The Brudenell family descends from
Sir Robert Brudenell,
Chief Justice of the Common Pleas from 1520 to 1530. His great-grandson,
Sir Thomas Brudenell, was created a
Baronet in the
Baronetage of England, styled "of
Deene in the
County of Northampton", on 29 June 1611. On 26 February 1628, he was raised to the
Peerage of England as
Baron Brudenell, of
Stanton Wyvill in the
County of Leicester. On 20 April 1661, he was further honoured when he was made
Earl of Cardigan, also in the Peerage of England. On his death, the titles passed to his son,
Robert, the 2nd Earl, and on the 2nd Earl's death to his grandson,
George, the 3rd Earl, the 2nd Earl's only son, Francis, Lord Brudenell, having predeceased his father. The 3rd Earl's eldest son,
George, the 4th Earl, married Lady Mary Montagu, daughter of
John Montagu, 2nd Duke of Montagu, and he succeeded to the Montagu estates on his father-in-law's death in 1749, including the
Lordship of Bowland. He assumed the same year by Royal licence the surname of Montagu in lieu of Brudenell. In 1766, he was created
Marquess of Monthermer and
Duke of Montagu in the
Peerage of Great Britain, revivals of the titles which had become extinct on his father-in-law's death in 1749. Montagu's only son and heir,
John Montagu, Marquess of Monthermer, had already been created
Baron Montagu, of Boughton in the County of Northampton, in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1762, a revival of another title held by his maternal grandfather. However, Lord Monthermer died childless in 1770, predeceasing his father. The barony of Montagu died with him. In 1786, the Duke of Montagu was also created
Baron Montagu, of
Boughton in the County of Northampton, in the Peerage of Great Britain, with remainder to the younger sons of his daughter, Lady Elizabeth Montagu, wife of
Henry Scott, 3rd Duke of Buccleuch. On the Duke's death in 1780, the marquessate and dukedom became extinct while he was succeeded in the barony of Montagu according to the special remainder by his grandson, Henry Scott (see
Baron Montagu of Boughton for further history of this title; see also
Duke of Montagu). The earldom, barony of Brudenell and baronetcy passed to the Duke's younger brother,
James, the 5th Earl, who already on 17 October 1780 had been created
Baron Brudenell, of Deene in the County of Northampton, in the Peerage of Great Britain, in his own right. However, he died childless in 1811 when the barony of 1780 became extinct. He was succeeded in the remaining titles by his nephew,
Robert, the 6th Earl, only son of
Robert Brudenell, third son of the 3rd Earl. The 6th Earl's only son,
James, 7th Earl, gained fame for his role in the
Charge of the Light Brigade during the
Crimean War. He was childless and on his death in 1868 the titles were inherited by his second cousin,
George, 2nd Marquess of Ailesbury, grandson of
Thomas Brudenell, the fourth and youngest son of the 3rd Earl. Thomas had succeeded his maternal uncle, the
3rd Earl of Ailesbury and 4th Earl of Elgin, in 1747 as
Baron Bruce, of
Tottenham in the
County of Wilts, had in 1766 assumed the surname "Brudenell-Bruce", and had in 1776 been created
Earl of Ailesbury in the Peerage of Great Britain. The 1st Earl of Ailesbury was succeeded by his son,
Charles, the 2nd Earl of Ailesbury, who in 1821 had been created
Viscount Savernake, of
Savernake Forest in the County of Wilts,
Earl Bruce, of
Whorlton in the
County of York, and
Marquess of Ailesbury, in the
County of Buckingham. He was succeeded by his son, the aforementioned 2nd Marquess of Ailesbury and 8th Earl of Cardigan. For further history of the titles, see
Marquess of Ailesbury. The Earldom remains united with the Marquessate of Ailesbury; and indeed, since the descendants of the 1st Earl of Ailesbury are the only remaining descendants of the 1st Earl of Cardigan, the titles will never be separated. The Earldom remains visible, however, as it is used as a
courtesy title by the
heirs apparent to the Marquessate. The family seat
Deene Park was not united with the marquessate but was passed down to Commodore Lord Robert Thomas Brudenell-Bruce, the second surviving son of the
3rd Marquess. Lord Robert's son George inherited the family seat along with the family's remaining estates in Leicestershire and Northamptonshire and reverted the family name back to "Brudenell" by Royal Licence. Deene Park is currently the residence of George's grandson Robert Brudenell. ==Baron Brudenell (1628)==