William Compton, 1st Earl Of Northampton

William Compton, 1st Earl of Northampton, KG (died 24 June 1630), was an English nobleman and politician. He was known as the 2nd Baron Compton from 1589, until he was elevated to an earldom in 1618.

**Family Background and Early Life**

William Compton was the son of Henry Compton, 1st Baron Compton, and Frances Hastings. His maternal grandparents included Francis Hastings, 2nd Earl of Huntingdon, and Catherine Pole, a daughter of Henry Pole, 11th Baron Montacute, and Lady Jane Nevill. Lady Jane Nevill was the daughter of George Nevill, 4th Baron Bergavenny, and Margaret Fenn, daughter of Hugh Fenn.

**Early Career and Diplomatic Missions**

In June 1590, Compton traveled to Edinburgh alongside Edward Somerset, 4th Earl of Worcester, to congratulate James VI of Scotland on his marriage to Anne of Denmark. During this visit, he observed local pastimes on the sands of Leith.

Following the Union of the Crowns in 1603, Compton, along with others including Francis Norris and the Earl of Lincoln, was dispatched by the Privy Council to meet Anne of Denmark at Berwick-upon-Tweed. En route, reports indicated that she was delayed and unwell at Stirling Castle, and there were unsubstantiated rumors of plague in Berwick. Compton corresponded with Lord Cecil regarding Lady Kildare’s departure to Edinburgh alone.

**Official Positions**

William Compton served as Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire and Gloucestershire. He also held the positions of Lord President of the Marches and of the Dominion of Wales. His peerage was elevated when he was created Earl of Northampton in 1618.

**Marriage and Children**

In 1599 or 1600, Compton married Elizabeth Spencer, daughter of Sir John Spencer, who had served as Lord Mayor of London in 1594. Their progeny included:

- Anne Compton (who died in 1675), married Ulick Burke, 1st Marquess of Clanricarde

- Spencer Compton, 2nd Earl of Northampton (1601–1643)

In March 1610, upon Sir John Spencer’s death, Elizabeth inherited a considerable fortune. A letter attributed to Elizabeth, titled "Eliza Compton," outlined her expectations of various provisions from her husband, including a yearly income, charitable donations, personal attendants, transportation, clothing, furnishings, and completion of Castle Ashby House.

**Participation in Court Tournaments**

William Compton was an active participant in the Accession Day festivals, notably the tournaments at the royal court starting from 1589. When Prince Henry became Prince of Wales in 1610, Compton distinguished himself during the festivities. He dressed as a shepherd knight, seated in a specially constructed "mount" or bower designed by Inigo Jones, near St. James's Park. His attire included a gray russet cloak, a sheep crook, and a mast of a gilded ship with a burning pan atop. Compton then mounted a horse, accompanied by attendants dressed with faces painted black, in a display reviving Elizabethan pastoral themes reminiscent of Philip Sidney's *Arcadia*.

**Armour and Portraits**

Around 1588, Lord Compton commissioned a suit of plate armour from the Royal Greenwich Workshop. This armour, decorated with heat bluing and gold leaf, is depicted in his only known portrait. In 2017, researchers including blacksmith Ric Furrer and armourer Jeff Wasson recreated the cuirass and related components for the Nova episode "Secrets of the Shining Knight." These reconstructed pieces were tested and successfully withstood a shot from a matchlock musket.

**Death**

William Compton, 1st Earl of Northampton, died on 24 June 1630.