Life

He was the son of the 1st Earl of Rochester and Lady Henrietta, daughter of the 1st Earl of Burlington. His education started at Eton where he studied from 1683 to 1687 and entered Oxford University in 1700. From 1687 to 1690 saw him travel abroad to Italy, Germany and Holland. He was Tory MP for Launceston November 15, 1692—May 2, 1711 and High Steward of the University of Oxford from 1711. He was appointed to the Privy Council of Great Britain in 1710.

He succeeded his father as 2nd Earl of Rochester on 2 May 1711 and his cousin as 4th Earl of Clarendon on 31 March 1723. His death came six months after that of his only surviving son, resulting in the extinction of both earldoms.

Family

He married Jane Leveson-Gower, daughter of Sir William Leveson-Gower, 4th Baronet, on 8 March 1692. They had children:

• Hon. Henrietta Hyde (bur. 5 July 1710)
• Hon. Edward Hyde (bur. 17 November 1702)
• Hon. Laurence Hyde (b. 6 October 1703; bur. 27 May 1704)
• Hon. Ann Hyde (bur. 2 November 1709)
• Lady Jane Hyde (d. January 1723/1724), married William Capell, 3rd Earl of Essex on 27 November 1718
• Lady Catherine Hyde (c. 1701 – 17 July 1777), married Charles Douglas, 3rd Duke of Queensberry on March 10 1720
• Lady Charlotte Hyde (c.1707 – 17 March 1740)
• Henry Hyde, Viscount Cornbury (1710–1753)

References