Earldom of Oxford and Asquith
Blazon Arms: Sable on a Fess between three Cross Crosslets Argent a Portcullis of the field. Crest: Issuant out of Clouds proper, a Mascle Gules. Supporters: On either side a Lion Purpure, charged on the shoulder with an open Book Argent, edged Or.
Creation date	10 February 1925[1]
Created by	KingGeorge V
Peerage	Peerage of the United Kingdom
First holder	H. H. Asquith
Present holder	Raymond Asquith, 3rd Earl of Oxford and Asquith
Heir apparent	Mark Julian Asquith, Viscount Asquith
Remainder to	The 1st Earl'sheirs maleof the body lawfully begotten
Subsidiary titles	Viscount Asquith
Status	Extant
Motto	Sine macula macla ("Spotless")[2]

Earl of Oxford and Asquith is a title in thePeerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1925 for theLiberal politicianH. H. Asquith. He wasHome Secretary from 1892 to 1895,Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1905 to 1908,Leader of the Liberal Party from 1908 to 1926 andPrime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916.^[3] Asquith was madeViscount Asquith, of Morley in the West Riding of the County of York, at the same time, also in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. This title is used as acourtesy title by theheir apparent to the earldom.

Asquith had originally wanted to be created simplyEarl of Oxford.^[4] However, this greatly offended the collaterals of thede Vere family, members of which had beenearls of Oxford, for centuries and of the Harley family, members of which had beenearls of Oxford and earls Mortimer. In the face of opposition from them, another title had to be selected – the formal title 'Earl of Oxford and Asquith' was finally decided as a compromise, with it being abbreviated to 'Earl of Oxford' in everyday conversation and letters, which still irritated the other families.^[5][6]

The first Earl was succeeded in 1928 byhis grandson, his eldest sonRaymond Asquith having been killed inWorld War I. The second Earl was a diplomat and administrator and served asGovernor of the Seychelles from 1962 to 1967. He died in 2011 and was succeeded by his son, thethird Earl and current holder of the title. The current Lord Oxford and Asquith is a retiredMI6 officer.^[7]

Several other members of the Asquith family have also gained distinction.Raymond Asquith, eldest son of the first Earl and father of the second, was a barrister and intellectual.Herbert Asquith, second son of the first Earl, was a poet, novelist and lawyer.Arthur Melland Asquith (1883–1939), third son of the first Earl, was aBrigadier-General in the Army.Cyril Asquith, fourth son of the first Earl, was aLord of Appeal in Ordinary and was created a life peer as Baron Asquith of Bishopstone in 1951.Violet Asquith, better known under her married name of Violet Bonham Carter, was a Liberal politician and was created a life peer as Baroness Asquith of Yarnbury in 1964. Her eldest sonMark Bonham Carter was a publisher and politician and was created a life peer as Baron Bonham-Carter in 1986. His daughter is the life peerJane Bonham Carter, Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury.

Raymond Bonham Carter, second son of Baroness Asquith of Yarnbury, was a banker and the father of the noted actressHelena Bonham Carter and ofEdward Bonham Carter.Elizabeth Asquith (better known by her married name of Elizabeth Bibesco), the only daughter from the second marriage of the first Earl, was a moderately celebrated author who, for a short while, dated the Spanish grandeeJosé Antonio Primo de Rivera (founder ofFET y de las JONS) before marrying the Romanian lawyer, diplomat and writer PrinceAntoine Bibesco in 1919.Anthony Asquith, only son from the second marriage of the first Earl, became a successful film director.Dominic Asquith, second son of the second Earl, is a prominent diplomat and served asBritish Ambassador to Iraq from 2006 to 2007.Margot Asquith (née Tennant), second wife of the first Earl, a socialite, author and wit, became the Countess of Oxford and Asquith upon her husband's becoming the first Earl.

The family seat isMells Manor, nearMells, Somerset.

• Herbert Henry Asquith, 1st Earl of Oxford and Asquith (1852–1928)
  • Raymond Asquith (1878–1916)
• Julian Edward George Asquith, 2nd Earl of Oxford and Asquith (1916–2011)^[3]
• Raymond Benedict Bartholomew Michael Asquith, 3rd Earl of Oxford and Asquith (b. 1952)^[3]

Theheir apparent is the present holder's only son, Mark Julian Asquith, Viscount Asquith (b. 1979), who is married to Helen, daughter ofChristopher Prentice.
The heir apparent's heir apparent is his son, George Hannibal Asquith (b. 2011).^{[citation needed]}

• Asquith family
• Earl of Oxford
• Venetia Stanley

• Earls of Oxford and Asquith
• Earldoms in the Peerage of the United Kingdom
• History of Oxford
• People from Oxford
• Asquith family
• 1925 establishments in the United Kingdom
• Noble titles created in 1925
• Peerages created for UK MPs
• Peerages created for prime ministers of the United Kingdom
• Doubled titles of nobility

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