William Fairfax, 3rd Viscount Fairfax of Emley

Sitter in 8 portraits
Sir William Fairfax was a parliamentarian army officer in the English civil wars. He was knighted by Charles I in 1630 and in 1636 he succeeded to the family estates in Yorkshire. In 1641 he became a captain in his uncle Baron Fairfax's regiment. He accompanied his cousin Sir Thomas Fairfax to confront the king with a parliamentarian petition on Heworth Moor outside York in June 1642. Fairfax fought in many battles including at Edgehill. In August 1644 he was sent into Lancashire with 2,000 cavalry and was present at the siege of Liverpool. He was mortally wounded relieving Montgomery Castle in September 1644, and he died the following day.