Ferdinando Fairfax, 2nd Lord Fairfax of Cameron was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1614 and 1648.
Background
He was born in Yorkshire the eldest son of Ellen Aske and Thomas Fairfax, whom Charles I in 1627 created Lord Fairfax of Cameron in the Peerage of Scotland and received a military education in the Netherlands. In May 1640 he succeeded his father as Lord Fairfax, but being a Scottish peer he sat in the English House of Commons as one of the representatives of Yorkshire during the Long Parliament from 1640 until his death.
Career
He was a commander in the Parliamentary army in the English Civil War. Four others were killed on military service overseas. His main seat was Denton Hall in Wharfedale, Yorkshire.
In the first Scottish war Fairfax had commanded a regiment in the king"s army.
Then on the outbreak of the Civil War in 1642 he became commander of the parliamentary forces in Yorkshire, with Newcastle as his opponent. Hostilities began after the repudiation of a treaty of neutrality entered into by Fairfax with the Royalists.
At first Fairfax met with no success. He was driven from York, where he was besieging the Royalists, to Selby.
Then in 1643 to Leeds.
And after beating off an attack at that place he was totally defeated on 30 June 1643 at the Battle of Adwalton Moor. Fairfax was victorious at Selby on 11 April 1644, and joining the Scots, besieged York, after which he was present at the Battle of Marston Moor (2 July 1644), where he commanded the infantry and was routed. He was subsequently, in July 1644, made Governor of York and charged with the further reduction of the county.
In December 1644 he took the town of Pontefract, but failed to secure the castle.
During his command in Yorkshire, Fairfax engaged in a paper war with Newcastle, and wrote The Answer of Ferdinando, Lord Fairfax, to a Declaration of William, Earl of Newcastle (1642. Printed in Rushworth, pt iii volume ii p 139).
He also published A Letter from.. Lord Fairfax to
. Robert, Earl of Essex (1643), describing the victorious sally at Hull.
He died from an accident which caused gangrene in his foot on 14 March 1648 and was buried at Bolton Percy in Yorkshire. Fairfax had married twice.
Politics
He took the side of the parliament, but held moderate views and desired to maintain the peace.
Views
He escaped to Hull, which he successfully defended against Newcastle from 2 September until 11 October 1643, and by means of a brilliant sally caused the siege to be raised.
Membership
Short Parliament; Useless Parliament. Happy Parliament; Addled Parliament. 2nd Parliament of King Charles I]
He served as member of the English parliament for Boroughbridge during the six parliaments which met between 1614 and 1629 and also during the Short Parliament of 1640.
Fairfax resigned his command on the passing of the Self-denying Ordinance, but remained a member of the Committee for the Government of Yorkshire and was appointed, on 24 July 1645, steward of the manor of Pontefract.