John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford

The Right Honourable The Earl of Bedford KG PC JP
John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford, 1555
Lord High Steward for the coronation of Edward VI
In office 20 February 1547 – 20 February 1547
Monarch	Edward VI
Lord Privy Seal
In office 1542–1555
Monarchs	Henry VIII Edward VI Mary I
Chancellor	See Sir Thomas Audley (1542–1544) The Earl of Southampton (1544–1547) The Lord St John (1547) (as Lord Keeper) The Lord Rich (1547–1551) Thomas Goodrich, Bishop of Ely (1551–1553) Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester (1553–1555)
Preceded by	The Earl of Southampton
Succeeded by	The Lord Paget
Lord High Admiral
In office 1540–1542
Monarch	Henry VIII
Chancellor	Sir Thomas Audley
Preceded by	The Earl of Southampton
Succeeded by	The Earl of Hertford
Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall
In office 1552–1554
Monarchs	Edward VI Mary I
Preceded by	Unknown
Succeeded by	The Earl of Bath
Lord Lieutenant of Devon
In office 1552–1555
Monarchs	Edward VI Mary I
Preceded by	Unknown
Succeeded by	The Earl of Bath
Lord Lieutenant of Dorset
In office 1552–1555
Monarchs	Edward VI Mary I
Preceded by	Unknown
Succeeded by	The Earl of Bath
Lord Lieutenant of Somerset
In office 1552–1555
Monarchs	Edward VI Mary I
Preceded by	Unknown
Succeeded by	Vacant The Earl of Pembroke
High Sheriff of Somerset and Dorset
In office 1527–1527
Monarch	Henry VIII
Preceded by	John Seymour
Succeeded by	Sir Andrew Luttrell
Member of Parliament for Buckinghamshire
In office 9 August 1529 – 14 April 1536 Serving with Sir Andrew Windsor Sir Francis Bryan (from 1532)
Monarch	Henry VIII
Chancellor	Sir Thomas More (1529–1532) Sir Thomas Audley (1532–1536)
Preceded by	Unknown
Succeeded by	Unknown
Personal details
Born	John Russell c. 1485 Berwick-by-Swyre, Dorset
Died	14 May 1555(1555-05-14) (aged 69–70)
Resting place	Bedford Chapel, St Michael's Church, Chenies, Buckinghamshire
Nationality	English
Spouse	Anne Sapcote
Relations	John Russell, 1st Earl Russell Bertrand Russell Winston Churchill (distant descendants)
Children	Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford
Parent(s)	Sir James Russell (father) Alice Wyse (mother)
Residence(s)	Chenies Manor House, Chenies, Buckinghamshire
Awards	Knight of the Order of the Garter Privy Counsellor Several life peerages
John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford 1st Earl of Bedford Arms of Russell: Argent, a lion rampant gules on a chief sable three escallops of the first Tenure 1550–1555 Successor Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford Other titles 1st Baron Russell

John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford KG PC JP (c. 1485 – 14 March 1555) was an English royal minister in the Tudor era. He served variously as Lord High Admiral and Lord Privy Seal. Among the lands and property he was given by Henry VIII after the Dissolution of the Monasteries, were the Abbey and town of Tavistock, and the area that is now Covent Garden.^[1] Russell is the ancestor of all subsequent Earls and Dukes of Bedford and Earls Russell, including John Russell, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and philosopher Bertrand Russell.