The
title Duke of York is a title of (A
privileged class holding hereditary titles) nobility usually given to the
second son of the British monarch unless the title is already held by an
earlier monarch's son who is still alive.
The current Duke of York is HRH The Prince ((New Testament) disciple of Jesus;
brother of Peter; patron saint of Scotland) Andrew, second son of Her Majesty
Queen (Daughter of George VI who became the Queen of England and Northern
Ireland in 1952 on the death of her father (1926-)) Elizabeth II
History
(The
English royal house (a branch of the Plantagenet line) that reigned from 1461
to 1485; its emblem was a white rose) York was in mediĉval times the main town
of Northern England, and (A former large county in northern England; in 1974 it
was divided into three smaller counties) Yorkshire was England's largest shire.
The title was first created in the Peerage of England for Edmund of Langley,
the fourth surviving son of King Edward
III , and an important character in (English poet and dramatist considered one
of the greatest English writers (1564-1616)) Shakespeare (King
of England from 1377 to 1399; he suppressed the Peasant's Revolt in 1381 but
his reign was marked by popular discontent and baronial opposition in
Parliament and he was forced to abdicate in 1399 (1367-1400)) Richard II His son Edward was convicted of treason
and his titles forfeited in 1415. Edward's son Richard managed to obtain a
restoration of the title, however, though his eldest son, also named Edward,
was the last to hold the title, as when he became King, his titles merged into
the Crown.
The title was next created for Richard, second son of King (King of England
from 1461 to 1470 and from 1471 to 1483; was dethroned in 1470 but regained the
throne in 1471 by his victory at the battle of Tewkesbury (1442-1483)) Edward
IV . Richard was one of the Princes in the Tower, and as he died without heirs,
the title became extinct at his death.
The next creation was for Henry Tudor, second son of King Henry VII. When his older brother Arthur, Prince of Wales,
died in 1502, Henry became heir to the throne, and ultimately (Son of Henry VII
and King of England from 1509 to 1547; his divorce from Catherine of Aragon
resulted in his break with the Catholic Church in 1534 and the start of the
Reformation in England (1491-1547)) Henry VIII, when the titles merged into the
crown.
The title was for the fourth time created for Charles Stuart, second son of
(The first Stuart to be king of England and Ireland from 1603 to 1925 and king
of Scotland from 1567 to 1625; son of Mary Queen of Scots who succeeded
Elizabeth I; alienated Parliament by claiming the divine right of kings
(1566-1625)) James I. When his older brother, Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales,
died in 1612, Charles became heir, and, eventually (Son of James I who was King
of England and Scotland and Ireland; was deposed and executed by Oliver
Cromwell (1600-1649)) Charles I
The fifth creation was in favour of James Stuart, the second son of Charles I.
Named for this particular Duke of York are the (A large and densely populated
urban area; may include several independent administrative districts) city and state
of New York in what is now the (North American republic containing 50 states -
48 conterminous states in North America plus Alaska in northwest North America
and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific Ocean; achieved independence in 1776) United
States of America. When his older brother, (As Charles II he was Holy Roman
Emperor and as Charles I he was king of France (1630-1685)) Charles II, died
without heirs, James succeeded to the throne as (The last Stuart to be king of
England and Ireland and Scotland; overthrown in 1688 (1633-1701)) James II and
the title once again merged into the Crown.
The next creations (the title changing to "York and Albany") were in
the Peerage of Great Britain . The
title was first held by Duke Ernest Augustus of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Bishop of
Osnabrück, the youngest brother of King
George I . He died without heirs.
The second creation of the Dukedom of York and Albany was for Prince Edward
Augustus, younger brother of King George III, who also died without heirs,
having never married.
The third and last creation of the York and Albany title was for Prince
Frederick Augustus, the second son of King
George III. He served as Commander-in-Chief of the British Army for many years,
and was the original" Grand old Duke of York in the popular rhyme. He too
died without heirs.
The sixth creation of the Dukedom of York was for Prince George of Wales,
second son of Bertie, Prince of Wales, the future King Edward VII. He was created Duke of York following the death
of his older brother, Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence. The title merged with
the crown when George succeeded his father as King George V.
The seventh creation was for Prince Albert, second son of King George V, and
younger brother of King Edward VIII.
Albert came unexpectedly to the throne when his brother abdicated, and took the
name (King of Great Britain and Ireland and emperor of India from 1936 to 1947;
he succeeded Edward VIII (1895-1952)) George VI the dukedom merging into the crown.
The most recent creation was for Prince
Andrew second son of Queen Elizabeth II. As of the present day, he has only 2
daughters. Thus, if he has no future sons, which seems highly likely, the title
will become extinct at his death and merge into the Crown. If the tradition of
awarding the title to the second son of the monarch was to continue, the title
would then be awarded to Prince Harry of Wales the younger son of Charles,
Prince of Wales , the current (An heir whose right to an inheritance cannot be
defeated if that person outlives the ancestor) heir apparent to the throne.
Titles are traditionally given on marriage and if Harry's marriage predated
Andrew's death, another title would have to be awarded instead.
Aside from the first creation, every time the Dukedom of York has been created
it has had only one occupant, that person either inheriting the throne or dying
without male heirs. This has given rise to the idea that there is a curse of
some sort on the title.