Keywords: thomas radclyffe thomasradclyffe elizabeth i elizabethi britain portrait united kingdom unitedkingdom english nobility englishnobility people Thomas Radclyffe (or Ratclyffe) 3rd Earl of Sussex (c. 1525 – 9 June 1583) was Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland during the Tudor period of English history, and a leading courtier during the reign of Elizabeth I. He was the eldest son of Henry Radclyffe, 2nd Earl of Sussex and his first wife Elizabeth Howard. His maternal grandparents were Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk and his 3rd wife, Elizabeth Tilney. His maternal uncles included (among others) Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, Lord Edmund Howard, Edward Howard, William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham and Lord Thomas Howard. He was born about 1525, and after his father's succession to the earldom in 1542 was styled Viscount Fitzwalter. After serving in the army abroad, he was employed in 1551 to negotiate a marriage between King Edward VI of England and a daughter of Henry II of France. Radclyffe's prominence in the kingdom was shown by his inclusion among the signatories to the letters patent of 16 June 1553 settling the crown on Lady Jane Grey as Edward's successor; but he nevertheless won favour with Queen Mary, who employed him in arranging her marriage with Philip II of Spain, and who created him Baron Fitzwalter in August 1553. He was twice married: first to Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton; and secondly to Frances, daughter of Sir William Sidney of Penshurst. His second wife was the foundress of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, which she endowed by her will, and whose name commemorates the father and the husband of the countess. The earl left no children, and at his death his titles passed to his brother Henry. Thomas Radclyffe (or Ratclyffe) 3rd Earl of Sussex (c. 1525 – 9 June 1583) was Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland during the Tudor period of English history, and a leading courtier during the reign of Elizabeth I. He was the eldest son of Henry Radclyffe, 2nd Earl of Sussex and his first wife Elizabeth Howard. His maternal grandparents were Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk and his 3rd wife, Elizabeth Tilney. His maternal uncles included (among others) Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, Lord Edmund Howard, Edward Howard, William Howard, 1st Baron Howard of Effingham and Lord Thomas Howard. He was born about 1525, and after his father's succession to the earldom in 1542 was styled Viscount Fitzwalter. After serving in the army abroad, he was employed in 1551 to negotiate a marriage between King Edward VI of England and a daughter of Henry II of France. Radclyffe's prominence in the kingdom was shown by his inclusion among the signatories to the letters patent of 16 June 1553 settling the crown on Lady Jane Grey as Edward's successor; but he nevertheless won favour with Queen Mary, who employed him in arranging her marriage with Philip II of Spain, and who created him Baron Fitzwalter in August 1553. He was twice married: first to Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton; and secondly to Frances, daughter of Sir William Sidney of Penshurst. His second wife was the foundress of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, which she endowed by her will, and whose name commemorates the father and the husband of the countess. The earl left no children, and at his death his titles passed to his brother Henry. |