Lot Essay
Thomas Fairfax, third Baron Fairfax of Cameron, son of Ferdinando, 2nd Lord Fairfax and Mary, daughter of the third Lord Sheffield, was born in Yorkshire in 1612. He studied at St. John's College, Cambridge and in 1629 was sent to the Low Countries to learn the Art of War under Sir Horace Vere. Having returned to England in 1632 he married his Commander's daughter, Anne Vere, in 1637.
He was knighted by the King in 1640 having commanded a troop of Yorkshire dragoons in the first Scotch war, but thereafter he became known as the prominet Parliamentarian and excelled himself as a masterly leader in the Civil War. In January 1645 he was appointed by Parliament to be Commander-in-Chief of the army and to restructure it. This remodelling bore fruit and amongst his many achievements the Battle of Naseby on June 14th 1645 must number as one of his greatest. Parliament was moved to vote 700l for a "jewel" to be presented to Fairfax to commemorate this victory. It is conjectured that Fairfax, consistently loyal to his cause, approved of the trial and depostion of Charles I, but did not counternance his execution, and made efforts to have it repealed or deferred. His disapproval of the King's death was manifest in the reservations he made in his declaration of faith to the Commonwealth.
In 1650 war seemed imminent in Scotland and Parliament voted to pre-empt this by invading North first. Though willing to command, should the Scots move South, Fairfax was not prepared to make the first attack saying "human probabilities are not sufficient grounds to make war upon a neighbour nation, especially our brethren of Scotland, to whom we are engaged in a solemn league and covenant". He therefore resigned and for the rest of the Commonwealth and the protectorate Fairfax 'retired' to Nun Appleton in Yorkshire. His leisure revolved around writing and collecting, and he was also made M.P. for the West Riding in 1654. In the following years he grew towards the Restoration and the establishment of a free Parliament, and finally used his considerable influence to bring these about.
He was crippled with disease for the last seven years of his life and died in November 1671 when he was buried beside his wife (Lady Fairfax, died in October 1665) in the church of Bilborough, near York.
A portrait of his daughter, Mary, Duchess of Buckingham (circle of John Michael Wright) was sold in these rooms on 1 March 1991 (Lot 36, bt. 3,800). She married George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham on 15 September 1657 of Bolton Percy in Yorkshire, and died on 20 October 1704, seventeen years after her husband. She is buried with him in Westminster Abbey.
He was knighted by the King in 1640 having commanded a troop of Yorkshire dragoons in the first Scotch war, but thereafter he became known as the prominet Parliamentarian and excelled himself as a masterly leader in the Civil War. In January 1645 he was appointed by Parliament to be Commander-in-Chief of the army and to restructure it. This remodelling bore fruit and amongst his many achievements the Battle of Naseby on June 14th 1645 must number as one of his greatest. Parliament was moved to vote 700l for a "jewel" to be presented to Fairfax to commemorate this victory. It is conjectured that Fairfax, consistently loyal to his cause, approved of the trial and depostion of Charles I, but did not counternance his execution, and made efforts to have it repealed or deferred. His disapproval of the King's death was manifest in the reservations he made in his declaration of faith to the Commonwealth.
In 1650 war seemed imminent in Scotland and Parliament voted to pre-empt this by invading North first. Though willing to command, should the Scots move South, Fairfax was not prepared to make the first attack saying "human probabilities are not sufficient grounds to make war upon a neighbour nation, especially our brethren of Scotland, to whom we are engaged in a solemn league and covenant". He therefore resigned and for the rest of the Commonwealth and the protectorate Fairfax 'retired' to Nun Appleton in Yorkshire. His leisure revolved around writing and collecting, and he was also made M.P. for the West Riding in 1654. In the following years he grew towards the Restoration and the establishment of a free Parliament, and finally used his considerable influence to bring these about.
He was crippled with disease for the last seven years of his life and died in November 1671 when he was buried beside his wife (Lady Fairfax, died in October 1665) in the church of Bilborough, near York.
A portrait of his daughter, Mary, Duchess of Buckingham (circle of John Michael Wright) was sold in these rooms on 1 March 1991 (Lot 36, bt. 3,800). She married George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham on 15 September 1657 of Bolton Percy in Yorkshire, and died on 20 October 1704, seventeen years after her husband. She is buried with him in Westminster Abbey.