The titles of Earl of Kendal and Duke of Kendal have been created several times, generally for people with a connection to the English/British royal family. The title refers to
Kendal, a town in
Cumbria.
The first creation was for
John, 4th son of King
Henry IV, who was created Earl of Kendal,
Earl of Richmond and
Duke of Bedford in 1414. The titles became extinct at his death.
The third creation was for
Jean de Foix, vicomte de Castillon, who was created Earl of Kendal in 1446. He gave allegiance to the
King of France in 1462, and is thereby presumed to have forfeited his English peerage. However, his descendants in France (and, later, in Spain) continued to use the title under the name 'Candale' (or 'Candal').
The next Kendal creation was for Prince Rupert of the Rhine, nephew of King
Charles I and a Royalist commander in the
Civil War, who is sometimes (perhaps erroneously) said to have been created Baron Kendal along with the other titles of
Earl of Holdernesse and
Duke of Cumberland in 1644. This Kendal title, if it ever existed, became extinct on his death without legitimate issue.
The first use of Kendal as a ducal title was in 1666, when Charles Stuart, son of the
Duke of York, was given the titles of Duke of Kendal, Earl of Wigmore and Baron Holdenby. He died the following year, and these titles became extinct.
The next creation was for Prince George of Denmark, the husband of Princess (later Queen)
Anne, who was created
Duke of Cumberland, Earl of Kendal and
Baron Wokingham in 1689. He died without surviving issue, and the titles became extinct.
John de Foix, 1st Earl of Kendal (d. 1485) (presumed to have surrendered the peerage 1462, though his descendants in France continued to use the title under the name 'Candale')