monarch image article_title name peerage
charles ii of england 90px earl of shaftesbury
 earldom of shaftesbury peerage of england
earl of shaftesbury

earl of shaftesbury is a title in the peerage of england .
it was created in 1672 for anthony ashley-cooper , 1st baron ashley , a prominent politician in the cabal then dominating the policies of king charles ii .
he had already succeeded his father as second baronet of rockbourne in 1631 and been created baron ashley , of wimborne st giles in the county of dorset , in 1661 , and he was made baron cooper , of paulett in the county of somerset , at the same time he was given the earldom .
these titles are also in the peerage of england .
baron ashley is used as a courtesy title by the earl 's eldest son and heir apparent .
the baronetcy , of rockbourne in the county of southampton , was created in the baronetage of england in 1622 for the earl 's father john cooper .
he sat as member of parliament for poole .
