John Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle (9 January 1662 – 15 July 1711) was an English peer and politician. He was styled Lord Houghton from 1666 until he became Earl of Clare in 1689. He was created Duke of Newcastle in 1694 in recognition of his loyalty to the Williamite regime, and later served as Lord Privy Seal.
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Early life
Holles was born in Edwinstowe, Nottinghamshire, the son of the 3rd Earl of Clare and his wife Grace Pierrepont. Grace was a daughter of The Hon. William Pierrepont and granddaughter of the 1st Earl of Kingston-upon-Hull. He was a patron of John Dryden and in 1681 the playwright dedicated The Spanish Friar to Holles with the words "a Protestant play to a Protestant patron".
Politics
Holles was hostile to James II's regime and was in contact with Everhard van Weede Dijkvelt in 1687. As such, he was a supporter of William of Orange and Mary Stuart during the Glorious Revolution, and in November 1688 waited on William as a representative of the risings in York and Nottingham.
Holles was elected MP for Nottinghamshire as Lord Houghton on 14 January 1689, but was called to the House of Lords two days later when his father died and he became the 4th Earl of Clare. He became a Gentleman of the Bedchamber to William III and was appointed a justice of the peace, Custos Rotulorum of Middlesex and Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex in 1689. He was created the Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, of the 2nd creation, in 1694. The Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne is a title which was created three times in British history. The first creation had become extinct when his father-in-law Henry Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, died without a male heir. On 30 May 1698, he was appointed Knight of the Order of the Garter. In 1699 he was appointed Governor of Kingston-upon-Hull. As Lord Lieutenant of Nottinghamshire he took personal command of the Nottinghamshire Militia.
