William Cavendish, 1593-1676 - the 'Loyal Duke'
1593 Born the son of the extremely wealthy Sir Charles Cavendish of Welbeck.
St John's College, Cambridge.
Married Margaret Lucas but later married Elizabeth Bassett.
1621 James I appointed him Viscount Mansfield and Baron Ogle.
Lord Lieutenant of Nottingham
1628 Made Baron Cavendish of Bolsover and Earl of Newcastle by Charles I.
1633 King Charles stayed at Welbeck on his way to be Scotland to be crowned. Ben Johnson wrote a masque specially for this occasion.
1634 July 30th - He lavishly entertained King Charles I and his Queen at Bolsover Castle.
1642 Jan. He was appointed Governor of Hull but was prevented from taking up the post by the garrison there.

He raised an army to fight for the King ('Whitecoats') and to protect the Queen when she arrived from Holland.

He was sent North to secure Newcastle but was later summoned to York.

Dec. Early skirmishes. Arriving at York he met the forces of Lord Fairfax and his son Thomas. He occupied Pontefract Castle.
1643 June 30th. He defeated Fiarfax at Adwalton Moor. He went on to lead the Siege of Bradford. He is said to have seen a ghost while staying at Bolling Hall which told him to spare the people of Bradford.

July. Newcastle relieved the recently captured Gainsborough.

Sept. Unsuccessfully besieged Hull.

Oct 27th. Created Marquess of Newcastle.

 Newcastle's troops captured Sir Thomas Fairfax's wife but being a gentleman, she was escorted safely to her husband in Hull.
1644 Harassed the Scots supply lines. Attacked them at Newcastle on March 23rd.

The Scots approached Newcastle's headquarters at Durham. On April 13th he abandoned Durham and sped to York to prepare for a siege.

Newcastle held York until a three-day attack drove his forces on Jun 5-7. On hearing of Rupert's approach with the Royalist forces, the siege was abandoned and the Parliamentarian forces went to confront Rupert.

July 2nd. He took part in the Battle of Marston Moor arriving late. His 'Whitecoats' were nearly wiped out. After the defeat he left the country and lived in Hamburg.

 'I will go to Holland. I will not endure the laughter of the Court'
1645 Moved to Paris. He later moved to Rotterdam and eventually settled in Antwerp.
1650 Appointed a member of Charles II's Privy Council.
1658 'A General System of Horsemanship' was published.
1665 March 16th. Created 1st Duke of Newcastle. His estates were never restored fully to him and he withdrew to Welbeck.
1676 Died on Christmas Day Dec 25th at Welbeck.
A superb horseman, gentleman, poet and a scholar. His great wealth enabled him to be a patron of a number of poets including John Dryden