Charles FitzCharles, 1st Earl of Plymouth
Encyclopedia
Charles FitzCharles, 1st Earl of Plymouth (1657 – 17 October 1680) was the illegitimate son of King Charles II of England
, by Catherine Pegge
. He had a sister called Catherine FitzCharles who became a nun. His mother went on to marry Sir Edward Greene of Samford
in Essex
, but they had no further children. His subsidiary titles were Viscount Totness and Baron Dartmouth.
, by Catherine
, daughter of Thomas Pegge of Yeldersley
, Derbyshire
. Charles II had the affair with Catherine (or Katherine) Pegge whilst he was abroad in exile. Charles the younger was allowed to use the Royal arms with a "baton sinister, Vaire.. and was bred to the sea". He was educated abroad, probably in Spain and he was known by the nickname of "Don Carlos".
Sir William Dugdale wrote, giving much testimony of his singular accomplishments:
He married on 19 September 1678 in Wimbledon
, Surrey
, Lady Bridget Osborne, third daughter of Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds
, Lord High Treasurer.
He was a friend of the dramatic poet, Thomas Otway
, for whom he procured a cornet's commission in a regiment of horse serving in Flanders
. Later when his friend, John Sheffield, later the 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normandy
in consequence of his attachment to Queen Anne, then Princess of Denmark, was sent to the Colony of Tangier, it was reported that the Duke was purposely despatched in a leaky vessel in order to get rid of him. Nevertheless the Earl of Plymouth notwithstanding he was sensible of the danger insisted on accompanying him.
of Morocco
had made an unsuccessful attempt to seize the town of Tangier
in 1679, but ended up imposing a crippling blockade. The King's Own Royal Regiment was formed on the 13 July 1680 as the 2nd Tangier, or Earl of Plymouth's Regiment of Foot, with Charles as the founding Colonel. Charles died of dysentery
without issue on 17 October 1680, aged 23, and the English were ultimately forced to withdraw, ending their presence in Tangier. The title of Earl of Plymouth became extinct, but it was recreated two years later for Thomas Hickman-Windsor, 1st Earl of Plymouth
(born 1682).
Plymouth's body was returned to England
and he was buried on 18 January 1681 in Westminster Abbey
. His wife, the Countess, remarried in 1706, Philip Bisse
, Bishop of Hereford
, and she died on 9 May 1718. Catherine left the Bishop a widower and he erected a handsome tablet in her honour in Hereford Cathedral
.
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, by Catherine Pegge
Catherine Pegge
Catherine Pegge, born about 1635, was a long term mistress of Charles II. She had two children by him, Charles FitzCharles, 1st Earl of Plymouth and Catherine FitzCharles....
. He had a sister called Catherine FitzCharles who became a nun. His mother went on to marry Sir Edward Greene of Samford
Samford
Samford, as a person, may refer to:*John A. Samford , a United States Air Force general*William J. Samford , an American politician from AlabamaSamford, as a place, may refer to:*Samford, Suffolk, a community in Suffolk, England...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, but they had no further children. His subsidiary titles were Viscount Totness and Baron Dartmouth.
Life
Charles FitzCharles was born in or about 1657. He was the illegitimate son of Charles IICharles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
, by Catherine
Catherine Pegge
Catherine Pegge, born about 1635, was a long term mistress of Charles II. She had two children by him, Charles FitzCharles, 1st Earl of Plymouth and Catherine FitzCharles....
, daughter of Thomas Pegge of Yeldersley
Yeldersley
Yeldersley is a manor mentioned in the Domesday book. It is located near Ashbourne in Derbyshire. Today there is Yeldersley Hall. This hamlet had a population of 200 in 1831. It is about south of Ashbourne....
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. Charles II had the affair with Catherine (or Katherine) Pegge whilst he was abroad in exile. Charles the younger was allowed to use the Royal arms with a "baton sinister, Vaire.. and was bred to the sea". He was educated abroad, probably in Spain and he was known by the nickname of "Don Carlos".
Sir William Dugdale wrote, giving much testimony of his singular accomplishments:
In the time of his youth, he was elevated to the peerage, 28 July 1675, as Baron of Dartmouth, Viscount Totness, and Earl of Plymouth
Earl of PlymouthEarl of Plymouth is a title that has been created three times, twice in the Peerage of England and once in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The first creation was in 1675 for Charles FitzCharles, illegitimate son of King Charles II by his mistress Catherine Pegge...
, to the end he might be the more encouraged to persist in the paths of virtue, and thereby be the better fitted for the managery of great affairs when he should attain to riper years.
He married on 19 September 1678 in Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, Lady Bridget Osborne, third daughter of Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds
Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds
Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds, KG , English statesman , served in a variety of offices under Kings Charles II and William III of England.-Early life, 1632–1674:The son of Sir Edward Osborne, Bart., of Kiveton, Yorkshire, Thomas Osborne...
, Lord High Treasurer.
He was a friend of the dramatic poet, Thomas Otway
Thomas Otway
Thomas Otway was an English dramatist of the Restoration period, best known for Venice Preserv'd, or A Plot Discover'd .-Life:...
, for whom he procured a cornet's commission in a regiment of horse serving in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
. Later when his friend, John Sheffield, later the 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normandy
John Sheffield, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby
John Sheffield, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby, KG, PC , was a poet and notable Tory politician of the late Stuart period, who served as Lord Privy Seal and Lord President of the Council.-Career:...
in consequence of his attachment to Queen Anne, then Princess of Denmark, was sent to the Colony of Tangier, it was reported that the Duke was purposely despatched in a leaky vessel in order to get rid of him. Nevertheless the Earl of Plymouth notwithstanding he was sensible of the danger insisted on accompanying him.
Death
The Sultan Moulay IsmailIsmail Ibn Sharif
Moulay Ismaïl Ibn Sharif was the second ruler of the Moroccan Alaouite dynasty. Like others of the dynasty, Ismaïl claimed to be a descendant of Muhammad through his roots to Hassan ibn Ali...
of Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
had made an unsuccessful attempt to seize the town of Tangier
Tangier
Tangier, also Tangiers is a city in northern Morocco with a population of about 700,000 . It lies on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel...
in 1679, but ended up imposing a crippling blockade. The King's Own Royal Regiment was formed on the 13 July 1680 as the 2nd Tangier, or Earl of Plymouth's Regiment of Foot, with Charles as the founding Colonel. Charles died of dysentery
Dysentery
Dysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain. If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.There are differences between dysentery and normal bloody diarrhoea...
without issue on 17 October 1680, aged 23, and the English were ultimately forced to withdraw, ending their presence in Tangier. The title of Earl of Plymouth became extinct, but it was recreated two years later for Thomas Hickman-Windsor, 1st Earl of Plymouth
Thomas Hickman-Windsor, 1st Earl of Plymouth
Thomas Hickman-Windsor, 1st Earl of Plymouth, PC succeeded to his family's estate around Hewell Grange near Redditch in 1645, the same year he distinguished himself in the Battle of Naseby...
(born 1682).
Plymouth's body was returned to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and he was buried on 18 January 1681 in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
. His wife, the Countess, remarried in 1706, Philip Bisse
Philip Bisse
Philip Bisse was an English bishop.-Life:He was born in Oldbury-on-the-Hill, Gloucestershire, the son of John Bisse, a clerk and educated at Winchester College and New College, Oxford, ordained in 1686 and graduating M.A. in 1693. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in March, 1706. He was...
, Bishop of Hereford
Bishop of Hereford
The Bishop of Hereford is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Hereford in the Province of Canterbury.The see is in the City of Hereford where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary and Saint Ethelbert which was founded as a cathedral in 676.The Bishop's residence is...
, and she died on 9 May 1718. Catherine left the Bishop a widower and he erected a handsome tablet in her honour in Hereford Cathedral
Hereford Cathedral
The current Hereford Cathedral, located at Hereford in England, dates from 1079. Its most famous treasure is Mappa Mundi, a mediæval map of the world dating from the 13th century. The cathedral is a Grade I listed building.-Origins:...
.