Earl of Wiltshire

Title in the Peerage of England

The title Earl of Wiltshire is one of the oldest in the Peerage of England, going back to the 12th century. It is currently held by the Marquess of Winchester, and is used as a courtesy title for the eldest son of the marquess.

The earldom was first created for Harvey of Léon, who married Sybilla, an illegitimate daughter of King Stephen. The title lapsed after Harvey lost his English lands during the Anarchy, since at that time one could not be an earl without the territory to support the dignity.

Patrick of Salisbury was created Earl of Wiltshire by the Empress Matilda, probably after July 1143, but he was usually styled Earl of Salisbury. He was the second but eldest surviving son of William of Salisbury and the grandson of Walter of Salisbury, the founder of Bradenstoke Priory, in Wiltshire. He was Sheriff of Wiltshire in October 1152, when he was addressed as "Earl Patrick, sheriff" in a writ of Stephen.[1] Patrick of Salisbury, Earl of Wiltshire, passed the title to his great-granddaughter Margaret Longespée. She married Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, they had a daughter who became suo jure Countess of Lincoln and Wiltshire on her mother's death. She married three times, but the earldom of Wiltshire seems to have reverted to the Crown with her death in October 1348.[2]

William le Scrope was created Earl of Wiltshire in 1397. He was executed during the events leading to the deposition of Richard II by Henry IV. The charter which granted his earldom limited its inheritance to heirs male, but did not contain the usual additional limitation of his body. Thus in 1859 a collateral descendant attempted to claim the earldom, but the claim was rejected by the House of Lords.

The next creation was for James Butler, eldest son of the 4th Earl of Ormond. He fought on the Lancastrian side at the Battle of Towton, and afterwards was executed and posthumously attainted.

The earldom was next held by three members of the Stafford family, beginning with John, a younger son of the 1st Duke of Buckingham.

Anne Boleyn's father Thomas was the recipient of the next creation, but after outliving his son and with no other male heirs upon his death the title became vacant. He was the great-nephew of James Butler, the earl of the 1449 creation.

Finally, in 1550 William Paulet was created Earl of Wiltshire. He was made Marquess of Winchester the next year, and his descendants continue to hold both titles.

## Earl of Wiltshire, First Creation (1139)

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* Hervey le Breton, Earl of Wiltshire (forfeit 1141)

## Earl of Wiltshire, creation by the Empress Matilda (c. 1145)

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* Patrick of Salisbury, 1st Earl of Salisbury (c. 1122–1168)
* William of Salisbury, 2nd Earl of Salisbury (d. 1196)
* William Longespée, 3rd Earl of Salisbury (c. 1176–1226), jure uxoris Ela, Countess of Salisbury (1187–1261)
* Margaret Longespée, Countess of Salisbury (c. 1261 – c. 1311), granddaughter of the 3rd Earl by his son William III Longespée. She married Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln.
* Alice de Lacy, 4th Countess of Lincoln (1281–1348)

## Earl of Wiltshire, Second Creation (1397)

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* William le Scrope, 1st Earl of Wiltshire (1350–1399) (executed 1399)

## Earl of Wiltshire, Third Creation (1449)

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* James Butler, Earl of Wiltshire and 5th Earl of Ormond (1420–1461) (forfeit 1461)

## Earl of Wiltshire, Fourth Creation (1470)

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* John Stafford, 1st Earl of Wiltshire (d. 1473)
* Edward Stafford, 2nd Earl of Wiltshire (1469–1499) (extinct)

## Earl of Wiltshire, Fifth Creation (1510)

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* Henry Stafford, 1st Earl of Wiltshire (1479–1523) (extinct)

## Earl of Wiltshire, Sixth Creation (1529)

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* Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire and 1st Earl of Ormond (1477–1539) (extinct)

## Earl of Wiltshire, Seventh Creation (1550)

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* see Marquess of Winchester

The title 'Earl of Wiltshire' is now used as the courtesy title of Lord Winchester's eldest son and heir.

## Family tree

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Earls of Wiltshire, Marquesses of Winchester and Dukes of Bolton family tree

| Earl of Wiltshire (1st creation), 1139| | | | | | | | | | Earl of Wiltshire (1st creation recreated), after 1143
Earl of Salisbury (1st creation), 1145

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Hervey le Breton
c. 1110–1168
1st Earl of Wiltshire, Viscount of Léon| | | | | | | | | | Patrick of Salisbury
c. 1122–1168
1st Earl of Salisbury and Earl of Wiltshire
Earldom of Wiltshire (1st creation) lapsed, 1141| | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | King Henry II
1133–1189| | Ida de Tosny
(d. after 1181)| | William of Salisbury
d. 1196
2nd Earl of Salisbury and Earl of Wiltshire

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| | | | | | | | William Longespée
1176–1226
3rd Earl of Salisbury and Earl of Wiltshire jure uxoris| | Ela of Salisbury
1187–1261
3rd Countess of Salisbury and Countess of Wiltshire

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | | William III Longespée
d. 1257
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| | | | | | | | | | | | Margaret Longespée
d. 1310
4th Countess of Salisbury and Countess of Wiltshire
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| | | | | | | | | | | | Alice de Lacy
1281–1348
4th Countess of Lincoln, 5th Countess of Salisbury and Countess of Wiltshire suo jure
| | | | Earl of Wiltshire (2nd creation), 1397| | | | | | Earldoms of Wiltshire (1st creation) and Salisbury (1st creation) forfeit, 1322
| | | | William Scrope
1350–1399
Earl of Wiltshire
| | | | Earldom of Wiltshire (2nd creation) forfeit, 1399
James Butler
1393–1452
Earl of Ormond| | | | | | Humphrey Stafford
1402–1460
Duke of Buckingham, Earl of Stafford
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Earl of Wiltshire (3rd creation), 1449| | | | | | | | | | | | Earl of Wiltshire (4th creation), 1470|
James Butler
1420–1461
Earl of Ormond, Earl of Wiltshire| | Thomas Butler
1426–1515
Earl of Ormond| | Humphrey Stafford
c. 1425–1458| | John Stafford
1427–1473
1st Earl of Wiltshire
Earldom of Wiltshire (3rd creation) forfeit, 1461| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
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| | | | Margaret Butler
c. 1454–1539| | Henry Stafford
1455–1483
Duke of Buckingham, Earl of Stafford| | Edward Stafford
1470–1499
2nd Earl of Wiltshire
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Earldom of Wiltshire (4th creation) extinct, 1499
Baron St John, 1539, Earl of Wiltshire (7th creation), 1550
Marquess of Winchester, 1551| | Earl of Wiltshire (6th creation), 1529| | Earl of Wiltshire (5th creation), 1510
William Paulet
c. 1483/1485–1572
1st Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire| | Thomas Boleyn
c. 1477–1539
Earl of Ormond, Earl of Wiltshire| | Henry Stafford
c. 1479–1523
Earl of Wiltshire
| | | | | Earldom of Wiltshire (6th creation) extinct, 1539| | Earldom of Wiltshire (5th creation) extinct, 1523|
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John Paulet
c. 1510–1576
2nd Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire| | Anne Boleyn
c. 1501–1536| | King Henry VIII
1491–1547| |

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William Paulet
c. 1532–1598
3rd Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire| | | | | | Queen Elizabeth I
1533–1603
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William Paulet
c. 1560–1628
4th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire| | | | | | | | | |
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William Paulet
c. 1587/1588–1621
styled Earl of Wiltshire| | John Paulet
c. 1598–1674
5th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire| | Henry Paulet
d. 1672
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| | | | Duke of Bolton, 1689| | | | |
| | | | Charles Paulet
d. 1699
1st Duke of Bolton, 6th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire| | Francis Paulet
c. 1645–1695/1696
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| | | | Charles Paulet
1661–1722
2nd Duke of Bolton, 7th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire| | Norton Paulet
c. 1679–1741
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Charles Powlett
1685–1754
3rd Duke of Bolton, 8th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire| | Harry Powlett
1691–1759
4th Duke of Bolton, 9th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire| | | | |
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Charles Powlett
d. 1765
5th Duke of Bolton, 10th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire| | Harry Powlett
1720–1794
6th Duke of Bolton, 11th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire| | George Paulet
1722–1800
12th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire
| | | | Dukedom of Bolton extinct| | | | |
| | | | | | | | Charles Ingoldsby Paulet
1765–1843
13th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire|
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| | | | | | | | John Paulet
1801–1887
14th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire| | Lord Charles Paulet
1802–1870
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| | | | Augustus John Henry Beaumont Paulet
1858–1899
15th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire| | Henry William Montague Paulet
1862–1962
16th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire| | Charles William Paulet
1832–1897
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| | | | | | | | Charles Standish Paulet
1873–1953| | Cecil Henry Paulet
1875–1916
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| | | | | | | | Richard Charles Paulet
1905–1968
17th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire| | George Cecil Paulet
1905–1961
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| | | | | | | | | | | | Nigel George Paulet
1941–2016
18th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire
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| | | | | | | | | | | | Christopher John Hilton Paulet
b. 1969
19th Marquess of Winchester and Earl of Wiltshire
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| | | | | | | | | | | | Michael John Paulet
b. 1999
styled Earl of Wiltshire
Heir apparent to the Marquessate

## See also

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* Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon, who was offered the title but declined it

## Notes

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1. ^ George Cokayne, Complete Peerage, (Salisbury) Vol XI, page 37, note (e)
2. ^ Cokayne's Complete Peerage, Vol XII (Wiltshire), pages 727–730.)

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*[c.]: circa
*[d.]: died
*[b.]: born