William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton

For other people of the same name, see William Parr (disambiguation).

Sir William Parr
1st Marquess of Northampton 1st Earl of Essex Baron Parr of Kendal
Spouse(s)	Lady Anne Bourchier Elisabeth Brooke Helena Snakenborg
Father	Sir Thomas Parr
Mother	Maud Green
Born	14 August 1513 Blackfriars, London, England
Died	27 October 1571 Warwick, England
Buried	St. Mary's Collegiate Church, Warwick, England

William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton, 1st Earl of Essex and 1st Baron Parr, KG (14 August 1513 – 28 October 1571) was the son of Sir Thomas Parr and his wife, Maud Green, daughter of Sir Thomas Green, of Broughton and Greens Norton. William Parr was brother of the Queen consort, Catherine Parr, the sixth and final wife of Henry VIII, and Anne Parr.

Arms of Sir William Parr, Marquess of Northampton, KG

On 9 February 1527, Parr married Anne Bourchier, 7th Baroness Bourchier, daughter of Henry Bourchier, 2nd Earl of Essex. On 17 April 1543, their marriage was annulled by an Act of Parliament and her children (by her lover) were declared bastards. Parr also obtained his ex-wife's lands and titles, being created Earl of Essex.

He later married Elisabeth Brooke, daughter of George Brooke, 9th Baron Cobham. Their marriage was declared valid in 1548, invalid in 1553, and valid again in 1558.

He was Edward VI's 'beloved uncle' and one of the most important men at Edward's court, especially during the time of John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland's time as leader of the government. Parr, and especially his wife, were leaders in the attempt to put Lady Jane Grey on the throne after Edward's death. He had been created Baron Parr of Kendal in 1539, Earl of Essex in 1543 and Marquess of Northampton in 1547. Northampton was convicted of high treason and sentenced to death on 18 August 1553 after the accession of Mary I. He was, however, released in the autumn. His titles were restored to him by Elizabeth I in 1559.

His wife Elisabeth died in 1565. Five months before he died, he married Helena Snakenborg, a lady in waiting from Sweden. On his death, at Warwick Priory, as he had no children, his titles became extinct. His body was laid to rest in St. Mary's Church in Warwick, buried in the chancel of the church. Queen Elizabeth paid for his funeral and burial. His tomb is inscribed: William Parr, Marquis of Northampton; Died in Warwick 28 October 1571. [Buried] with the ceremonial due [of a] Knight of the Garter to the Order of Queen Elizabeth who bore the expense of the funeral, 2 December 1571.

Ancestry

Family of William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton

16. Sir John Parr               8. Sir Thomas of Kendal Parr                       17. Agnes Crophull               4. Sir William Parr, 1st Baron Parr                             18. Sir Thomas of Thurland Castle Tunstall               9. Alice Tunstall                       19. Isabel Harrington               2. Sir Thomas Parr                                   20. William FitzHugh, 4th Baron FitzHugh               10. Henry FitzHugh, 5th Baron FitzHugh                       21. Marjory Willoughby               5. Elizabeth FitzHugh                             22. Richard Neville, 5th Earl of Salisbury               11. Lady Alice Neville                       23. Lady Alice Montacute, 5th Countess of Salisbury               1. Catherine Parr, Queen of England and Ireland                                         24. Sir Thomas de Green               12. Sir Thomas Green                       25. Philippa de Ferrers               6. Sir Thomas Green                             26. Sir John Throckmorton               13. Matilda Throckmorton                       27. Alianore de la Spine               3. Maud Green                                   28. Sir William Fogge               14. Sir John Fogge                       29. Daughter Septvans               7. Joan Fogge                             30. Sir William Haute               15. Alice Haute                       31. Joan Woodville

External links

• William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton at Find a Grave

Political offices
New title	Lord Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire 1547 – Date unknown	Succeeded by Unknown
	Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire 1549 – 1551
	Lord Lieutenant of Surrey 1551 – 1553?
Preceded by The Earl of Bedford	Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire 1553 – 1559	Succeeded by The Duke of Norfolk
Honorary titles
Preceded by The Lord Braye	Captain of the Gentlemen Pensioners 1550 – 1553	Succeeded by The Earl of Sussex
Peerage of England
New creation	Earl of Essex 7th creation 1543 – 1553 (Forfeit) Restored 1559 – 1571	Extinct
	Marquess of Northampton 1st creation 1547 – 1553 (Forfeit) Restored 1559 – 1571
	Baron Parr 1547 – 1553 (Forfeit) Restored 1559 – 1571