Editing Duke of Devonshire (section)

==History==
Although the Cavendish [[Family seat|family estates]] are centred in [[Derbyshire]], they hold the titles of "Duke of [[Devonshire]]" and their subsidiary title of [[Earl of Devonshire|earldom of Devonshire]] (neither peerage is related to the ancient title of [[Earl of Devon]]). The first Earl may have chosen "Devonshire" simply because places and lands he was associated with were already attached to existing peerages at the [[College of Arms]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2sXyPiWJMxgC&pg=PA90|title=The Devonshires: The Story of a Family and a Nation|isbn= 9780701186241|publisher= Chatto & Windus|page=90|authorlink= Roy Hattersley|first=Roy |last=Hattersley|year=2013 }}</ref> The title remains associated with "Devonshire" even though in modern usage it is the [[Counties of the United Kingdom|county]] of [[Devon]]. Another reason for the choice of a non-local or regional name was to avoid antagonising the powerful [[Stanley family]] from the [[Midlands]] who had strong associations with Derbyshire since their ancestors had been gifted estates in the county by [[William the Conqueror]], and they had also been the [[Earl of Derby|Earls of Derby]] since the late 15th century.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/magna-britannia/vol5/xlviii-lxii|title=Magna Britannia|volume =5|publisher= T Cadell and W Davies, London|year= 1817}}</ref> (See [[Peerages in the United Kingdom#Ranks|British peerage ranks]].)

Every Duke of Devonshire has so far been appointed a [[Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter]], except ({{as of | 2023|lc = on}}) the present one.

===Cavendish knights, and the 1st Earl of Devonshire===
[[Image:4th Duke of Devonshire after Hudson.jpg|thumb|right|[[William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire]] briefly Prime Minister between 1756 and 1757.]]

The Cavendish family descends from [[John Cavendish|Sir John Cavendish]], who took his name from the village of [[Cavendish, Suffolk]], where he held an estate in the 14th century.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.europeanheraldry.org/united-kingdom/families/families-f/house-cavendish/|title=European Heraldry :: House of Cavendish (Devonshire)|website=europeanheraldry.org|language=en|access-date=2017-08-09|archive-date=9 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809211028/http://www.europeanheraldry.org/united-kingdom/families/families-f/house-cavendish/|url-status=dead}}</ref> He served as [[Chief Justice of the King's Bench]] from 1372 to 1381, and was killed in the [[Peasants' Revolt]] in 1381. Two of his great-grandsons were [[George Cavendish (writer)|George Cavendish]], [[Thomas Wolsey|Cardinal Thomas  Wolsey]]'s biographer, and George's younger brother [[William Cavendish (courtier)|Sir William Cavendish]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cheshirenow.co.uk/cavendish_family.html|title=The Cavendish Family- Dukes of Devonshire|website=cheshirenow.co.uk|access-date=2017-08-09}}</ref> Sir William gained great wealth from his position in the [[Exchequer]] and also (allegedly) from unfairly taking advantage of the [[dissolution of the Monasteries]]. He married (1547) as his third wife the famous [[Bess of Hardwick]], with whom he had eight children. One of their sons, Sir Charles Cavendish (1553–1617), was the father of [[William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne]] (1592–1676; see [[Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne]] for more information on this branch of the family), while another son, Henry Cavendish, was the ancestor of the [[Baron Waterpark|Barons Waterpark]]. Yet another son, [[William Cavendish, 1st Earl of Devonshire|William Cavendish]] (1552–1626), was a politician and a supporter of the colonization of [[Colony and Dominion of Virginia|Virginia]]. In 1605 he was raised to the peerage as '''Baron Cavendish''', of Hardwicke in the County of Derby, and in 1618 he was further honoured when he was made '''Earl of Devonshire'''. Both titles are in the [[Peerage of England]].

===The 2nd Earl of Devonshire and the first five Dukes of Devonshire===
He was succeeded by his eldest son, [[William Cavendish, 2nd Earl of Devonshire]], who served as [[Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire]] and was a patron of the philosopher [[Thomas Hobbes]] (1588&ndash;1679). On his early death in 1628 the titles passed to his son, [[William Cavendish, 3rd Earl of Devonshire]], who also served as Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire. He was succeeded by his son, the [[William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire|fourth Earl]]. He was a strong supporter of the [[Glorious Revolution]] of 1688 and later served under [[William III of England|William III]] and [[Mary II of England|Mary II]] as [[Lord Steward of the Household]]. In 1694 he was created '''Marquess of Hartington''' and '''Duke of Devonshire''' in the Peerage of England. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the [[William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire|second Duke]], who held political office as [[Lord President of the Council]] and [[Lord Privy Seal]] and was also Lord-Lieutenant of Devonshire. His eldest son, the [[William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire|third Duke]], served as [[Lord Privy Seal]], as Lord Steward of the Household and (from 1737 to 1745) as [[Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland]].

On his death the titles passed to his eldest son, the [[William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire|fourth Duke]], who was a prominent politician. He was summoned to the [[House of Lords]] through a [[writ of acceleration]] in his father's junior title of Baron Cavendish, of Hardwicke in 1751 and served as [[First Lord of the Treasury]] and titular [[Prime Minister of Great Britain]] from 1756 to 1757. Devonshire married [[Charlotte Cavendish, 6th Baroness Clifford|Charlotte Boyle, 6th Baroness Clifford]], daughter of the famous architect [[Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington]] (on whose death in 1753 the earldom of Burlington became extinct). Their third and youngest son [[George Cavendish, 1st Earl of Burlington|Lord George Cavendish]] was recreated [[Earl of Burlington]] in 1831. Devonshire was succeeded by his eldest son, [[William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire|William Cavendish]], who became the fifth Duke of Devonshire. He had already succeeded his mother as seventh [[Baron Clifford]] in 1754. He served as [[Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire]] from 1782 to 1811 but is best remembered<ref>[[The Duchess (film)|The Duchess]]</ref> for his first marriage (1774) to [[Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire|Lady Georgiana Spencer]] (1757&ndash;1806), the celebrated beauty and society hostess.

===The sixth, seventh and eighth Dukes===
Their only son, [[William Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire|the sixth Duke]], served as [[Lord Chamberlain of the Household]] from 1827 to 1828 and from 1830 to 1834. Known as the "Bachelor Duke", he never married and on his death in 1858 the barony of Clifford fell into abeyance between his sisters. He was succeeded in the other titles by his first cousin once removed, the second Earl of Burlington, who became [[William Cavendish, 7th Duke of Devonshire|the seventh Duke]] (see the [[Earl of Burlington]] for earlier history of this branch of the family). He was the son of [[William Cavendish (1783–1812)|William Cavendish]], eldest son of the aforementioned first Earl of Burlington, youngest son of the fourth Duke. He was [[Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire]] and Derbyshire and Chancellor of the [[University of London]] and of the [[University of Cambridge]]. He was succeeded by his second, but eldest surviving son, [[Spencer Cavendish, 8th Duke of Devonshire|the eighth Duke]]. The eighth Duke was a noted statesman and the most famous member of the Cavendish family. Known under his [[Courtesy titles in the United Kingdom|courtesy title]] of Marquess of Hartington until 1891, he held political office for a period spanning 40 years, notably as [[Secretary of State for India]] and as [[Secretary of State for War]], and three times declined to become [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]]. He married [[Louisa Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire|Louise, Dowager Duchess of Manchester]], who became known as the "Double Duchess".

===The ninth, tenth and eleventh Dukes===
[[Image:GG Duke of Devonshire.jpg|thumb|right|Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire, in uniform as [[Governor General of Canada]] (c.1916-1921)]] 

Devonshire died childless and was succeeded by his nephew, [[Victor Cavendish, 9th Duke of Devonshire|the ninth Duke]]. He was the eldest son of [[Lord Edward Cavendish]], third son of the seventh Duke. He was a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] politician and served as [[Governor General of Canada]] from 1916 to 1921 and as [[Secretary of State for the Colonies]] from 1922 to 1924.

His elder son, the tenth Duke, also a Conservative politician, served as [[Under-Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs]], as [[Under-Secretary of State for India and Burma]] and as [[Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies]]. He married [[Mary Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire|Lady Mary Gascoyne-Cecil]], who was [[Mistress of the Robes]] to [[Queen Elizabeth II]] from 1953 to 1966.{{CN|date=May 2024}} Their elder son and heir apparent [[William Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington]], married [[Kathleen Cavendish, Marchioness of Hartington|Kathleen Kennedy]], daughter of [[Joseph Kennedy]] and sister of the future [[President of the United States]], [[John Fitzgerald Kennedy]]. Lord Hartington was killed in the [[Second World War]] in 1944 shortly after the marriage. The couple had no children.

Devonshire was therefore succeeded by his second and only surviving son, the [[Andrew Cavendish, 11th Duke of Devonshire|eleventh Duke]]. He sat on the Conservative benches in the House of Lords and held political office (under his uncle [[Harold Macmillan]] and later under [[Sir Alec Douglas-Home]]) from 1960 to 1964. Devonshire married the Hon. [[Deborah Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire|Deborah Mitford]], the youngest of the famous [[Mitford sisters]]. As of 2022, the titles are held by their second and only surviving son, [[Peregrine Cavendish, 12th Duke of Devonshire]], who succeeded in 2004.

The ninth and tenth dukes both served as [[Chancellor (education)|Chancellor]] of the [[University of Leeds]].

===Other notable members of the Cavendish family===
Numerous other members of the Cavendish family have also gained distinction. [[Lord Henry Cavendish]] (1673–1700), second son of the first Duke, was Member of Parliament for [[Derby (UK Parliament constituency)|Derby]]. [[Lord James Cavendish (died 1751)|Lord James Cavendish]] (died 1751), third son of the first Duke, also represented this constituency in the [[British House of Commons|House of Commons]]. [[Lord Charles Cavendish]] (1704–1783), second son of the second Duke, was a politician and scientist. His son [[Henry Cavendish]] (1731–1810) was an influential scientist noted for his discovery of [[hydrogen]]. [[Lord James Cavendish (d. 1741)|Lord James Cavendish]] (1701–1741), third son of the second Duke, was a soldier and briefly represented [[Malton (UK Parliament constituency)|Malton]] in Parliament. [[Lord George Cavendish (d. 1794)|Lord George Cavendish]] (died 1794), second son of the third Duke, was a long-standing Member of Parliament and served as [[Comptroller of the Household]] from 1761 to 1762. [[Lord Frederick Cavendish (soldier)|Lord Frederick Cavendish]], third son of the third Duke, was a [[Field Marshal (UK)|Field Marshal]] in the Army. [[Lord John Cavendish]], fourth son of the third Duke, was a politician and served as [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]] in 1782 and 1783.

[[Image:Chatsworth showing hunting tower.jpg|thumb|350px|right|[[Chatsworth House]], the ancestral seat of the Dukes of Devonshire]]
[[Lord Richard Cavendish (1752–1781)|Lord Richard Cavendish]], second son of the fourth Duke, represented [[Lancaster (UK Parliament constituency)|Lancaster]] and [[Derbyshire (UK Parliament constituency)|Derbyshire]] in the House of Commons. [[Dorothy Bentinck, Duchess of Portland|Lady Dorothy Cavendish]], daughter of the fourth Duke, married Prime Minister [[William Cavendish-Bentinck, 3rd Duke of Portland]] (who assumed the additional surname of Cavendish). [[Sir Augustus Clifford, 1st Baronet|Augustus Clifford]], illegitimate son by the fifth Duke and his mistress and later second wife [[Elizabeth Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire|Elizabeth Hervey]], was a naval commander and was created a baronet in 1838 (see [[Clifford baronets]]). [[William Cavendish (1783–1812)|William Cavendish]], eldest son of the first Earl of Burlington and father of the seventh Duke, represented [[Aylesbury (UK Parliament constituency)|Aylesbury]] and Derby in Parliament. [[George Henry Compton Cavendish]], second son of the first Earl of Burlington, was Member of Parliament for Aylesbury. The Hon. [[Henry Frederick Compton Cavendish]], third son of the first Earl of Burlington, was a [[general]] in the Army. The Hon. [[Charles Cavendish, 1st Baron Chesham|Charles Compton Cavendish]], fourth son of the first Earl of Burlington, was created [[Baron Chesham]] in 1858.

[[Lord Frederick Cavendish]], third son of the seventh Duke, was a [[Liberal Party (UK)|Liberal]] politician. He had just been appointed [[Chief Secretary for Ireland]] in 1882 when he was assassinated by nationalists in [[Phoenix Park]], [[Dublin]]. His wife [[Lucy Cavendish|Lady Frederick (Lucy) Cavendish]] was a pioneer of women's education. [[Lord Edward Cavendish]], fourth and youngest son of the seventh Duke, sat as Member of Parliament for several constituencies. His second son [[Lord Richard Cavendish (1871–1946)|Lord Richard Cavendish]] represented [[North Lonsdale (UK Parliament constituency)|North Lonsdale]] in Parliament. In 1911 he was one of the proposed recipients of peerages in case the Bill that was to become the [[Parliament Act 1911]] was not accepted by the House of Lords. His grandson [[Hugh Cavendish, Baron Cavendish of Furness|Hugh Cavendish]] was created a [[life peer]] as Baron Cavendish of Furness in 1990. [[Lady Dorothy Macmillan|Lady Dorothy Cavendish]], daughter of the ninth Duke, was the wife of Prime Minister [[Harold Macmillan]].

===Courtesy titles and family seats===
The Duke of Devonshire's eldest son may use the [[courtesy title]] ''Marquess of Hartington'', whilst the eldest son of the eldest son may use the title ''Earl of Burlington'', and his eldest son may use the title ''Lord Cavendish''.

[[File:St Peter's Churchyard, Edensor - Cavendish family plot1.JPG|thumb|[[St Peter's Church, Edensor]], Cavendish family plot with the graves of the Dukes of Devonshire]]
The family seats are [[Chatsworth House]], [[Bolton Abbey]] in [[Yorkshire]], and [[Lismore Castle]] in [[County Waterford]], in the [[Republic of Ireland]]. [[Compton Place]] in [[Eastbourne]] belongs to the family (which developed Eastbourne as a seaside resort in the 19th century) but is let. In 1908 [[Holker Hall]], then in [[Lancashire]], now in [[Cumbria]], was left to a junior branch of the family. The family previously owned [[Londesborough Hall]], [[Yorkshire]]; [[Hardwick Hall]], [[Derbyshire]]; [[Chiswick House]], [[Middlesex]]; and two [[London]] mansions on [[Piccadilly]]: [[Devonshire House]] and [[Burlington House]]. In 1907 the Duke owned 192,322 acres across the [[British Isles]], principally in [[Derbyshire]], [[Yorkshire]], [[County Cork]] and [[County Waterford]].<ref>H. Evans, 'Cavendish', ''Our old nobility'' (Рипол Классик), 132.</ref>

The traditional burial place of the Dukes of Devonshire is at [[St Peter's Church, Edensor]], in the closest village to [[Chatsworth House]]. The ducal graves can be found on the highest spot of Edensor's churchyard in the Cavendish family plot.