Second Marriage
On 20 August 1547, Bess married the twice-widowed Sir William Cavendish, Treasurer of the King's Chamber, and became Lady Cavendish. The wedding took place at two in the morning, at the home of the Grey family, friends of the Cavendish duo. Sir William was more than twice Bess' age and the father of two daughters. His fortune had been made by the dissolution of monasteries; as an official of the Court of Augmentations, he was able to select choice properties for himself. Possibly acting on Bess' advice, Sir William sold his lands in the south of England and bought the Chatsworth estates in her home county of Derbyshire.
Eight children were born of the marriage, two of whom died in infancy. Of the six who survived, three were sons (Henry, 1550-1616; William, 1551-1626; and Charles, 1553-1617) and three daughters (Frances, b.1548; Elizabeth, 1555-1582; and Mary, 1556-1632). William was the forebear of the Dukes of Devonshire and Charles of the Dukes of Newcastle. Elizabeth I was godmother to their first son, Henry, and Queen Mary I of England was godmother to their third son, Charles. Sir William Cavendish died on 25 October 1557, leaving Bess widowed a second time.
Read more about this topic: Bess Of Hardwick
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