Charles Granville, 2nd Earl of Bath
Encyclopedia
Charles Granville, 2nd Earl of Bath (bapt.
31 August 1661 – 4 September 1701) was an English soldier
, politician
, diplomat
, courtier
and peer
.
Born with the courtesy title
of Lord Lansdown (after the territorial designation
of his father's viscountcy of Granville) in 1661, he was the eldest son of John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath
and his wife, the former Jane Wyche. On 22 May 1678, he married Lady Martha Osborne, the fourth daughter of Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds
. They had no children.
On 19 November 1680, Granville was elected as Member of Parliament
for Launceston
following the by-election
caused by the death of Sir John Coryton, Bt. but was defeated by William Harbord
in the following general election
of February 1681. In 1683, he fought in the Battle of Vienna
on the Habsburg
side and was created a Count of the Holy Roman Empire
for his services, on 27 January 1684.
Granville returned to Parliament after being elected MP for Cornwall
in 1685 and was also appointed ambassador
to Spain
that year. After his defeat to Hugh Boscawen and Sir John Carew, 3rd Baronet
, he was called to the House of Lords
in his father's barony of Granville
in 1689, appointed Joint Lord Lieutenant of Devon
and Cornwall
alongside his father in 1691 and a Lord of the Bedchamber
in 1692. His wife had died in 1689 and on 10 May 1691 (N.S.), he married Isabella, the sister of Henry de Nassau d'Auverquerque, 1st Earl of Grantham. They had one son, William Henry
.
Granville inherited his father's earldom of Bath
on 2 August 1701 and committed suicide
the following month, allegedly overwhelmed by the burden of debts his father had left behind. Both father and son were buried on 22 September that year, in the family vault at Kilkhampton
, Cornwall
. His titles passed to his only son, William (1691-1711).
Baptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
31 August 1661 – 4 September 1701) was an English soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
, politician
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
, diplomat
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
, courtier
Courtier
A courtier is a person who is often in attendance at the court of a king or other royal personage. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
and peer
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
.
Born with the courtesy title
Courtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
of Lord Lansdown (after the territorial designation
Territorial designation
A territorial designation follows modern peerage titles, linking them to a specific place or places. It is also an integral part of all baronetcies...
of his father's viscountcy of Granville) in 1661, he was the eldest son of John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath
John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath
John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath PC was an English royalist statesman, whose highest position was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland....
and his wife, the former Jane Wyche. On 22 May 1678, he married Lady Martha Osborne, the fourth 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...
. They had no children.
On 19 November 1680, Granville was elected as Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Launceston
Launceston (UK Parliament constituency)
Launceston, also known at some periods as Dunheved, was a parliamentary constituency in Cornwall which returned two Members of Parliament to the British House of Commons from 1295 until 1832, and one member from 1832 until 1918...
following the by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
caused by the death of Sir John Coryton, Bt. but was defeated by William Harbord
William Harbord (politician)
William Harbord , of Grafton Park, was an English politician and diplomat.-Life:Harbord was the second son of Sir Charles Harbord of Charing Cross, who had been surveyor-general to Charles I...
in the following general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
of February 1681. In 1683, he fought in the Battle of Vienna
Battle of Vienna
The Battle of Vienna took place on 11 and 12 September 1683 after Vienna had been besieged by the Ottoman Empire for two months...
on the Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
side and was created a Count of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
for his services, on 27 January 1684.
Granville returned to Parliament after being elected MP for Cornwall
Cornwall (UK Parliament constituency)
Cornwall is a former county constituency covering the county of Cornwall, in the South West of England. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of England then of the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832...
in 1685 and was also appointed ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
that year. After his defeat to Hugh Boscawen and Sir John Carew, 3rd Baronet
Sir John Carew, 3rd Baronet
Sir John Carew, 3rd Baronet was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1660 and 1692....
, he was called to the House of Lords
Writ of acceleration
A writ in acceleration, commonly called a writ of acceleration, was a type of writ of summons to the British House of Lords that enabled the eldest son and heir apparent of a peer with multiple peerage titles to attend the British House of Lords or Irish House of Lords, using one of his father's...
in his father's barony of Granville
Baron Granville
Baron Granville was a title that was created twice in the Peerage of England. The first creation came on 20 April 1661 when John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath was made Baron Granville, of Kilhampton and Biddeford. He was made Viscount Granville and Earl of Bath at the same time. See the latter title...
in 1689, appointed Joint Lord Lieutenant of Devon
Lord Lieutenant of Devon
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Devon. Since 1711, all the Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Devon.*John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford 1552–1555*John Bourchier, 2nd Earl of Bath 1556–1561...
and Cornwall
Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall. Since 1742, all the Lords Lieutenant have also been Custos Rotulorum of Cornwall.*John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford 1552–1554*John Bourchier, 2nd Earl of Bath 1556–?...
alongside his father in 1691 and a Lord of the Bedchamber
Lord of the Bedchamber
A Lord of the Bedchamber, previously known as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber was a courtier in the Royal Household of the King of the United Kingdom and the Prince of Wales. A Lord of the Bedchamber's duties consisted of assisting the King with his dressing, waiting on him when he ate in private,...
in 1692. His wife had died in 1689 and on 10 May 1691 (N.S.), he married Isabella, the sister of Henry de Nassau d'Auverquerque, 1st Earl of Grantham. They had one son, William Henry
William Granville, 3rd Earl of Bath
William Henry Granville, 3rd Earl of Bath was an English peer, styled Viscount Lansdown from August to September 1701...
.
Granville inherited his father's earldom of Bath
Earl of Bath
Earl of Bath was a title that was created five times in British history, three times in the Peerage of England, once in the Peerage of Great Britain and once Peerage of the United Kingdom...
on 2 August 1701 and committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
the following month, allegedly overwhelmed by the burden of debts his father had left behind. Both father and son were buried on 22 September that year, in the family vault at Kilkhampton
Kilkhampton
Kilkhampton is a village and civil parish in northeast Cornwall, United Kingdom. The village is situated on the A39 approximately four miles north-northeast of Bude.Kilkhampton was mentioned in the Domesday Book as "Chilchetone"...
, Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. His titles passed to his only son, William (1691-1711).