Family and Education
b. 23 Apr. 1675, 3rd but 1st surv. s. Robert Spencer, 2nd earl of Sunderland, and Lady Anne Digby (d.1715). This biography draws heavily on G.M. Townend, ‘The political career of Charles Spencer, 3rd earl of Sunderland 1695-1722’ (Edinburgh Univ. Ph.D. thesis, 1984) and H.L. Snyder, ‘Charles Spencer, 3rd earl of Sunderland, as Secretary of State, 1706-1710’ (Univ. of California Ph.D. thesis, 1963). educ. travelled abroad 1689-90 (Holland, Univ. of Utrecht); Kenyon, Sunderland, 239, 241. LLD Camb. 1705. m. (1) 12 Jan. 1695 (with £25,000), Kenyon, Sunderland, 267; Add. 75363, Sunderland to Newcastle, 23 Aug. 1694. Lady Arabella Cavendish (d.1698), da. Henry Cavendish, 2nd duke of Newcastle, 1da.; (2) 2 Jan. 1700 (with ?£20,000), Lady Anne Churchill (d.1716), 2nd da. John Churchill, earl, later duke, of Marlborough, 4s. (1 d.v.p.) 2da.; (3) 5 Dec. 1717 Judith (d.1749), da. and coh. of Benjamin Tichborne of Tichborne, Hants, 2s. (?1 d.v.p.) 1da. d.v.p. KG 21 Nov. 1719. d. 19 Apr. 1722; will 15 Aug. 1720, pr. 8 Jan. 1723. TNA, PROB 11/592.
Offices Held
Sec. of state (S) 1706 – 10, (N) 1717 – 18; commr. for union with Scotland 1706; PC 3 Dec. 1706; ld. lt. Ireland 1714 – 15; ld. privy seal Aug. 1715 – Dec. 1716; jt. v.-treas. [I] Mar. – July 1716, sole treas. July 1716 – May 1717; first ld. of the treasury 1718 – 21; ld. justice 1719, 1720; groom of the stole 1719 – d.
Envoy extraordinary Vienna 1705.
Recorder Coventry 1710–11;
FRS 1698.
Parlimentarian
Likenesses
oil on canvas by Sir G. Kneller, Blenheim;
Volume
Lords 1660-1715
Will
Estates
Oxford 1644
No
Addresses
Religion
Image