Henry Bentinck, 1st Duke of Portland

His Grace
The Duke of Portland
Member of Parliament for Southampton
In office
1705–1708
Member of Parliament for Hampshire
In office
1708–1709
Governor of Jamaica
In office
1721–1726
Personal details
Born (1682-03-17)17 March 1682
Died 4 July 1726(1726-07-04) (aged 44)
Spanish Town, Jamaica
Resting place Westminster Abbey
Nationality English
Political party Whig
Spouse(s) Lady Elizabeth Noel
Parents William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland
Anne Villiers

Henry Bentinck, 1st Duke of Portland (17 March 1682 4 July 1726), styled Viscount Woodstock from 1689 until 1709, was a British politician and colonial statesman.

Bentinck was the second, but eldest surviving, son of William Bentinck, 1st Earl of Portland, and Anne née Villiers. His mother was from the prominent Villiers family, the eldest daughter of Sir Edward Villiers and sister of Edward Villiers, 1st Earl of Jersey.[1]

As a youth, Bentinck did the Grand Tour around Europe, travelling through Italy and Germany with the company of Paul de Rapin.[1][2] On 9 June 1704, he married Lady Elizabeth Noel, daughter of Wriothesley Baptist Noel, 2nd Earl of Gainsborough and Catherine Greville at Chiswick. They had seven children:

In 1705, Bentinck entered Parliament as MP for Southampton and held the seat until 1708, when he was returned for Hampshire. In 1709, he left the Commons for the Lords after inheriting his father's earldom, was appointed Colonel of the 1st Troop of Horse Guards a year later and elevated in the Peerage as Marquess of Titchfield and Duke of Portland in 1716. In 1719 he was one of main subscribers in the Royal Academy of Music (1719), a corporation that produced baroque opera on stage.

In 1721, Portland accepted the post of Governor of Jamaica, which was a not a very prestigious post, but accepted by him nonetheless after losing a huge amount of money in the South Sea Bubble the previous year. He died in office in 1726 at Spanish Town and his body was returned to England for burial; he was interred in Westminster Abbey in the vault of the Dukes of Ormond.[2]

References

Parliament of England
Preceded by
Adam de Cardonnel
Frederick Tylney
Member of Parliament for Southampton
with Adam de Cardonnel

17051707
Succeeded by
Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Parliament of England
Member of Parliament for Southampton
with Adam de Cardonnel

17071708
Succeeded by
Adam de Cardonnel
Simeon Stewart
Preceded by
Thomas Jervoise
Richard Chaundler
Member of Parliament for Hampshire
with Marquess of Winchester

17081709
Succeeded by
Marquess of Winchester
Thomas Jervoise
Military offices
Preceded by
The Earl of Albemarle
Captain and Colonel of
His Majesty's Own Troop of Horse Guards

17101713
Succeeded by
The Lord Ashburnham
Government offices
Preceded by
Sir Nicholas Lawes
Governor of Jamaica
17221726
Succeeded by
John Ayscough
(acting)
Peerage of Great Britain
New creation Duke of Portland
17161726
Succeeded by
William Bentinck
Peerage of England
Preceded by
William Bentinck
Earl of Portland
17091726
Succeeded by
William Bentinck
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