John Sheffield, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby

John Sheffield, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby (* April 7, 1648, † February 24, 1721 at Buckingham House, London ) was a British statesman and poet.

Life

John Sheffield was a son of Edmund Sheffield, 2nd Earl of Mulgrave and his wife Elizabeth Cranfield. In 1658 he succeeded his father as Earl of Mulgrave.

Sheffield served in both the Navy and the Army. He was Lord Chamberlain of James II and a member of the Cabinet under William III. , Which in 1694 brought him to the Marquess of Normanby. Queen Anne made ​​him Duke of Buckingham 1703 and Normanby and holder of public office. Here he stood in opposition to Marlborough and Godolphin. With the death of Queen Anne, however, he lost all power and fought from now for the restoration of the Stuarts.

He is considered the patron of John Dryden and friend of Alexander Pope; wrote tragedies, essays and other works.

Progeny

Sheffield was married three times. His first wife was since 1685/6 Ursula Stawell († 1697 ). His second wife, he married Catherine ( † 1703/4 ), daughter of Fulke Greville, 5th Baron Brooke of Beauchamps Court in 1706, he joined his third marriage to Lady Catherine Darnley, a daughter of King James II and his mistress Catherine Sedley, with whom he had the following children:

• John, Marquess of Normanby (1710-1710)
• Robert, Marquess of Normanby (1711-1715)
• Edmund Sheffield, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and Normanby ( 1716-1735 )