Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin
Overview
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
- 14 November 1841, Paris) was a Scottish nobleman and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, known for the removal of marble sculptures (also known as the Elgin Marbles
Elgin Marbles
The Parthenon Marbles, forming a part of the collection known as the Elgin Marbles , are a collection of classical Greek marble sculptures , inscriptions and architectural members that originally were part of the Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis of Athens...
) from the Parthenon
Parthenon
The Parthenon is a temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece, dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, whom the people of Athens considered their virgin patron. Its construction began in 447 BC when the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power. It was completed in 438 BC, although...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. Elgin was the second son of Charles Bruce, 5th Earl of Elgin
Charles Bruce, 5th Earl of Elgin
Charles Bruce, 5th Earl of Elgin and 9th Earl of Kincardine was the son of William Bruce, 8th Earl of Kincardine. His mother was Jane Roberton, daughter of James Roberton and great-granddaughter of advocate and judge Lord BedlayOn 1 June 1759, he married Martha Whyte and they had eight...
and his wife Martha Whyte. He succeeded his older brother William, the 6th earl, in 1771 while he was only five.
Elgin entered the army as an ensign in the 3rd Guards
Scots Guards
The Scots Guards is a regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, whose origins lie in the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland...
.
