Elizabeth Montagu, Countess of Sandwich
British noblewoman (1674–1757)
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Elizabeth Montagu, Countess of Sandwich (née Wilmot; 1674, Addebury House, Oxfordshire - 27 July 1757), was a British noblewoman and the Countess of Sandwich as the spouse of Edward Montagu, 3rd Earl of Sandwich.
_-_Elizabeth,_Countess_of_Sandwich_(c.1674–1757)_-_1957P24_-_Birmingham_Museums_Trust.jpg)
1674
Addebury House, Oxfordshire, England
Elizabeth Montagu | |
|---|---|
| Countess of Sandwich | |
Portrait by Michael Dahl | |
| Born | Elizabeth Wilmot 1674 Addebury House, Oxfordshire, England |
| Died | 27 July 1757 (aged 82–83) Paris, France |
| Buried | Saint-Germain Cemetery, Paris, France |
| Noble family | Wilmot |
| Spouse | Edward Montagu, 3rd Earl of Sandwich |
Issue | Lady Elizabeth Montagu Edward Montagu, Viscount Hinchingbrooke |
| Father | John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester |
| Mother | Elizabeth Malet |
Early life
Elizabeth was the second daughter and third surviving child of John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester and Elizabeth Malet.[1] She was baptised on 10 February at St Mary the Virgin, Oxford.[2] Wilmot died in 1680 and his wife died the following year. By 1681, Elizabeth Wilmot was brought up by her paternal grandmother, Anne Wilmot née St. John.
The Wilmots were a literary family, her father having been a notable poet. Elizabeth was an avid reader, fluent in multiple languages and played several musical instruments.[2]
Marriage and Later Life
The 15 year old Elizabeth married the 19 year old Edward Montagu, 3rd Earl of Sandwich in 1689.[2] The couple had two children, only one of whom survived until adulthood:
- Lady Elizabeth Montagu, died in infancy.
- Edward Montagu, Viscount Hinchingbrooke (7 July 1692 – 3 October 1722), married Elizabeth Popham with issue.
The couple were ill suited,[3] the earl was unambitious and easily influenced, Elizabeth would publicy rebel against her husband's Whig politics by backing the Tory Anthony Hammond.
Elizabeth was a close friend of Hortense Mancini, the Duchess of Mazarin, a mistress of Charles II.[2]
The Countess of Sandwich was a Jacobite loyalist, supporting James Francis Edward Stuart's claim to the throne.[2] Following her husband's death in 1729, having no surviving children, the Countess permanently relocated to France, where she established a salon.[4] She resided in Paris where she died on 27 July 1757. She was buried at the Saint-Germain Cemetery in Paris.[2]