Hugh Percy, 1st Duke of Northumberland

Who was Hugh Percy, 1st Duke of Northumberland?

Sir Hugh Percy, 1st Duke of Northumberland KG, PC was an English peer, landowner, and art patron.

He was born Hugh Smithson, the son of Langdale Smithson and grandson of Sir Hugh Smithson, 3rd Baronet from whom he inherited the baronetcy in 1733. He changed his surname to Percy when he married Lady Elizabeth Seymour, daughter of Algernon Seymour, 7th Duke of Somerset, on 16 July 1740. She was Baroness Percy in her own right, and indirect heiress of the Percy family, which was one of the leading landowning families of England, and had previously held the Earldom of Northumberland for several centuries. The title, Earl of Northumberland passed to Hugh Percy, as Elizabeth's husband, when her father died. In 1766, the earl was created 1st Duke of Northumberland and was created Baron Lovaine on 28 June 1784, with a special remainder in favour of his younger son, Algernon. He was created a Knight of the Order of the Garter in 1756 and a Privy Counsellor in 1762.

Sir Hugh was one of the most important patrons of Canaletto in England. The other great patron, Lord Brooke, of Warwick Castle was a quasi-brother-in-law.