Edward Villiers, 1st Earl of Jersey


Edward Villiers, 1st Earl of Jersey was an English peer, courtier, and statesman of the Villiers family. He was created Baron Villiers and Viscount Villiers in 1691 and Earl of Jersey in 1697.

Origins

He was the son of Sir Edward Villiers of Richmond, Surrey, by his wife Frances Howard, the youngest daughter of Theophilus Howard, 2nd Earl of Suffolk and Elizabeth Home.
His grandfather was Sir Edward Villiers, Master of the Mint and Lord President of Munster who was half brother of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham and of Christopher Villiers, 1st Earl of Anglesey. His sister was Elizabeth Villiers, the mistress of King William III, and was later Countess of Orkney as the wife of George Hamilton, 1st Earl of Orkney.

Education

He was admitted to St John's College, Cambridge in 1671.

Career

Villiers was Knight Marshal to the royal household in succession to his father. He was Master of the Horse to Queen Mary II and was Lord Chamberlain to King William III and to Queen Anne. In 1696 he represented his country at the Congress of Ryswick. He was ambassador at The Hague and after his elevation to the peerage was ambassador in Paris. In 1699 he was made Secretary of State for the Southern Department, and on three occasions he was one of the Lords Justices of England. In 1704 he was dismissed from office by Queen Anne, after which he was involved in some of the Jacobite schemes.

Marriage and children

On 17 December 1681 he married Barbara Chiffinch, daughter of William Chiffinch. By her he had two sons and a daughter:
He died on 25 August 1711 of apoplexy.