Duke of York

The title Duke of York is a title of nobility usually given to the second son of the British monarch, unless the title is already held by a male descendant of an earlier Duke of York.

The current Duke of York is HRH The Prince Andrew, second son of Queen Elizabeth II.

Other dukedoms generally awarded to male members of the Royal Family include:

• Duke of Clarence
• Duke of Kent
• Duke of Gloucester
• Duke of Cambridge
• Duke of Sussex
• Duke of Connaught
• Duke of Edinburgh
• Duke of Cumberland
• Duke of Albany

Table of contents

1 Dukes of York 1.1 First creation (England) - 1384 1.2 Second Creation (England) - 1474 1.3 Third Creation (England) - 1494 1.4 Fourth creation (England) - 1604 1.5 Fifth Creation (England) - 1644 1.6 Sixth Creation (Great Britain, Dukedom of York and Albany) - 1716 1.7 Seventh Creation (Great Britain, Dukedom of York and Albany) - 1760 1.8 Eighth Creation (Great Britain, Dukedom of York and Albany) - 1784 1.9 Ninth Creation (United Kingdom) - 1892 1.10 Tenth Creation (United Kingdom) - 1920 1.11 Eleventh Creation (United Kingdom) - 1986

Dukes of York

First creation (England) - 1384

1. Edmund of Langley (1341-1402), the fourth surviving son of King Edward III. He is an important character in Shakespeare's Richard II. 1384-1402
2. Edward, Duke of York (~1373-1415), son of Edmund of Langley -- he was the Duke of York who was killed at the Battle of Agincourt. As Duke of Aumerle, he is also a major character in Richard II. 1402-1415
3. Richard, Duke of York (1411-1460), nephew of the 2nd Duke. He did not inherit the dukedom immediately, as his father, Richard, Earl of Cambridge, had been attainted as a traitor, but recovered it in 1425. He is a major character in Shakespeare's Henry VI, Parts Two and Three, and one of the main protagonists in the Wars of the Roses. 1425-1460
4. Edward (1442-1483), eldest son of the 3rd Duke, he became king shortly thereafter as Edward IV. 1460-1461

Second Creation (England) - 1474

• Richard, Duke of York (1473-1483), second son of King Edward IV. One of the Princes in the Tower. 1474-1483

Third Creation (England) - 1494

• Henry Tudor (1491-1547), 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 King Henry VIII. 1494-1509

Fourth creation (England) - 1604

• Charles Stuart (1600-1649), second son of King James I. When his older brother, Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, died in 1612, Charles became heir, and, eventually King Charles I. 1604-1625

Fifth Creation (England) - 1644

• James Stuart (1633-1701), second son of King Charles I. When his older brother, Charles II, died without heirs, James succeeded to the throne as King James II. 1644-1685

Named for this particular Duke of York are the city and state of New York in what is now the United States of America.

Sixth Creation (Great Britain, Dukedom of York and Albany) - 1716

• Duke Ernest Augustus of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Bishop of Osnabrück (1674-1728), the Youngest brother of King George I. He died without heirs. 1716-1728

Seventh Creation (Great Britain, Dukedom of York and Albany) - 1760

• Prince Edward Augustus (1739-1767), younger brother of King George III. He died unmarried. 1760-1767

Eighth Creation (Great Britain, Dukedom of York and Albany) - 1784

• Prince Frederick Augustus (1763-1827) -- 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 died without heirs. 1784-1827

Ninth Creation (United Kingdom) - 1892

• 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. 1892-1910

Tenth Creation (United Kingdom) - 1920

• Prince Albert, second son of King George V, and younger brother of King Edward VIII. Albert came unexpectedly to the throne when his brother was forced to abdicate, and took the name George VI. 1920-1936

Eleventh Creation (United Kingdom) - 1986

• Prince Andrew, second son of Queen Elizabeth II. As of the present day, he has only 2 daughters. 1986-Present.

As one may have noticed, 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 gives rise to the idea that there is a curse of some sort on the title.