Family and Education
b. 10 Jan. 1619, 1st s. Robert Sydney, 2nd earl of Leicester and Dorothy, da. of Henry Percy†, 3rd earl of Northumberland; bro. of Algernon Sydney‡ Henry Sydney, later earl of Romney; bro.-in-law of Henry Spencer†, earl of Sunderland. educ. G. Inn 1633; Christ Church, Oxf. 1634; travelled abroad (Denmark, Holstein) 1632, (France) 1636-41. m. 19 May 1645 (with £6,000), Catherine (d.1652), 3rd da. William Cecil, 2nd earl of Salisbury, and Catherine, da. of Thomas Howard†, earl of Suffolk, 3s. (2 d.v.p.), 1da (d.v.p.); HMC De L’Isle and Dudley, vi. 466, 560, 596, 613; TNA, C10/251/64. 1da. illegit. with Grace Saunders formerly Pensac (Pensacke); 1s., 2da. illegit. with Jane Highems formerly Pensac (Pensacke). d. 6 Mar. 1698; will 6 Mar 1685-2 Mar. 1698, pr. 26 Mar. 1698. TNA, PROB 11/444.
Offices Held
Capt. tp. of horse, 1640 – 42, col. (parl.) regt. of horse in Ireland, 1641 – 43; lt. gen. Irish army, c. Sept. 1642 – Aug. 1643; col. of horse and ?ft. (parl. army in Ireland) 1646 – 47.
Commr. prevention of abuses in heraldry 1646; ld. lt. (parl.) [I], 1646 – 47; cllr. of state 14 Feb. 1649, 1650, 1653; cttee. preservation of goods from sale of late king’s goods 1650; pres. of the council, 23 Feb. – 23 Mar. 1652; cllr. to Oliver Cromwell‡, 1653.
Custos. rot. Kent 1656.
Parlimentarian
Associated with: Penshurst, Kent; Sheen, Surr. and Leicester House, Westminster.
SIDNEY
Likenesses
oil on canvas, attrib. to G. Honthorst, Viscount de Lisle; group portrait, oil on canvas, by Sir A. Van Dyck, Penshurst Place, Kent.
Volume
Lords 1660-1715
Will
Estates
Oxford 1644
No
Addresses
Religion
Image