The History and
Register of Thomas
Arundell,
1st Count Arundell of Wardour
of The Holy Roman Empire and His Heirs
Arundell, Thomas, first Baron Arundell of Wardour 1560-1639, was a grandson of Sir
John Arundell, the friend of Father Cornelius. When about thirty-five years of age, he was made count of the Holy Roman Empire
in 1595 by the Emperor Rudolph II, for his valour in the wars against the Turks in Hungary; on one occasion he captured the
enemy's banner with his own hand, whilst forcing the water-tower at Gran or Esztergom. He was a great favourite of Queen Elizabeth,
who recommended him to the emperor in an autograph Latin letter, said to be still preserved at Wardour Castle. He was made
first Baron Arundell of Wardour by James I in 1605. His eldest son, Thomas, second Baron of Wardour b. 1584, was (according
to Clarendon, iv. 125, ed. 1826) amongst the royalists of Cornish extraction who were present at the bloody battle of Lansdowne
near Bath on 5 July 1643, where he was wounded. But this statement seems to be erroneous, for his monument in Tisbury Church,
Wilts, records that he died at Oxford on 19 May 1643, probably of wounds received in some other engagement during the civil
war. Lady Blanche Arundell, whose gallant defence of Wardour Castle against the parliament is a familiar matter of history,
was the wife of the second baron. On 1 July 1608, he married Anne Phillipson. They had seven children:
- Frances Arundell, married
John Talbot, 10th Earl of Shrewsbury
- Mary Arundell,
who married Sir John Somerset (son of Henry Somerset, 1st Marquess of Worcester), and after whom Somerset County, Maryland
is named
- Matthew Arundell (1609-1620) (Rumored in genealogical
circles to be one Matthew Howard of Virginia, whose death was faked, there is evidence on both sides of this centuries long
controversy. This is a common ancestor of many Americans and their claim to royal blood.)
- Catherine Arundell (b. bef. 1612), married Ralph Eure, son of William Eure, 4th Baron Eure on 1 November
1627
- Anne Arundell (c. 1616-23 July 1649), who married
Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, and after whom Anne Arundel County, Maryland is named
- Margaret Arundell (b. 1620), married John Fortescue, Baronet
- Clara Arundell (b. 1620), married Humphrey Weld
The Counts and Barons Arundell of Wardour 1605-1944
- Thomas Arundell, 1st Baron Arundell of Wardour (1560-1639)
- Thomas Arundell, 2nd Baron Arundell of Wardour (1586-1643)
- Henry Arundell, 3rd Baron Arundell of Wardour (d. 1694)
- Thomas Arundell, 4th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1633-1712)
- Henry Arundell, 5th Baron Arundell of Wardour (d. 1726)
- Henry Arundell, 6th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1694-1746)
- Henry Arundell, 7th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1717-1756)
- Henry Arundell, 8th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1740-1808)
- James Everard Arundell, 9th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1763-1817)
- James Everard Arundell, 10th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1785-1834)
- Henry Benedict Arundell, 11th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1804-1862)
- John Francis Arundell, 12th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1831-1906)
- Everard Aloysius Gonzaga Arundell, 13th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1834-1907)
- Edgar Clifford Arundell, 14th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1859-1921)
- Gerald Arthur Arundell, 15th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1861-1939)
- John Francis Arundell, 16th Baron Arundell of Wardour (1907-1944)
Heirs Claim
to Thomas Arundell of Wardour
1st
Count of The Holy Roman Empire
The
descendants of the 1st Count have the Universal Right to the formal usage of the Titles of Count or Countess of The Holy Roman
Empire, being issued within the Imperial Letters Patent concerned. The Imperial Order of the Nobility of the Holy Roman Empire
(SACRI ROMANI IMPERII NOBILIUM ORDO), has formally issued an Imperial Decree to Ratify the Right of Claim of all descendants
of the body of the 1st Count Thomas Arundell of Wardour of The Holy Roman Empire. Whereas the Grand Master of the Order, has
furthermore Conferred and Granted by Imperial Decree and Letters, the formal usage of the appellation style and title of Excellency,
on all descendants of the 1st Count Thomas Arundell of Wardour, who may formally Petition His Imperial Highness, for formal
recognition of the Imperial Titles of Count or Countess of The Holy Roman Empire, together with the formal appellation style
and Title of Excellency, granted with full rights of Arms. Please see below for the official list of the present Counts of
The Holy Roman Empire, who formally hold, bear and enjoy the Title from the first Count Thomas Arundell of Wardour. Persons
may be added to this list who have claim to the aforementioned Imperial Title by formal descent of the first Count Thomas
Arundell of Wardour. ( Counts and Countesses of The Holy Roman Empire under the Title, Rank and Honour of Count or Countess
Arundell of Wardour)
The Translation
of the Imperial Letters Patent of 1595
We have desired not to forget the notable virtues by which more and more
you bring honour to your distinguished race at home and abroad, as when first you imbued your mind with the liberal arts,
you went to foreign provinces, you saw many customs and many cities, you learned the use of great things, and finally out
of such distant and remote places you came animated by a rare and singular zeal in Hungary at your own expense to this sacred
war that we are waging against the Turkish host, common enemy of the Christian name; you conducted yourself bravely and vigorously
in open battles and in sieges, that you were greatly commended by the Most Serene Prince Archduke Mathias our dearest
brother and by the first commanders of our army to Our admiration and that of all nations, for this notable example among
others observed in the storming of the citadel of Víziváros near Esztergom, when you seized the Turkish standard
with your own hand and offered yourself to be seen at the very beginning of the battle, but we have desired to kindly honour
you and your legitimate descendants by some eminent mark of our grace;
Therefore of our own motion, certain knowledge, mature deliberation and with good counsel, and in the plenitude
of our Imperial authority and power, We have created, made and appointed you, the said Thomas Arundell , whose kinship with
counts is already accepted by the more prominent in England, and to all and singular your natural heirs, successors and legitimate
descendants of either sex to be born in perpetual succession, true Counts and Countesses of the Holy Roman Empire, and by
this title, honour and dignity of Imperial Count we have raised and distinguished you, as by these present we create, make,
appoint, raise and distinguish you, willing and by this our imperial edict valid in perpetuity ordaining firmly and expressly
that you, said Thomas Arundell, and all your issue and legitimate posterity male and female in infinity might and shall hold,
receive and obtain the name and dignity of Count of the Empire henceforth for all times and be honored, called and known by
it in all pronouncements written and verbal in all matters spiritual and temporal, ecclesiastic and lay, and finally that
you might and shall use, enjoy, and possess, freely and without any impediment, all honors, ornaments, dignities, graces,
liberties, privileges, rights, concessions, customs, preeminences and prerogatives such as our other Counts of the Holy Roman
Empire use, enjoy, and possess,by right or custom.
Notwithstanding
any thing to the contrary even if such should exist of which in these present special and express mention should have been
made, to which any and all things insofar as they are or could in any way be contrary we of our imperial authority knowingly
derogate and want and declare by these present that have been sufficiently derogated; and the rights and superiorities of
the Most Serene Princess and Lady Elizabeth, queen of England, France and Ireland our dearest sister and cousin always inviolate
and saved. And thus be it permitted to no man of whatever rank, status, order, condition and dignity they might be or whatever
eminence they might hold, to transgress or be so bold as to dare contravene this page of our confirmation, ratification,
approbation, corroboration, erection, authority, will, grace and decree. And whosoever should do so, he will find himself
incuring our most serious wrath and that of the Holy Roman Empire and the pain of one hundred marks of pure gold, of which
half we grant to our imperial treasury and the rest to the usage of those who have suffered injury, removing any hope of relief
or pardon. In witness these letters signed by our hand and our Imperial seal appended.
Given in our royal city of Prague, the 14th day of December the year of the Lord
1595, of our reign of the Romans the 21st, of Hungary the 24th and of Bohemia the 21st. Rudolph, By his Imperial Majesty's
command Johann Barwitz
Present Day Register of The Arundell Counts
and Countesses of The Holy
Roman Empire
H.E. Count Brian
Joseph Arundell of Wardour
( Count of The Holy Roman Empire )
H.E. Count William Arundell of Wardour
( Count of The Holy Roman Empire )
H.E. Count Robert Sutton-Arundell of Wardour
( Count of
The Holy Roman Empire )
H.E. Count
Daniel James Sutton-Arundell of Wardour
( Count of The Holy Roman Empire )
H.E. Count Jason Bron Sutton-Arundell of Wardour
( Count of The Holy Roman Empire
)
H.E. Count Joshua Lee Sutton-Arundell
of Wardour
( Count of The Holy Roman Empire )
H.E.
Count Thomas Geoffrey Brigden Thunder-Arundell of Wardour
( Count of the Holy Roman Empire )
H.E. Countess Janis LaRayne Hastings-Arundell of Wardour
( Countess of The Holy Roman Empire )
H.E.
Countess Susan Jordan Howard Arundell of Wardour
( Countess of The Holy Roman Empire )
____________
The Imperial Order
and Council of Nobility 
