The first creation came in 1322, when
Andrew Harclay, 1st Baron Harclay, was made
Earl of Carlisle. He had already been summoned to Parliament as
Lord Harclay (or Lord Harcla) in 1321. However, Lord Carlisle was executed for treason in 1323, with his titles forfeited. The second creation came in 1622, when
James Hay, 1st Viscount Doncaster, was made
Earl of Carlisle. He was a great favourite of
James I and had already been created
Lord Hay in the
Peerage of Scotland in 1606, as well as
Baron Hay, of Sawley in the County of York, and
Viscount Doncaster in 1618. The latter titles were in the Peerage of England. Lord Carlisle was the member of a junior branch of the Hay family, headed by the
Earl of Erroll. He was succeeded by his second but only surviving son, the second Earl. In 1637, he also succeeded his maternal grandfather, Charles Goring, 2nd Earl of Norwich, as second Baron Denny (a title created by writ in 1604; see
Earl of Norwich). However, Carlisle was childless and on his death in 1660, all the titles became extinct. The third creation came in 1660, when
Sir Charles Howard was made
Baron Dacre of Gillesland, in the County of Cumberland,
Viscount Howard of Morpeth, in the County of Northumberland, and
Earl of Carlisle. A member of the prominent
Howard family, he was the great-grandson of
Lord William Howard, third son of
Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk. Lord William Howard's wife was Elizabeth Dacre, youngest daughter of
Thomas Dacre, 4th Baron Dacre (of Gillesland), a title which had fallen into
abeyance on the death of the fifth Baron in 1569. Through this marriage,
Naworth Castle and
Henderskelfe Castle (which later became the site of
Castle Howard) came into the Howard family. Lord Carlisle had earlier supported the Parliamentarian cause in the
Civil War, and he is supposed to have been created
Baron Gilsland and
Viscount Howard of Morpeth by
Oliver Cromwell in 1657 (it is certain that he was summoned to Cromwell's House of Lords the same year as "Lord Viscount Howard"). He was succeeded by his eldest son,
the second Earl. He represented
Morpeth,
Cumberland and
Carlisle in the
House of Commons and served as
Lord Lieutenant of Cumberland. On his death, the titles passed to his son,
the third Earl. He was a prominent statesman and served as
First Lord of the Treasury from 1701 to 1702, and in 1715. His third but eldest surviving son,
the fourth Earl, sat as Member of Parliament for Morpeth. He was succeeded by his eldest son from his second marriage,
the fifth Earl. He was an influential politician and held office as
First Lord of Trade, as
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, as
Lord Steward of the Household and as
Lord Privy Seal. His eldest son,
the sixth Earl, also gained political prominence. He served as
First Commissioner of Woods and Forests and as
Lord Privy Seal, and was
Minister without Portfolio between 1830 and 1834 in the famous
Whig government of
Lord Grey. He was succeeded by his eldest son,
the seventh Earl. He was a noted politician and served as
Chief Secretary for Ireland, as
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and as
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He never married and was succeeded by his younger brother, the eighth Earl. He was a clergyman and served as Rector of
Londesborough in Yorkshire. He also died unmarried and was succeeded by his nephew, the ninth Earl. He was the son of the Hon.
Charles Wentworth George Howard, fifth son of the sixth Earl. He represented
Cumberland East in Parliament as a
Liberal and was also a well-regarded painter. His eldest son, the tenth Earl, was
Liberal Unionist Member of Parliament for
Birmingham South. He was succeeded by his only son, the eleventh Earl. He married as his first wife Bridget Helen Monckton, 11th Lady Ruthven of Freeland (see
Lord Ruthven of Freeland for earlier history of this title). On his death in 1963, the titles passed to his only son, the twelfth Earl. In 1982, he also succeeded his mother as twelfth Lord Ruthven of Freeland. , the peerages are held by his eldest son, the thirteenth Earl, who succeeded in 1994. Lord Carlisle unsuccessfully contested
Easington in the
1987 general election and
Leeds West in the
1992 general election. Several other members of this branch of the Howard family have gained distinction. The Hon.
Sir Charles Howard, fourth son of the third Earl, was a general in the Army and also represented Carlisle in the House of Commons for many years.
Charles Howard, Viscount Morpeth, eldest son of the fourth Earl from his first marriage, briefly represented
Yorkshire before his early death from
tuberculosis. The Hon. Frederick Howard, third son of the fifth Earl, was a major in the
10th Hussars and fought at the
Battle of Waterloo in 1815, where he was killed in action. His eldest son
Frederick John Howard was Member of Parliament for
Youghal. The Very Reverend the Hon. Henry Edward John Howard, fourth son of the fifth Earl, was Dean of Lichfield. His third son Edward Henry Howard was a
vice-admiral in the Navy. Admiral the Hon.
Edward Granville George Howard, fourth son of the sixth Earl, was created
Baron Lanerton in 1874. The aforementioned the Hon.
Charles Wentworth George Howard, fifth son of the sixth Earl, represented
East Cumberland in Parliament for almost forty years.
Lady Harriet Howard, third daughter of the sixth Earl, was the wife of
George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland. She was
Mistress of the Robes to
Queen Victoria and an active
Whig in society circles. The Hon.
Geoffrey William Algernon Howard, fifth son of the ninth Earl, was a Liberal Member of Parliament. His second son was
George Howard, Baron Howard of Henderskelfe. The
heir apparent to the earldom, when one exists, is styled
Viscount Morpeth. The principal family seat today is
Naworth Castle, while
Castle Howard is now held by a
cadet branch of the family. ==Earls of Carlisle, first creation (1322)==