Robert Bertie, 1st Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven

Bertie was born to Robert Bertie, 3rd Earl of Lindsey and Elizabeth Wharton. From 1666 until 1701, he was styled Lord Willoughby de Eresby.

On 30 July 1678, Lord Willougby married Mary Wynn (d. 20 September 1689), a Welsh heiress and direct descendent of the princely house of Aberffraw. They had five children: Peregrine Bertie, 2nd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven (1686–1742), Robert Bertie (b. 6 January 1693, d. young), and three daughters, Elizabeth, Eleanor, and Mary, who died unmarried.

Lord Willoughby entered Parliament as MP for Boston in 1685, and sat in the Loyal Parliament (1685–1687) and the Convention Parliament (1689–1690). In 1690, he was returned for Preston instead, but was soon forced to leave the House of Commons for the House of Lords after receiving a writ of acceleration as Baron Willoughby de Eresby. He served as Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster from 1689 until 1697.

After the death of his first wife in 1689, he married Albinia Farington, daughter of Maj.-Gen. William Farington, by whom he had:

• Lord Vere Bertie (d. 1768)
• Capt. Lord Montagu Bertie (d. 12 December 1753), married Elizabeth Piers (d. 1782), daughter of William Piers
• Capt. Lord Thomas Bertie (24 July 1720 – 21 July 1749)
• Lt.-Gen. Lord Robert Bertie (1721–1782)
• Lady Louisa Bertie, married Thomas Bludworth in 1736

Lord Willougby inherited the Earldom of Lindsey in 1701, and was invested a Privy Counsellor one month later; along with the Earldom of Lindsey, he also inherited the offices of Lord Great Chamberlain and Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire, both of which he would hold until his death and would pass onto his son, the 2nd Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven. Lord Lindsey, as he was now styled, was then created Marquess of Lindsey in 1706, and was finally created Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven in 1715 (that year, he also served temporarily as a Lord Justice). He would die eight years later, an established but relatively unheralded statesman, at the age of 62.

References

• Bertie genealogy. Retrieved on 2007-09-05..