Elizabeth "Mad Duchess" Cavendish Duchess Albermarle Duchess of Montagu 1654-1734

In 1652 [her father] Henry Cavendish 2nd Duke Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 21] and [her mother] Frances Pierrepont Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 21] were married. He the son of [her grandfather] William Cavendish 1st Duke Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 59] and [her grandmother] Elizabeth Bassett Countess Newcastle upon Tyne. They were second cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward IV of England.

On 22nd February 1654 Elizabeth "Mad Duchess" Cavendish Duchess Albermarle Duchess of Montagu was born to Henry Cavendish 2nd Duke Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 23] and Frances Pierrepont Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 23].

On 30th December 1669 Christopher Monck 2nd Duke Albemarle [aged 16] and Elizabeth "Mad Duchess" Cavendish Duchess Albermarle Duchess of Montagu [aged 15] were married at Whitehall Palace [Map]. She the daughter of Henry Cavendish 2nd Duke Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 39] and Frances Pierrepont Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 39]. He the son of George Monck 1st Duke Albemarle [aged 61] and Anne Clarges Duchess Albermarle [aged 50].

On 3rd January 1670 [her father-in-law] George Monck 1st Duke Albemarle [aged 61] died. His son [her husband] Christopher [aged 16] succeeded 2nd Duke Albemarle, 2nd Earl Torrington in Devon. Elizabeth "Mad Duchess" Cavendish Duchess Albermarle Duchess of Montagu [aged 15] by marriage Duchess Albemarle.

In 1673 [her future husband] Ralph Montagu 1st Duke Montagu [aged 34] and Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland [aged 27] were married. She the wealthy daughter of Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester who had died six years previously. She the daughter of Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester and Elizabeth Leigh Countess Southampton. They were third cousin once removed.

John Evelyn's Diary. 13th August 1673. I rode to Durdans, where I dined at my Lord Berkeley's [aged 45] of Berkeley Castle, my old and noble friend, it being his wedding anniversary [Note. 11 Aug 1646 he married Elizabeth Massingberd Couness Berkeley], where I found the Duchess of Albemarle [aged 19], and other company, and returned home on that evening late.

On 25th December 1676 [her grandfather] William Cavendish 1st Duke Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 84] died at Welbeck Abbey, Nottinghamshire [Map]. He was buried at Westminster Abbey [Map]. His son [her father] Henry [aged 46] succeeded 2nd Duke Newcastle upon Tyne, 2nd Earl Newcastle upon Tyne, 10th Baron Ogle.[her mother] Frances Pierrepont Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 46] by marriage Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne.

John Evelyn's Diary. 10th October 1683. Visited the Duchess of Grafton [aged 15], not yet brought to bed, and dining with my Lord Chamberlain (her father) [aged 65], went with them to see Montague House, a palace lately built by [her future husband] Lord Montague [aged 44], who had married the most beautiful Countess of Northumberland [aged 29]. It is a stately and ample palace. Signor Verrio's [aged 47] fresco paintings, especially the funeral pile of Dido, on the staircase, the labors of Hercules, fight with the Centaurs, his effeminacy with Dejanira, and Apotheosis or reception among the gods, on the walls and roof of the great room above,-I think exceeds anything he has yet done, both for design, coloring, and exuberance of invention, comparable to the greatest of the old masters, or what they so celebrate at Rome. In the rest of the chamber are some excellent paintings of Holbein, and other masters. The garden is large, and in good air, but the fronts of the house not answerable to the inside. The court at entry, and wings for offices seem too near the street, and that so very narrow and meanly built, that the corridor is not in proportion to the rest, to hide the court from being overlooked by neighbours; all which might have been prevented, had they placed the house further into the ground, of which there was enough to spare. But on the whole it is a fine palace, built after the French pavilion-way, by Mr. Hooke, the Curator of the Royal Society. There were with us my Lady Scroope, the great wit, and Monsieur Chardine [aged 39], the celebrated traveler.

On 10th January 1684 Edward Montagu 2nd Baron Montagu [aged 67] died. His son [her future husband] Ralph [aged 45] succeeded 3rd Baron Montagu of Boughton in Northamptonshire.

On 14th August 1684 [her brother-in-law] Thomas Tufton 6th Earl of Thanet [aged 39] and [her sister] Catherine Cavendish Countess Isle Thanet [aged 19] were married. She by marriage Countess of Thanet. The difference in their ages was 20 years. She the daughter of [her father] Henry Cavendish 2nd Duke Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 54] and [her mother] Frances Pierrepont Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 53]. He the son of John Tufton 2nd Earl of Thanet and Margaret Sackville Countess Isle Thanet. They were fifth cousin once removed.

On 6th October 1688 [her husband] Christopher Monck 2nd Duke Albemarle [aged 35] died in Jamaica. Duke Albemarle and Earl Torrington in Devon extinct.

On 1st March 1690 [her brother-in-law] John Holles 1st Duke Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 28] and [her sister] Margaret Cavendish Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 28] were married. She by marriage Countess Clare. She the daughter of [her father] Henry Cavendish 2nd Duke Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 59] and [her mother] Frances Pierrepont Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 59]. He the son of Gilbert Holles 3rd Earl de Clare and [her aunt] Grace Pierrepont Countess de Clare [aged 57]. They were first cousins.

On 26th July 1691 [her father] Henry Cavendish 2nd Duke Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 61] died at Welbeck Abbey, Nottinghamshire [Map]. Duke Newcastle upon Tyne, Earl Newcastle upon Tyne extinct. Baron Ogle abeyant.

On 8th September 1692 Ralph Montagu 1st Duke Montagu [aged 53] and Elizabeth "Mad Duchess" Cavendish Duchess Albermarle Duchess of Montagu [aged 38] were married at Newcastle House. She the daughter of Henry Cavendish 2nd Duke Newcastle upon Tyne who had died the year before and the widow of Christopher Monck 2nd Duke Albemarle. She the daughter of Henry Cavendish 2nd Duke Newcastle upon Tyne and Frances Pierrepont Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 62].

In 1694 [her brother-in-law] John Holles 1st Duke Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 31] was created 1st Duke Newcastle upon Tyne. [her sister] Margaret Cavendish Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 32] by marriage Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne.

On 23rd September 1695 [her mother] Frances Pierrepont Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 65] died.

In 1705 [her step-son] John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 15] and Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 15] were married. She the daughter of John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough [aged 54] and Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 44]. He the son of [her husband] Ralph Montagu 1st Duke Montagu [aged 66] and Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland. They were third cousins.

In 1705 [her husband] Ralph Montagu 1st Duke Montagu [aged 66] was created 1st Duke Montagu. Elizabeth "Mad Duchess" Cavendish Duchess Albermarle Duchess of Montagu [aged 50] by marriage Duchess Montagu.

On 9th March 1709 [her husband] Ralph Montagu 1st Duke Montagu [aged 70] died. He was buried at Westminster Abbey [Map]. His son [her step-son] John [aged 19] succeeded 2nd Duke Montagu, 4th Baron Montagu of Boughton in Northamptonshire. Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 19] by marriage Duchess Montagu.

On 20th April 1712 [her sister] Catherine Cavendish Countess Isle Thanet [aged 47] died.

On 24th December 1716 [her sister] Margaret Cavendish Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 55] died. She was buried in the St Mary and St Laurence's Church, Bolsover [Map].

Before 11th September 1734 Elizabeth "Mad Duchess" Cavendish Duchess Albermarle Duchess of Montagu [aged 80] died. On 11th September 1734 she was buried at Westminster Abbey [Map].