The cardigan sweater was named after James Thomas Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan.

The cardigan sweater is named after James Brudenell. He was the 7th Earl of Cardigan and led the famous Charge of the Light Brigade.

Currently, (2015) the heir apparent is David Brudenell-Bruce, Earl of Cardigan, son of the 8th Marquess.

A cardigan is a type of sweater, or jumper, that buttons or zips down the front, as opposed to a pullover. It was popularized by James Thomas Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan, the Hero of Balaclava, who commanded the famed, doomed Light Brigade of the British Army during the Crimean War.

James Brudenell was born on Oct 16 1797 & died March 28 1868. He is famous for the Charge of the Light Brigade debacle in the Crimean war. Much blame & counter blame is to this day debated over whose fault this was.