John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair
Encyclopedia
Field Marshal
John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair KT
PC (20 July 1673 – 9 May 1747) was a Scottish
soldier and diplomat.
, Scotland, Dalrymple spent his early life mostly in the Netherlands
and he studied at Leiden University
. However, when William III
became King of Scotland in 1689, he returned home, and in 1707, he was elected as one of sixteen Scottish representative peer
s in the newly formed Parliament of Great Britain
.
He commanded his brigade during the War of the Spanish Succession
at the Siege of Lille
and then at the Battle of Malplaquet
. He became an assistant to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
and, in 1709, he was sent as an envoy to Augustus II of Poland. In 1712 he was promoted to full general
for his military achievements.
, France
. According to the Duc de Saint-Simon, his embassy began badly when Louis XIV took an instant dislike to him and refused to see him or let him meet his ministers. Stair, in view of the King's age and ill-health, sensibly waited for the turn of events, and after Louis' death quickly established friendly relations with the new regime, paving the way for the Triple Alliance
. For five years in the 1710s, his spies effectively thwarted various "intrigues" by the Jacobites
. In 1729, he became Vice Admiral of Scotland
, but lost the position in 1733, mainly because of his opposition to the Excise Bill of 1733 promoted by Prime Minister Robert Walpole
. However, in 1742, when Walpole fell from office, Dalrymple was promoted to field marshal
and commanded the "Pragmatic Army" sent to act with Hanover
ian and Austria
n forces in support of Maria Theresa
and the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713
. He led the allies to victory at the battle of Dettingen
.
called him one of the ablest ambassadors Britain ever sent to Paris. Saint-Simon, who knew Stair,described him as a man of great ability and intelligence, but treacherous, devious,untrustworthy and arrogant.
He was given the colonel
cy of various units, including the Grey Dragoons (now the Royal Scots Greys).
.
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair KT
Order of the Thistle
The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order...
PC (20 July 1673 – 9 May 1747) was a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
soldier and diplomat.
Military career
Despite being born in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, Scotland, Dalrymple spent his early life mostly in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and he studied at Leiden University
Leiden University
Leiden University , located in the city of Leiden, is the oldest university in the Netherlands. The university was founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, leader of the Dutch Revolt in the Eighty Years' War. The royal Dutch House of Orange-Nassau and Leiden University still have a close...
. However, when William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
became King of Scotland in 1689, he returned home, and in 1707, he was elected as one of sixteen Scottish representative peer
Representative peer
In the United Kingdom, representative peers were those peers elected by the members of the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland to sit in the British House of Lords...
s in the newly formed Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland...
.
He commanded his brigade during the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
at the Siege of Lille
Siege of Lille (1708)
The Siege of Lille was the salient operation of the 1708 campaign season during the War of the Spanish Succession...
and then at the Battle of Malplaquet
Battle of Malplaquet
The Battle of Malplaquet, fought on 11 September 1709, was one of the main battles of the War of the Spanish Succession, which opposed the Bourbons of France and Spain against an alliance whose major members were the Habsburg Monarchy, Great Britain, the United Provinces and the Kingdom of...
. He became an assistant to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
and, in 1709, he was sent as an envoy to Augustus II of Poland. In 1712 he was promoted to full general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
for his military achievements.
Diplomatic career
However, when King George I ascended to the throne, Dalrymple was sent as an envoy to ParisParis
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. According to the Duc de Saint-Simon, his embassy began badly when Louis XIV took an instant dislike to him and refused to see him or let him meet his ministers. Stair, in view of the King's age and ill-health, sensibly waited for the turn of events, and after Louis' death quickly established friendly relations with the new regime, paving the way for the Triple Alliance
Triple Alliance (1717)
The Triple Alliance was a treaty between the Dutch Republic, France and Great Britain, against Spain, attempting to maintain the agreement of the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. The three states were concerned about Spain becoming a superpower in Europe. As a result of this militarisation took place,...
. For five years in the 1710s, his spies effectively thwarted various "intrigues" by the Jacobites
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
. In 1729, he became Vice Admiral of Scotland
Lord High Admiral of Scotland
The Lord High Admiral of Scotland was one of the Great Offices of State of the Kingdom of Scotland before the Union with England in 1707.The office was one of considerable power, also known as Royal Scottish Admiralty, including command of the King's ships and sailors and inspection of all sea...
, but lost the position in 1733, mainly because of his opposition to the Excise Bill of 1733 promoted by Prime Minister Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
. However, in 1742, when Walpole fell from office, Dalrymple was promoted to field marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
and commanded the "Pragmatic Army" sent to act with Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
ian and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n forces in support of Maria Theresa
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa Walburga Amalia Christina was the only female ruler of the Habsburg dominions and the last of the House of Habsburg. She was the sovereign of Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Bohemia, Mantua, Milan, Lodomeria and Galicia, the Austrian Netherlands and Parma...
and the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713
Pragmatic Sanction of 1713
The Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 was an edict issued by Holy Roman Emperor Charles VI to ensure that the throne of the Archduchy of Austria could be inherited by a daughter....
. He led the allies to victory at the battle of Dettingen
Battle of Dettingen
The Battle of Dettingen took place on 27 June 1743 at Dettingen in Bavaria during the War of the Austrian Succession. It was the last time that a British monarch personally led his troops into battle...
.
Character
Winston ChurchillWinston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
called him one of the ablest ambassadors Britain ever sent to Paris. Saint-Simon, who knew Stair,described him as a man of great ability and intelligence, but treacherous, devious,untrustworthy and arrogant.
He was given the colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
cy of various units, including the Grey Dragoons (now the Royal Scots Greys).
Family
He married Lady Eleanor Campbell, daughter of the Earl of Loudon, but had no children. He wished for his earldom to pass to his nephew John Dalrymple; but the House of Lords ruled that the right to nominate an heir had lapsed, and the earldom passed to the legal heir James Dalrymple, 3rd Earl of StairJames Dalrymple, 3rd Earl of Stair
James Dalrymple, 3rd Earl of Stair , was the son of Colonel Hon. William Dalrymple of Glenmure and Penelope Crichton, Countess of Dumfries. He succeeded his uncle John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair, but was required to bring a legal action to establish his right to the title, as his uncle had...
.