Earl Cowper (/ˈkuːpər/KOO-pər) was a title in thePeerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1718 byGeorge I forWilliam Cowper, 1st Baron Cowper, his firstLord Chancellor, with remainder in default of male issue of his own to his younger brother,Spencer Cowper. Cowper had already been createdBaron Cowper ofWingham in the County ofKent, in thePeerage of England on 14 December 1706, with normal remainder to the heirs male of his body, and was madeViscount Fordwich, in the County of Kent, at the same time as he was given the earldom, also Peerage of Great Britain and with similar remainder. He was the great-grandson of William Cowper, who was created aBaronet, of Ratling Court in the County of Kent, in theBaronetage of England on 4 March 1642. The latter was succeeded by his grandson, the second Baronet. He representedHertford in Parliament. He was succeeded by his eldest son, the aforementioned William Cowper, the third Baronet, who was elevated to the peerage as Baron Cowper in 1706 and made Earl Cowper in 1718. In 1706 Lord Cowper married as his second wife Mary Clavering, daughter of John Clavering, of Chopwell,County Durham.

Lord Cowper was succeeded by his son, the second Earl. He assumed the additional surname of Clavering. Cowper married Lady Henrietta, younger daughter ofHenry de Nassau d'Auverquerque, 1st Earl of Grantham, a relative of theDutchHouse of Orange-Nassau, and acount of theHoly Roman Empire. On the death of Lady Cowper's elder sister,Lady Frances Elliot, in 1772, the second Earl's son, the third Earl became Lord Grantham'sheir general, and on 31 January 1778 he was created aPrince of the Holy Roman Empire (Reichsfürst) by the EmperorJoseph II.^[1] He was allowed by George III to bear this title in Great Britain.

Lord Cowper's second son, the fifth Earl (who succeeded on the early death of his unmarried elder brother), was a Fellow of theRoyal Society. The latter was succeeded by his eldest son, the sixth Earl. He representedCanterbury in Parliament and served asLord Lieutenant of Kent. Lord Cowper married the Hon. Anne Florence, daughter ofThomas de Grey, 2nd Earl de Grey and 6thBaron Lucas. In 1859 she succeeded her father as 7th Baroness Lucas. They were both succeeded by their son, the seventh Earl and eighth Baron Lucas. He was aLiberal politician and served asLord-Lieutenant of Ireland between 1880 and 1882. In 1871 managed to obtain a reversal of the attainder of the ScottishLordship of Dingwall, which had been underattainder since 1715, and became the 4th Lord Dingwall as well. Lord Cowper was childless and on his death in 1905 the baronetcy of Ratling Court, the barony of Cowper, the viscountcy, the earldom and the Princely title became extinct. He was succeeded in the barony of Lucas of Crudwell and the lordship of Dingwall by his nephew; seeBaron Lucas andLord Dingwall for further history of these titles.

Several other members of the family may also be mentioned.Spencer Cowper, younger son of the second Baronet and brother of the first Earl, was a politician and barrister. He was the father of 1) Ashley Cowper, Clerk of Parliaments; 2) William Cowper, Clerk of Parliaments, the father of a)William Cowper,Member of Parliament forHertford and b) Spencer Cowper, aLieutenant-General in theBritish Army, who was the father of Henry Cowper, Clerk of theHouse of Lords; and 3) Reverend John Cowper, father of the poetWilliam Cowper.William Cowper-Temple, 1st Baron Mount Temple, was the second son of the fifth Earl. The Hon.Henry Cowper, second son of the sixth Earl, wasMember of Parliament forHertfordshire for many years.

The family seat of the Earls Cowper wasPanshanger inHertfordshire. Other seats includedWrest Park inBedfordshire,Brocket Hall inHertfordshire,Melbourne Hall inDerbyshire and a townhouse at 4St James's Square.

• Sir William Cowper, 1st Baronet (1582–1664)
• Sir William Cowper, 2nd Baronet (1639–1706)
• Sir William Cowper, 3rd Baronet (1665–1723) (createdBaron Cowper in 1706 andEarl Cowper in 1718)

• William Cowper, 1st Earl Cowper, 1st Baron Cowper (1665–1723)
• William Clavering-Cowper, 2nd Earl Cowper (1709–1764)
• George Nassau Clavering-Cowper, 3rd Earl Cowper (1738–1789)
• George Augustus Clavering-Cowper, 4th Earl Cowper (1776–1799)
• Peter Leopold Louis Francis Nassau Clavering-Cowper, 5th Earl Cowper (1778–1837)
• George Augustus Frederick Cowper, 6th Earl Cowper (1806–1856)
• Francis Thomas de Grey Cowper, 7th Earl Cowper (1834–1905)

Coat of arms of Earl Cowper

Crest A lion's jamb erased Or holding a cherry branch Vert fructed Gules. Escutcheon Argent three martlets Gules on a chief engrailed of the last three annulets Or. Supporters Two dun horses close cropped (except a tuft on the withers) and docked a large blaze down the face a black list down the back and three white feet viz both hind and the near fore foot. Motto Tuum Est (It Is Thine)[3]

• Baron Lucas
• Baron Butler
• Lord Dingwall
• Baron Mount Temple

• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages^{[self-published source][better source needed]}

• Earls Cowper
• Extinct earldoms in the Peerage of Great Britain
• Noble titles created in 1718
• Leeds Blue Plaques
• Peerages created with special remainders
• Cowper family

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