William Cavendish, 5th Duke of Devonshire
(1748-1811), Lord High Treasurer of IrelandMid-Georgian Portraits Catalogue Entry
Sitter in 8 portraits
The 5th Duke is best known for his first wife Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire. He came from one of the wealthiest and most powerful Whig families, but was neither particularly ambitious nor particularly able. He was married twice: first, to Lady Georgiana Spencer; and subsequently to Lady Elizabeth Foster, nee Hervey, daughter of the 4th Earl of Bristol, who had been his mistress and his first wife's friend and confidante in a ménage à trois for more than twenty years. He served as Lord Treasurer of Ireland from 1764 until 1793.
Related People
- Lord William Cavendish Bentinck (nephew)
- Georgiana Dorothy (née Cavendish), Countess of Carlisle (daughter)
- George William Frederick Howard, 7th Earl of Carlisle (grandson)
- Lord Richard Cavendish (brother)
- William Cavendish (nephew)
- Charles Compton Cavendish, 1st Baron Chesham (nephew)
- William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire (grandfather)
- Georgiana Cavendish (née Spencer), Duchess of Devonshire (wife)
- Elizabeth Christiana Cavendish (née Hervey), Duchess of Devonshire (wife)
- William George Spencer Cavendish, 6th Duke of Devonshire (son)
- Georgiana Agar-Ellis (née Howard), Baroness Dover (granddaughter)
- Lady Anne Fitzroy (née Cavendish) (niece)
- Henrietta Elizabeth ('Harriet') Leveson-Gower (née Cavendish), Countess Granville (daughter)
- Granville George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville (grandson)
- Lady Elizabeth Dorothy Anne Georgiana Grey (née Howard) (granddaughter)
- Lady Caroline Georgiana Lascelles (née Howard) (granddaughter)
- Hon. (Edward) Frederick Leveson-Gower (grandson)
- Dorothy Bentinck (née Cavendish), Duchess of Portland (sister)
- William Henry Cavendish-Scott-Bentinck, 4th Duke of Portland (nephew)
- Harriet Elizabeth Georgiana Leveson-Gower (née Howard), Duchess of Sutherland (granddaughter)
- Mary Matilda Georgiana Labouchere (née Howard), Lady Taunton (granddaughter)
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