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George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

(1592-1628), Courtier; favourite of James I

Sitter associated with 49 portraits
Handsome and ambitious, Villiers was the most notorious of James I's favourites. From humble beginnings as cupbearer in the royal household, he rose with astonishing speed through the ranks of the aristocracy, becoming Duke of Buckingham in 1623. As one of the king's leading ministers, some of his administration was effective, but he was widely regarded as corrupt and extravagant. Villiers exercised great influence over both James I and his son Charles I, though was generally regarded with suspicion and dislike by the rest of the court, and as Lord High Admiral was blamed for a number of military failures. He was murdered by John Felton, a discharged officer of the navy in 1628.

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George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by studio of William Larkin - NPG 3840

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by studio of William Larkin
oil on canvas, circa 1616
On display in Room 3 on Floor 3 at the National Portrait Gallery
NPG 3840

The Duke of Buckingham and his Family, after Gerrit van Honthorst - NPG 711

The Duke of Buckingham and his Family

after Gerrit van Honthorst
oil on canvas, circa 1628, based on a work of 1628
NPG 711

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, after Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen) - NPG D16667

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

after Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen)
line engraving, early 17th century
NPG D16667

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by William Marshall, after  Unknown artist - NPG D1129

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by William Marshall, after Unknown artist
line engraving, circa 1621-1628
NPG D1129

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by William Marshall, after  Unknown artist - NPG D1166

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by William Marshall, after Unknown artist
line engraving, circa 1621-1628
NPG D1166

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, after Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt - NPG D33052

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

after Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt
line engraving, (circa 1625)
NPG D33052

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, after Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt - NPG D33055

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

after Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt
line engraving, (circa 1625)
NPG D33055

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, after Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt - NPG D33056

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

after Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt
line engraving, (circa 1625)
NPG D33056

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, after Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt - NPG D18724

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

after Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt
line engraving, (circa 1625)
NPG D18724

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by Willem Jacobsz Delff, after  Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt - NPG D19862

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by Willem Jacobsz Delff, after Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt
engraving, published 1626
NPG D19862

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by William Faithorne, after  Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt - NPG D22656

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by William Faithorne, after Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt
line engraving, circa 1650s
NPG D22656

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, published by Balthasar Moncornet, after  Unknown artist - NPG D16664

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

published by Balthasar Moncornet, after Unknown artist
line engraving, 1657
NPG D16664

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, published by Balthasar Moncornet, after  Unknown artist - NPG D16665

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

published by Balthasar Moncornet, after Unknown artist
line engraving, 1657
NPG D16665

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by Walter Dolle, after  Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt - NPG D33053

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by Walter Dolle, after Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt
line engraving, 1660s-1670s
NPG D33053

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by Walter Dolle, after  Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt - NPG D33054

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by Walter Dolle, after Michiel Jansz. van Miereveldt
line engraving, 1660s-1670s
NPG D33054

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by Walter Dolle, after  Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen) - NPG D26520

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by Walter Dolle, after Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen)
line engraving, 1672
NPG D26520

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by Walter Dolle, after  Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen) - NPG D26522

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by Walter Dolle, after Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen)
line engraving, 1672
NPG D26522

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by Jacobus Houbraken, after  Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen) - NPG D26510

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by Jacobus Houbraken, after Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen)
line engraving, early 18th century
NPG D26510

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, after Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen) - NPG D16668

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

after Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen)
line engraving, 18th century
NPG D16668

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, after Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen) - NPG D26515

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

after Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen)
line engraving, 1713
NPG D26515

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, after Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen) - NPG D32193

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

after Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen)
line engraving, 1713
NPG D32193

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by Jacobus Houbraken, after  Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen) - NPG D25823

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by Jacobus Houbraken, after Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen)
line engraving, mid 18th century
NPG D25823

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by Jacobus Houbraken, after  Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen) - NPG D42871

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by Jacobus Houbraken, after Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen)
engraving, 1730s
NPG D42871

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by Jacobus Houbraken, after  Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen) - NPG D32285

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by Jacobus Houbraken, after Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen)
line engraving, late 1730s-early 1740s
NPG D32285

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by William Baillie, after  Daniel Mytens - NPG D26512

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by William Baillie, after Daniel Mytens
stipple engraving, published 1785
NPG D26512

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by William Baillie, after  Daniel Mytens - NPG D32284

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by William Baillie, after Daniel Mytens
etching, published 1785
NPG D32284

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by William Baillie, after  Daniel Mytens - NPG D19344

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by William Baillie, after Daniel Mytens
etching and stipple engraving, published 1785
NPG D19344

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by William Baillie, after  Daniel Mytens - NPG D16717

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by William Baillie, after Daniel Mytens
etching and stipple engraving, published 1785
NPG D16717

John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough; George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by William Grainger, published by  Alexander Hogg, after  Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt, and after  Unknown artist - NPG D16641

John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough; George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by William Grainger, published by Alexander Hogg, after Sir Godfrey Kneller, Bt, and after Unknown artist
etching, published 31 January 1787
NPG D16641

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, published by William Richardson, after  Martin Droeshout - NPG D26516

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

published by William Richardson, after Martin Droeshout
line engraving, published 1810
NPG D26516

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by Charles Turner, after  Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen) - NPG D923

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by Charles Turner, after Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen)
mezzotint, published 1810
NPG D923

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, after Martin Droeshout, after  Unknown artist - NPG D16669

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

after Martin Droeshout, after Unknown artist
line engraving, published 1810
NPG D16669

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham Tomb in Westminster Abbey, by Black & Hopwood, published by  Rudolph Ackermann, after  Mackenzie - NPG D5190

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham Tomb in Westminster Abbey

by Black & Hopwood, published by Rudolph Ackermann, after Mackenzie
aquatint, published 1 August 1812
NPG D5190

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by Charles Picart, after  Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen) - NPG D26519

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by Charles Picart, after Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen)
stipple engraving, published 1815
NPG D26519

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham, by Charles Picart, after  Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen) - NPG D32283

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by Charles Picart, after Cornelius Johnson (Cornelius Janssen van Ceulen)
stipple engraving, published 1815
NPG D32283

The Villiers Family, by William Greatbach, after  George Perfect Harding - NPG D26130

The Villiers Family

by William Greatbach, after George Perfect Harding
line engraving, probably mid 19th century
NPG D26130

Web image not currently available

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham

by William Marshall, after Unknown artist
line engraving, circa 1621-1628
NPG D20421

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