of England 18. Frederick II of Denmark 9. Anne of Denmark 19. Sofie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin 2. Charles II of England 20. Antoine of Navarre 10. Henry IV of France 21. Jeanne III of Navarre 5. Henrietta Maria of France 22. Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany 11. Marie de' Medici 23. Johanna of Austria 1. Charles FitzRoy, 2nd Duke of Cleveland 24. George Villiers 12. Sir Edward Villiers 25. Audrey Saunders 6. William Villiers, 2nd Viscount Grandison 26. John St. John 13. Barbara St. John 27. Lucy Hungerford 3. Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland 28. Paul Bayning 14. Paul Bayning, 1st Viscount Bayning 29. Susanna Norden 7. Mary Bayning 30. Henry Glemham 15. Anne Glemham 31. Anne Sackville