BUCKINGHAM, Duke of, GEORGE VILLIERS, the favorite of James I. and Charles I. of England, third son of sir George Villiers, was b. at his father's seat of Brookesley, Leicestershire, Aug. 20, 1592. Knighted in April, 1616, and sworn a gentleman of the bed chamber on Jan. 1, 1617, he became master of the horse and a knight of the garter. Created the same year baron of Whaddon and viscount Villiers, and in Jan. follow ing earl of B., and sworn of the privy-council, he was next made a marquis, and appointed lord-admiral of England, chief-justice in Eyre of parks and forests s. of the Trent, master of the king's bench office, high steward. of Westminster, and constable of Windsor castle. In 1620, he married the daughter of the earl of Rutland, the richest heiress in the kingdom. In 1623, while negotiations were in progress with the Spanish court for a marriage between the infanta and the prince of Wales, afterwards Charles I., 13. persuaded the latter to go himself to Madrid and prosecute his suit in person. The ultimate failure of the negotiations has been ascribed to B.'s arrogance. In his absence he was created a duke, and on his return nominated lord-warden of the cinque ports, and steward of the manor of Hampton court. By his advice, James declared war against
Spain. On the accession of Charles I., in 1625, B. maintained his ascendency at court, but after the ill-fated expedition against Cadiz, he became odious to the nation, and was saved from impeachment only by the king's dissolving parliament. The treaty for the marriage of Charles with the princess Henrietta of France was concluded by him, but he was not allowed to return to Paris, in consequence of his audacity in lifting his eyes to the French queen. In 1627, with an armament of 100 sail and 7000 soldiers, he appeared before Rochelle, then in possession of the Huguenots, who refused him admis sion within the harbor. His troops then made an ill-conducted descent on the neighbor ing isle of Rhe, and returned to England beaten and disgraced. He soon after under took a second expedition to Rochelle, and proceeded to Portsmouth for embarkation, when he was assassinated by a discontented subaltern-officer, named Felton, Aug. 23, 1628, in his 36th year.