Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford KG (c. 1527 – 28 July 1585), was an English nobleman, soldier and politician.

Life

Early life

He was educated at King's Hall, Cambridge and accompanied his father, John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford, to sit in the House of Commons. He assisted to quell the rising in Devonshire in 1549, and after his father had been created Earl of Bedford in January 1550, was known as Lord Russell, taking his seat in the House of Lords under this title in 1552.

Russell was in sympathy with the reformers, whose opinions he shared, and was in communication with Sir Thomas Wyatt; and in consequence of his religious attitude was imprisoned during the earlier part of Mary's reign. Being released he visited Italy, came into touch with foreign reformers. He led the English contingent fighting for Philip II of Spain, then Englands King Consort, at the Battle of St. Quentin in 1557.

Elizabeth

When Elizabeth ascended the throne in November 1558 the Earl of Bedford, as Russell had been since 1555, became an active figure in public life. He was made a privy councillor, and was sent on diplomatic errands to Charles IX of France and Mary Queen of Scots.

From February 1564 to October 1567 he was governor of Berwick and warden of the east marches of Scotland, in which capacity he conducted various negotiations between Elizabeth and Mary. He appears to have been an efficient warden, but was irritated by the vacillating and tortuous conduct of the English queen. When the northern insurrection broke out in 1569, Bedford was sent into Wales, and he sat in judgment upon the Duke of Norfolk in 1572.

In 1576 he was president of the council of Wales, and in 1581 was one of the commissioners deputed to arrange a marriage between Elizabeth and François, Duke of Anjou. Bedford, who was made a Knight of the Garter in 1564, appears to have been a generous and popular man, and died in London. He was buried at the family chapel next to Chenies Manor House, the family estate which he had made his principal home and where he had entertained Queen Elizabeth in 1570.

Marriage and issue

His first wife was Margaret (d. 1562), daughter of Sir John St John, by whom he had four sons and three daughters, Edward, John, Francis, William, Anne, Elizabeth and Margaret who married George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland. His three eldest sons predeceased their father. The fourth son was William Russell, 1st Baron Russell of Thornhaugh. His second wife was Bridget (d. 1601), daughter of John, Lord Hussey. He was succeeded as 3rd earl by his grandson, Edward (1572–1627), only son of Francis, Lord Russell (c. 1550–1585).

See also

Chenies Manor House

References

• tudorplace.com.ar Accessed October 27, 2007
• thepeerage.com Accessed October 27, 2007
• vieuxpont.co.uk Accessed October 28, 2007
• Richardson, Douglas, Kimball G. Everingham, and David Faris. Plantagenet Ancestry A Study in Colonial and Medieval Families. Royal ancestry series. Baltimore, Md: Genealogical Pub. Co, 2004. googlebooks.com Accessed October 28, 2007