Edward Cecil, 1st Viscount Wimbledon

Edward Cecil, 1st Viscount Wimbledon (29 February 1572 – 16 November 1638) was an English military commander and a politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1601 and 1624.

In 1601 he commanded a body of one thousand men raised in London for the relief of Ostend, then besieged by the Spanish, and on his return in September was knighted by Queen Elizabeth.

He commanded the English cavalry during the conquest of Sluis in 1604 during which he played a part in defeating the relief attempt by Ambrogio Spinola.

In 1610 he commanded the British and Irish contingent of four thousand men serving under Prince Christian of Anhalt in the War of the Jülich succession, at the siege of Juliers in July and August.

In March 1612 he was sent, as the prince's proxy, to stand sponsor at the baptism of Henry Casimir, son of Count Ernest of Nassau, and Sophia Hedwig, niece of Anne of Denmark, at Arnhem.

Cecil gave gifts of a cupboard of gilt plate, a diamond necklace with a locket, horses, and an embroidered petticoat for Sophia Hedwig.

In 1620 he was nominated by George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham to command the English troops in Germany, but was superseded by Sir Horace Vere on the demand of Count Dohna, the agent of the king of Bohemia in England.