The story of the Cavendish family and the first eight Dukes of Devonshire is the story of England. From 1381, when Sir John Cavendish, Lord Chief Justice of England, was killed during the Peasant’s Revolt, to 1906, when the Duke of Devonshire’s resignation brought down the Tory government, the family’s fortunes and misfortunes mirrored the life of the nation.
