Earl of Rutland and Duke of Rutland are titles in the peerage of England, derived from Rutland, a traditional county. The Earl of Rutland was elevated to the status of Duke in 1703 and the titles were merged.

Creation of the Earl of Rutland

The title Earl of Rutland was created for Edward Plantagenet, (1373-1415), son of Edmund of Langley, Duke of York, and grandson of King Edward III. Upon the Duke's death in 1402 Edward became Duke of York. The title Earl of Rutland fell in to disuse upon his death at the battle of Agincourt, and was assumed by other members of the House of York including first earl's nephew Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, the father of King Edward IV.

Second creation

Thomas Manners (c. 1488-1543), son of the 12th Baron de Ros of Hamlake, Truibut and Belvoir, was created earl of Rutland in the peerage of England in 1525. His mother, Anne St Leger, was Richard Plantagenet's granddaughter.

The barony of 'de Ros of Hamlake, Truibut and Belvoir' (sometimes spelled Ros, Roos or de Roos) was created by Simon de Montfort with a writ of summons to the House of Lords for Robert de Ros (1223-1285) in 1264. The title may pass through the female line when there is no male heir, and accordingly, when the 3rd earl, Edward Manners (c. 1548-1587), left no sons, the barony of Ros passed to the family of his daughter Elizabeth (d. 1591) who became the wife of William Cecil, earl of Exeter.

Edward Manners' successor as the 4th earl was his brother John (d. 1588). The barony of Ros was restored to the Manners family when Francis Manners, the 6th earl (1578-1632), inherited it in 1618 from his cousin William Cecil (1590-1618). However, Francis died without male issue and the assumption of the courtesy title of Lord Ros for the eldest son of subsequent earls appears to have had no legal basis.

The 9th earl John Manners, (1638-1711), was created Duke of Rutland and Marquess of Granby in 1703 by Queen Anne. The eldest son of the duke may use Marquess of Granby as a courtesy title. The most notable Marquess of Granby was John Manners, (1721-1770). An accomplished soldier and popular figure of his time, his title was honoured by being used by a very large number of public houses throughout Britain.

Subsidiary titles

The subsidiary titles of the Duke are: Marquess of Granby (created 1703), Earl of Rutland (1525), Baron Manners, of Haddon in the County of Derby (1679), and Baron Roos of Belvoir, of Belvoir in the County of Leicester (1896). The title Baron Roos of Belvoir is in the United Kingdom peerage; the remaining titles being in the peerage of England. The most senior subsidiary title, Marquess of Granby, is the courtesy title of the Duke's eldest son and heir.

The family still own Haddon Hall and Belvoir Castle, both of which are open to the public.

Earls of Rutland, First Creation (1385)

• Edward Plantagenet, Duke of York (1373-1415)
• Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York (1411-1460)

Earls of Rutland, Second Creation (1525)

• Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland (c.1488-1543)
• Henry Manners, 2nd Earl of Rutland (c.1516-1563)
• Edward Manners, 3rd Earl of Rutland (1549-1587)
• John Manners, 4th Earl of Rutland (c.1552-1588)
• Roger Manners, 5th Earl of Rutland (1576-1612)
• Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland, Lord Ros (1578-1632)
• George Manners, 7th Earl of Rutland (1580-1641)
• John Manners, 8th Earl of Rutland (1604-1679)
• John Manners, 9th Earl of Rutland (became Duke of Rutland in 1703) (1638-1711)

Dukes of Rutland (1703)

• John Manners, 1st Duke of Rutland (1638-1711)
• John Manners, 2nd Duke of Rutland (1676-1721)
• John Manners, 3rd Duke of Rutland (1696-1779)
• Charles Manners, 4th Duke of Rutland (1754-1787)
• John Henry Manners, 5th Duke of Rutland (1778-1857)
• Charles Cecil John Manners, 6th Duke of Rutland (1815-1888)
• John James Robert Manners, 7th Duke of Rutland (1818-1906)
• Henry John Brinsley Manners, 8th Duke of Rutland (1852-1925)
• John Henry Montagu Manners, 9th Duke of Rutland (1886-1940)
• Charles John Robert Manners, 10th Duke of Rutland (1919-1999)
• David Charles Robert Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland (b. 1959)

his son and heir: Charles Manners, Marquess of Granby (b. July 3 1999)

See also:

• John Manners, Marquess of Granby (1721-1770)