Background
Montagu was the son of Sir Edward Montagu and his wife Elizabeth Harrington, daughter of James Harington of Exton, Rutland. He succeeded his father in 1602.
Montagu was the son of Sir Edward Montagu and his wife Elizabeth Harrington, daughter of James Harington of Exton, Rutland. He succeeded his father in 1602.
He matriculated from Christ Church, Oxford in about 1574 and graduated Bachelor on 14 March 1579.
He was a student of the Middle Temple in 1580. He was created Knight of the Bath by James I at his coronation on 25 July 1603. He was appointed High Sheriff of Northamptonshire for 1595-1596.
In 1604 Montagu was elected Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire.
On 9 February 1605, with other gentlemen of Northamptonshire, he presented a petition to the king in favour of those ministers in the county who refused subscription. The petitioners were warned that their combination "in a cause against which the king had shewed his mislike … was little less than treason." Montagu was for the time deprived of his lieutenancy and justiceship of the peace in the county.
He was one of the key founders of what is known today as Guy Fawkes Night through his sponsorship, in Parliament, of the Observance of 5th November Acting 1605. He was re-elected Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire in 1614 for the Addled Parliament and in 1621.
He was created Baron Montagu of Boughton on 29 June 1621.
Montagu supported King Charles I in the Civil War which led to his arrest in August 1642. He was imprisoned for a time in the Tower of London but was moved to the Savoy Hospital due to ill health and died a prisoner in 1644. He was buried at Weekley.
Addled Parliament]
In 1584, he was elected Member of Parliament for Bere Alston, in 1597 for Tavistock and in 1601 for Brackley.