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George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham |
(1592-1628)
1623-1628
English royal favourite & statesman
Husband of: Katherine Manners, 19th Baroness de Ros of Helmsley (1600-1649), mar 1620, daughter of Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland & Frances Knyvet.
Principal court favourite of two kings - father & son.
"George Villiers, 1st duke of Buckingham, is probably best known today for his decade-long liaison with James I. However, in historical terms he is equally notable for being the principal court favourite of two successive monarchs, James and his son Charles I, an unparalleled feat in Europe during that era. When one considers the very different nature of his relationships with the two kings, Buckingham’s achievement seems all the more remarkable. He initially rose to prominence because the homosexual James found him physically and emotionally appealing, and this remained the vital consideration which sustained their affair. Charles, in marked contrast to his father, shared the conventional homophobic prejudices of his time, disapproved of James’s gay dalliances, and at first took an intense dislike to Buckingham. The role that the duke eventually assumed with him was that of confidante, indispensable adviser, and chief minister. The emotionally reserved Charles developed a deep and unshakeable affection for the duke, but their friendship was firmly platonic in character. The fact that Buckingham was able to affect this transition so successfully raises some interesting questions about the true nature of his relationship with James." (The History of Parliament)
Relationship of favour and fortune.
"Villiers's acquisition of favour and fortune revolved upon his relationship with James I. James had always gad a predilection for handsome young men. Este Stuart, James Hay and Robert Carr had all owed their high estimation in James's eyes, at least in part, to their looks. Clarendon believed that no one had ever achieved such greatness as Villiers did, 'upon no other advantage or recommendation than of the beauty and gracefulness and becomingness of his person'. Even Sir Simonds D'Ewes. a rather dour commentator, 'saw everything in him full of delicacy and handsome features'." (Statesmen and Politicians of the Stuart Age: 39)
A powerful partner.
"James's closest and most enduring favourite was George Villiers, a gentleman from Leicestershire who came to the king's notice in 1614. He was swiftly knighted by James, who in subsequentl years raised him through the various rungs of the peerage until he became Earl of Buckingham. James's personal relations with Buckingham went as far as the bedroom. Writings from the king survive, and they describe Buckingham as his 'wife' and James as the 'husband' of the pair. Buckingham's hold over James was so great that the favourite became one of the richest men in the country." (The British Monarchy For Dummies: 234)
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"It was at that time the custom to send our young nobility, and even their inferiors, to Fran ce to complete their education. Lady Villiers resolved to afford her son George this advantage/ She selected him from her other children partly from partiality, for it is expressly stated that 'he who was debarred from his father's estate was happy in his mother's love,' and partly on account of his singular beauty of person. He is said, indeed, to have had, when he reached man's estate, 'no blemish from head to foot,' save that his eyebrows are stated to have been somewhat over pendulous, a defect which some of his admirers thought to be redeemed by the uncommon brilliancy of the eyes which flashed beneath them. The Earl of Essex, to whom Villiers is compared, was taller, and of an 'abler body' than the favourite of Hames I. But Villiers had the 'neater limbs and freer delivery, he carried his well-proportioned body well, and every movement was graceful.' Nor does Lord Clarendon, who thus describes him, think it beneath the dignity of his subject to remark that Villiers 'exceeded in the daintiness of his leg and foot,' whilst Essex was celebrated for his hands, which, says his panegyrist, though it be but feminine praise, 'he took from his father. The complexion of George Villiers was singularly clear and beautiful, his forehead high and smooth, his eyes dark and full of intelligence and sweetness, whilst the perfect oval of his face, and delicate turn of features, fine, yet noble, and the air of refinement which characterised both his countenance and his bearing, rendered him one of the most attractive of human beings. As he attained to maturity, a peculiar courtesy of manner, a frankness and merriment which diverged at times into a total forgetfulness of forms, a power of throwing off the appearance of all oppressing business and secret cares, although of these he had his share, and of assuming 'a very pleasant and vacant face, 'a love of social life, and certain traits of character, half folly, half romance, won upon everyone that approached him before prosperity had changed courtesy into arrogance, or political intrigues marred the open expression of a physiognomy on which none could look without admiration." (The life and times of George Villiers, duke of Buckingham Vol.1)
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George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham |
Legendary handsomeness.
"The good looks and forceful personality of George Villiers drew the attention not only of James, but also of his whole court. Contemporaries were fascinated by his legendary handsomeness: 'From the nails of his finders, bay, from the sole of his foot, to the crown of his head, there was no blemish in him,' wrote John Hacker after seeing Villiers in Spain, 'and yet his carriage and every stoop of his deportment, more than his excellent form, were the beauty of his beauty --- the setting of his looks, every motion, every bending of his body was admirable.' Equally captivated by Villiers' 'lovely complexion', Bishop Godfrey Goodman described him as the 'handsomest bodied man of England; his limbs so well compacted, and his conversation so pleasing, and of so sweet a disposition'. Villiers' childlike face and his long, slender legs made him ;one of the handsomest men in the whole world', as Sir John Oglander put it. . . ." (Visions of the Courtly Body: 104)
Prototype of elite masculinity.
" . . . Villiers had been educated for a career at court, and he successfully added to his physical charms by his graceful manner and delightful conduct, exhibiting exceptional skill in conversation, riding, fencing, and all the other ornaments of youth attained in three years of instruction in France. In particular, Villiers' talent and adroitness in dancing surpassed that of his peers, fashioning the young man as a prototype of elite masculinity as it was negotiated within the disciplines of competitive male display at the earl Stuart court. Predicated on athletic contestation, courtly dancing in the masque ranked first and foremost among these disciplines of competitive display, and the Jacobean masque thus provided the beautiful but penniless young man with a stage upon which to start his meteoric rise at court." (Visions of the Courtly Body: 104)
"The rise of George Villiers from obscurity as a country gentleman to national pre-eminence as the inseparable companion and favourite of the King astonished and disconcerted his contemporaries. He first caught the King's eye in 1614, and thereafter honour flowed to him irresistibly, for the King's affection towards him never wavered. He became the royal cup bearer in 1614, he was made a Gentleman of the Bedchamber and knighted in 1615, appointed Master of the Horse and created Knight of the Garter in 1616. In the same year he was made a Viscount, then advanced to Earl of Buckingham in 1617, and sworn in as a Privy Councillor. 1618 saw him made a Marquis. He became Lord High Admiral in 1619. The ultimate advancement came in 1623, when he was created Duke of Buckingham, the only duke in the peerage of England. What interests us here is the cultural style adopted by a man who suddenly found himself equal with princes and endowed with bewildering amounts of money." (The Golden Age Restor'd: The Culture of the Stuart Court, 1603-42: 163)
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| George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham @Sophie Ploeg |
Gentleman of the Bedchamber, 1615
Baron Whaddon & Viscount Villiers, 1616
Earl of Buckingham, 1617
Marquess of Buckingham, 1618
Earl of Coventry & Duke of Buckingham, 1623.
George Villiers
1st Duke of Buckingham
His lovers were:
Lover in 1616-1625.
First encounter.
"James I probably saw Villiers for the first time in 1614. While he seems to have liked him immediately, it was not until the following year that Villiers's fortunes really began to rise, when Villiers was used as a weapon in the faction fighting prevalent at Court. . . ." (Statesmen and Politicians of the Stuart Age: 39)
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| Lucy Percy Countess of Carlisle @Wikipedia |
2) Lucy Percy, Countess of Carlisle (1599-21660)
Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Henrietta Maria 1626
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| George Villiers 2nd Duke of Buckingham @Wikipedia |
(1628-1687)
2nd Duke of Buckingham
English aristocrat, statesman & poet
Husband of Mary Fairfax
" . . . George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, was the son of the 1st Duke of Buckingham, and this roue had an affair with a married woman, killed her husband in a duel and lived in a menage a trois. . . ." (The Stuarts in 100 Facts)
Personal & family background.
"This second George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, son of Charles I's favourite, was as worthless a man as his father had been before him. He was born in 1627 at Wallingford House, and he and his brother Francis were brought up and educated with the children of Charles I, so he had known the present King from babyhood. He lived after the Restoration in great state and pomp at Wallingford House,where his expenditure was so reckless that he soon ruined himself. He led a most dissipated life, used to turn day into night, and night into day, and as an old writer affirmed, kept the same hours 'as owls and antipodes'. Needless, he was one of the most brilliant personages at court." (Brittany to Whitehall: Life of Louise Renee de Keroualle, Duchess of Portsmouth: 75)
"Sometimes George Jr. went for men who were less rugged than himself. Rumor had it that he enjoyed the favors of Edward Kynaston, a celebrated young actor famed for playing female roles. (Kynaston is well-played by Billy Crudup in the film Stage Beauty.) Another of George’s BFFs was “gentle” (code word of the period for gay) poet Abraham Cowley. Buckingham had a visibly warm relationship with him ever since they were teen students at Cambridge. But Villiers’s longest male relationship was probably with playwright George Etheredge, Fair-haired and slender, always beautifully dressed, Etheredge penned some of the era’s most sparkling comedy." (A British Bisexual and American Religious Liberty)
"For about 15 years, Charles II was attended by the 'Merrie Gang,' a posse of young nobles and gentry, many of whom were clearly gay or bisexual. Naturally their leader was Buckingham, who according to Rousseau, "The king himself was accused of engaging in overt 'sodomitical liaisons' with the Duke of Buckingham." The permissive atmosphere of Restoration high society meant that George made no secret of his liking for both men and women. From childhood he would have been aware of his father's relationship with King James I. Sodomy laws were still on the books in England, but Restoration liberality had reduced punishment from death to a day in the stocks. Being an amateur playwright, George often dallied with actors--and rumours spread that he was intimate with young Edward Kynaston, famed for playing female roles. Playwright George Etheredge. Known as "Gentle George" to his friends, ('gentle' was a euphemism for gay in the Restoration court), Etheredge was fair-haired and slender, beautifully dressed, and wrote some of the era’s most sparkling comedy. Buckingham mentioned Etheredge in a poem, saying that Apollo had his eye on gentle George--an allusion to the Greek god's fondness for handsome mortal men. Yet another "gentle" favorite was poet Abraham Cowley, with whom Buckingham was a student at Cambridge. It was said that Cowley never spoke a word of love to a woman in his life. Many conventional biographies of Buckingham refrain from mentioning that he was bisexual, but historian Howard Love says flatly in his English Clandestine Satire, 1660-1702, that Buckingham "was a bisexual rake who was prosecuted for sodomy." (Unusual Historicals)
"Sometimes George Jr. went for men who were less rugged than himself. Rumor had it that he enjoyed the favors of Edward Kynaston, a celebrated young actor famed for playing female roles. (Kynaston is well-played by Billy Crudup in the film Stage Beauty.) Another of George’s BFFs was “gentle” (code word of the period for gay) poet Abraham Cowley. Buckingham had a visibly warm relationship with him ever since they were teen students at Cambridge. But Villiers’s longest male relationship was probably with playwright George Etheredge, Fair-haired and slender, always beautifully dressed, Etheredge penned some of the era’s most sparkling comedy." (A British Bisexual and American Religious Liberty)
"For about 15 years, Charles II was attended by the 'Merrie Gang,' a posse of young nobles and gentry, many of whom were clearly gay or bisexual. Naturally their leader was Buckingham, who according to Rousseau, "The king himself was accused of engaging in overt 'sodomitical liaisons' with the Duke of Buckingham." The permissive atmosphere of Restoration high society meant that George made no secret of his liking for both men and women. From childhood he would have been aware of his father's relationship with King James I. Sodomy laws were still on the books in England, but Restoration liberality had reduced punishment from death to a day in the stocks. Being an amateur playwright, George often dallied with actors--and rumours spread that he was intimate with young Edward Kynaston, famed for playing female roles. Playwright George Etheredge. Known as "Gentle George" to his friends, ('gentle' was a euphemism for gay in the Restoration court), Etheredge was fair-haired and slender, beautifully dressed, and wrote some of the era’s most sparkling comedy. Buckingham mentioned Etheredge in a poem, saying that Apollo had his eye on gentle George--an allusion to the Greek god's fondness for handsome mortal men. Yet another "gentle" favorite was poet Abraham Cowley, with whom Buckingham was a student at Cambridge. It was said that Cowley never spoke a word of love to a woman in his life. Many conventional biographies of Buckingham refrain from mentioning that he was bisexual, but historian Howard Love says flatly in his English Clandestine Satire, 1660-1702, that Buckingham "was a bisexual rake who was prosecuted for sodomy." (Unusual Historicals)
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| Anna-Maria Brudenell |
An "Unlucky" Lady Luck: "Anna Maria Brudenell, Countess of Shrewsbury, was Buckingham's evil genius. Wherever she went scandal, quarrels, and a duelling followed. She was notorious for the number of her admirers, and during the first eight months of their association Buckingham was involved in brawls and challenges with five different people, and imprisoned three times in the Tower for notorious behaviour." (Bright Tapestry: 20)
Personal & family background.
"George Villiers, the son of the great favourite, was born . . . 627. His mother was Lady Catherine Manners, sole daughter and heiress of Francis, Earl of Rutland. 'He inherited,' says his biographer Fairfax, 'from his father the greatest title, and from his mother the greatest estate, of any subject in England.'. . . ." (Jesse: 302)
Physical traits & personal qualities.
Physical traits & personal qualities.
"No one, however, shone with greater advantage at the court of Charles. Besides his wit and personal beauty, he was considered in riding, dancing, and fencing, the most accomplished man of his age. 'When he came into the presence chamber,' we are told, ' he moved so gracefully that it was impossible not to follow hims with your eye as he went along.' 'I think, says Sir John Reresby, 'that both for person and with the duke was the finest gentleman I ever saw.' The praise of Madame Dunois is still warmer. 'No man,' she says, 'was ever handsomer, or more nicely made, and there was something so engaging in his conversation, as made him more pleasing by his wit than by his person. His words pierced the heart, and he was born for gallantry and magnificence, in both which he surpassed all the lords of the English court.' De Grammont alludes to Buckingham's accomplishments in more measured language. 'He was extremely handsome,' he says, 'but thought himself much more so than he really was.' (Jesse: 312)
Effects on lovers' family, other people and society.
Effects on lovers' family, other people and society.
"Her (Countess of Shrewsbury) husband had scarcely been dead two months when Buckingham carried his worthless paramour to his own home. His duchess was naturally enough indignant, and observed that herself and her rival count not possibly live together. 'So I thought, Madam,' was the bitter reply, 'and have therefore ordered your coach to convey you to your father.' It seems that the duke's chaplain, Dr. Sprat, was actually induced to marry him to the countess; an absurd and useless ceremony, considering that Buckingham's lawful wife was still alive. The latter was afterwards styled by the courtiers, the Duchess Dowager." (Jesse: 325)
"In 1666, feeling that the Helmsley horse-farm was too rough-cut for wooing his new mistress, George built a splendid mansion at Cliveden on the Thames and installed the Countess of Shrewsbury there. His liaison with this lady set off a huge scandal, since he had killed her husband in a duel. To prevent his properties from ever being confiscated again, he turned everything over to a board of banker trustees, who refinanced his debts and gave him an annual allowance to live on." (A British Bisexual and American Religious Liberty)
2) Charles II of England.
"For about 15 years, Charles II was attended by the Merry Gang, a posse of young nobles and gentry, many of whom were clearly gay or bisexual. Leader of the Gang was George Villiers, whose progressive views included a visible contempt for traditional church morality. According to Rousseau, “The king himself was accused of engaging in overt sodomitical liaisons with the Duke of Buckingham.”" (A British Bisexual and American Religious Liberty)
"In 1666, feeling that the Helmsley horse-farm was too rough-cut for wooing his new mistress, George built a splendid mansion at Cliveden on the Thames and installed the Countess of Shrewsbury there. His liaison with this lady set off a huge scandal, since he had killed her husband in a duel. To prevent his properties from ever being confiscated again, he turned everything over to a board of banker trustees, who refinanced his debts and gave him an annual allowance to live on." (A British Bisexual and American Religious Liberty)
2) Charles II of England.
"For about 15 years, Charles II was attended by the Merry Gang, a posse of young nobles and gentry, many of whom were clearly gay or bisexual. Leader of the Gang was George Villiers, whose progressive views included a visible contempt for traditional church morality. According to Rousseau, “The king himself was accused of engaging in overt sodomitical liaisons with the Duke of Buckingham.”" (A British Bisexual and American Religious Liberty)
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| Edward Kynaston |
3) Edward Kynaston (1640-1712)
Lover in 1670s.
English actor
English actor
"Edward Kynaston, byname Ned Kynaston, (born c. 1640, London—died January 1706), probably the last and the best of English boy actors playing female roles. His last female role was in Beaumont and Fletcher’s Maid ’s Tragedy with Killigrew’s Company (1661). Earlier in that year the English diarist Samuel Pepys reports—having seen Kynaston play several parts in Ben Jonson’s comedy The Silent Woman, one as a woman gallant in fine clothes—“And in them was clearly the prettiest woman in the whole house; and lastly, as a man; and then likewise did appear the handsomest man in the house.”" (Britannica)
"Described by Samuel Pepys as "the prettiest woman in the whole house" and "the handsomest man", the rumor of the time had him playing female roles off stage as well. When already in his thirties, lampoons circulated that made him out to be the lover of George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham." (Wikipedia)
"Kynaston lived an exciting and unusual life to the full. Be it rumours of his love affair with the Duke of Buckingham or his stopping of a performance for Charles II because he was unshaven, there was always gossip surrounding Ned. . . ." (Queen Katharine, or the Ruins of Love)
"There is an obvious attraction between Ned and Maria, who can barely conceal the clear adoration she feels for the actor. Ned, however, is a charming flirt who dallies with both men and women and is currently involved with handsome, dashing George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham (Ben Chaplin). Kynaston’s sexuality in the film is ambiguous. Taken off the street as a small child by a “tutor” who trained many young boys in the art of playing a stage beauty, he seems most comfortable playing the female on stage and in life. His lover Buckingham clearly sees him as a woman, asking him to wear Desdemona’s flowing fair locks during their liaisons. Ned is proud of his ability to convince audiences it is quintessentially a woman they see on stage whenever he performs." (The Armitage Effect)
"The real Edward Kynaston (1640-1712) was thought to be a bisexual who had liaisons with both women and men, including the Duke of Buckingham. Later, he married and had children. Unlike in the film, Kynaston actually played both male and female characters earlier in his career, but was particularly noted for playing a convincing female (in spite of some issues with his voice). He was described by Samuel Pepys as “the prettiest woman in the whole house” and “the handsomest man.” He also continued to have success on stage even after the introduction of actresses into the theatre." (The Armitage Effect)
"Described by Samuel Pepys as "the prettiest woman in the whole house" and "the handsomest man", the rumor of the time had him playing female roles off stage as well. When already in his thirties, lampoons circulated that made him out to be the lover of George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham." (Wikipedia)
"Kynaston lived an exciting and unusual life to the full. Be it rumours of his love affair with the Duke of Buckingham or his stopping of a performance for Charles II because he was unshaven, there was always gossip surrounding Ned. . . ." (Queen Katharine, or the Ruins of Love)
"There is an obvious attraction between Ned and Maria, who can barely conceal the clear adoration she feels for the actor. Ned, however, is a charming flirt who dallies with both men and women and is currently involved with handsome, dashing George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham (Ben Chaplin). Kynaston’s sexuality in the film is ambiguous. Taken off the street as a small child by a “tutor” who trained many young boys in the art of playing a stage beauty, he seems most comfortable playing the female on stage and in life. His lover Buckingham clearly sees him as a woman, asking him to wear Desdemona’s flowing fair locks during their liaisons. Ned is proud of his ability to convince audiences it is quintessentially a woman they see on stage whenever he performs." (The Armitage Effect)
"The real Edward Kynaston (1640-1712) was thought to be a bisexual who had liaisons with both women and men, including the Duke of Buckingham. Later, he married and had children. Unlike in the film, Kynaston actually played both male and female characters earlier in his career, but was particularly noted for playing a convincing female (in spite of some issues with his voice). He was described by Samuel Pepys as “the prettiest woman in the whole house” and “the handsomest man.” He also continued to have success on stage even after the introduction of actresses into the theatre." (The Armitage Effect)
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