Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer 1661-1724

A collection of manuscripts made by Robert Harley, first earl of Oxford, and augmented by his son Edward, the second earl. It consisted of some 50,000 books, 350,000 pamphlets, and over 7,000 volumes of manuscripts, including early biblical texts in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, texts of classical authors and church fathers, papal bulls and registers, deeds, charters, state papers, etc. The manuscripts were bought by Parliament in 1753 and placed in the British Museum. They are now in the British Library.

On 5th December 1661 Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer was born to Edward Harley [aged 37] at Bow Street Covent Garden.

In May 1685 Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer [aged 23] and Elizabeth Foley Countess of Oxford and Mortimer were married.

On 2nd June 1689 [his son] Edward Harley 2nd Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer was born to Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer [aged 27] and [his wife] Elizabeth Foley Countess of Oxford and Mortimer. He married 31st August 1713 Henrietta Cavendish Holles Countess of Oxford and Mortimer, daughter of John Holles 1st Duke Newcastle upon Tyne and Margaret Cavendish Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne, and had issue.

On 2nd June 1689 [his daughter] Elizabeth Harley was born to Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer [aged 27] and [his wife] Elizabeth Foley Countess of Oxford and Mortimer. She married 16th December 1712 Peregrine Osborne 3rd Duke Leeds, son of Peregrine Osborne 2nd Duke Leeds and Bridget Hyde Duchess Leeds, and had issue.

After 2nd June 1689 [his son] Robert Harley was born to Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer [aged 27] and [his wife] Elizabeth Foley Countess of Oxford and Mortimer. He died in 1690.

After 2nd June 1689 [his daughter] Abigail Harley Countess Kinnoul was born to Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer [aged 27] and [his wife] Elizabeth Foley Countess of Oxford and Mortimer. She married 1st September 1709 George Henry Hay 8th Earl Kinnoull, son of Thomas Hay 7th Earl Kinnoull, and had issue.

On 18th December 1700 [his father] Edward Harley [aged 76] died.

In February 1701 Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer [aged 39] was appointed Speaker of the House of Commons.

John Evelyn's Diary. 9th February 1701. The old Speaker [aged 53] laid aside, and Mr. Harley [aged 39], an able gentleman, chosen. Our countryman, Sir Richard Onslow [aged 46], had a party for him.

John Evelyn's Diary. 27th February 1701. By an order of the House of Commons, I laid before the Speaker [aged 39] the state of what had been received and paid toward the building of Greenwich Hospital [Map].

Around 1st September 1709 [his son-in-law] George Henry Hay 8th Earl Kinnoull [aged 20] and Abigail Harley Countess Kinnoul [aged 20] were married. She the daughter of Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer [aged 47] and Elizabeth Foley Countess of Oxford and Mortimer. He the son of Thomas Hay 7th Earl Kinnoull [aged 49].

In 1711 Godfrey Kneller [aged 64]. Portrait of Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer [aged 49].

On 23rd May 1711 Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer [aged 49] was created 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer. [his wife] Elizabeth Foley Countess of Oxford and Mortimer by marriage Countess of Oxford and Countess Mortimer.

On 16th December 1712 [his son-in-law] Peregrine Osborne 3rd Duke Leeds [aged 21] and Elizabeth Harley [aged 23] were married. She the daughter of Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer [aged 51] and Elizabeth Foley Countess of Oxford and Mortimer. He the son of Peregrine Osborne 2nd Duke Leeds [aged 53] and Bridget Hyde Duchess Leeds [aged 50].

On 31st August 1713 Edward Harley 2nd Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer [aged 24] and Henrietta Cavendish Holles Countess of Oxford and Mortimer [aged 19] were married. She the daughter of John Holles 1st Duke Newcastle upon Tyne and Margaret Cavendish Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 51]. He the son of Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer [aged 51] and Elizabeth Foley Countess of Oxford and Mortimer.

On 20th November 1713 [his daughter] Elizabeth Harley [aged 24] died from childbirth at at Wimbledon, Surrey, having given birth to [his grandson] Thomas Osborne 4th Duke Leeds two weeks before.

Before 1724 Johnathan "The Elder" Richardson [aged 56]. Portrait of Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer [aged 62].

On 21st May 1724 Robert Harley 1st Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer [aged 62] died at Albermarle Street. His son Edward [aged 34] succeeded 2nd Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer. Henrietta Cavendish Holles Countess of Oxford and Mortimer [aged 30] by marriage Countess of Oxford and Countess Mortimer.