Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke

Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, was born in 1534 in Wiltshire, England. He was the son of Sir William Herbert and his wife Anne Parr, sister of Queen Catherine Parr. Henry was educated at Oxford University and later served as a member of Parliament. In 1553, Henry's father was created the 1st Earl of Pembroke, and upon his death in 1570, Henry inherited the title. He served as Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire and later as Lord Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth I. Henry was a patron of the arts and supported many playwrights, including William Shakespeare. He also commissioned the famous portrait of Shakespeare by Nicholas Hilliard. Henry married his first wife, Catherine Talbot, in 1554, and they had several children together. She died in 1576, and he remarried Mary Sidney, sister of poet Sir Philip Sidney, in 1577. Henry died in 1601 and was succeeded by his son William Herbert, who would later become the 3rd Earl of Pembroke. Henry is remembered for his support of the arts and his patronage of Shakespeare, as well as his political and military service to Queen Elizabeth I.