Sir Robert Rich | |
|---|---|
_-_Field_Marshal_Sir_Robert_Rich_(1685%25E2%2580%25931768)%2c_4th_Bt_-_355567_-_National_Trust.jpg) Portrait byWilliam Aikman | |
| Born | 3 July 1685 |
| Died | 1 February 1768 (aged 82) Roos Hall, Beccles, Suffolk,Great Britain |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of England Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Branch | English Army British Army |
| Years of service | 1700–1768 |
| Rank | Field Marshal |
| Battles / wars | |
Field MarshalSir Robert Rich, 4th Baronet (3 July 1685[1] – 1 February 1768) was aBritish Army officer and politician. As a junior officer he fought at theBattle of Schellenberg and at theBattle of Blenheim during theWar of the Spanish Succession. He was then asked to raise a regiment to combat the threat from theJacobite rising of 1715. He also served with thePragmatic Army under theEarl of Stair at theBattle of Dettingen during theWar of the Austrian Succession. As aMember of Parliament he represented three different constituencies but never attained political office.
_-_George_II_at_the_Battle_of_Dettingen%2c_with_the_Duke_of_Cumberland_and_Robert%2c_4th_Earl_of_Holderness%2c_27_June_1743_-_NAM._1961-07-116_-_National_Army_Museum.jpg)
Born the son ofSir Robert Rich, 2nd Baronet and Mary Rich (née Rich, daughter ofSir Charles Rich, 1st Baronet), Rich wascommissioned as anensign in the1st Regiment of Foot Guards andlieutenant in the Army on 10 June 1700.[2]
He fought in theWar of the Spanish Succession at theBattle of Schellenberg in July 1704, where he was wounded, and at theBattle of Blenheim in August 1704, where he was wounded again.[1] Promoted to lieutenant in theBrigadier-General Tatton's Regiment andcaptain in the Army, he succeeded his brotherCharles as 4th Baronet in October 1706, and was then promoted to captain in the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards andlieutenant-colonel in the Army in March 1708.[1] In June 1708 he fought aduel withSir Edmund Bacon, 4th Baronet who was wounded but survived.[1]
When the threat of theJacobite rising of 1715 became apparent Rich was asked to raise a regiment which subsequently became known as the18th Dragoons.[3] That year he was also electedMember of Parliament forDunwich. In June 1717 he was stripped of his regiment for voting againstthe Government on a motion accusingLord Cadogan of fraud and embezzlement during the transport of some Dutch troops.[4] He was defeated in the general election in 1722 but having strongly supportedSir Robert Walpole, firstly when Walpole was in opposition and then when Walpole was in theGovernment, was rewarded with the colonelcy of the13th Hussars in November 1722.[1]
He was elected as Member of Parliament forBere Alston in February 1724 and became colonel ofSir Robert Rich's Regiment of Dragoons in September 1725.[1] In 1727 he changed constituency to become Member of Parliament forSt Ives and was appointed aGroom of the Bedchamber to King George II, a position he held until 1759.[4]
Having been promoted tobrigadier-general on 15 March 1727,[5] he went on to be colonel ofThe King's Regiment of Carabineers in January 1731, colonel of the1st Troop Horse of Grenadier Guards in July 1733[6] and, finally, colonel of the4th Regiment of Dragoons in May 1735.[7]
Promoted tomajor-general on 18 December 1735[8] andlieutenant general on 17 July 1739,[9] Rich becameGovernor of theRoyal Hospital Chelsea in May 1740.[10][11] He served with thePragmatic Army under theEarl of Stair at theBattle of Dettingen in June 1743 during theWar of the Austrian Succession.[1] He also presided over acourt martial of Lieutenant-GeneralThomas Fowke,Governor of Gibraltar, on a charge of disobeying orders in August 1756.[12]
Rich was promoted togeneral of horse on 24 March 1746[13] and tofield marshal on 3 December 1757.[14] In retirement he continued to live in the family home,Roos Hall inBeccles.[15] He died on 1 February 1768.[16]
In 1710 Rich married Elizabeth Griffith; they had three sons, includingSir Robert Rich, 5th Baronet andSir George Rich, 6th Baronet, and one daughter, Elizabeth, who marriedGeorge Lyttelton, 1st Baron Lyttelton.[17]
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forDunwich 1715–1722 With:Charles Long | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forBere Alston 1724–1727 With:St John Brodrick | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forSt Ives 1727–1741 With:Henry Knollys 1727–1734 William Mackworth Praed 1734–1741 | Succeeded by |
| Military offices | ||
| Preceded by Regiment raised | Colonel of the18th Dragoons 1715–1717 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Colonel ofRich's Regiment of Dragoons 1722–1725 | Succeeded by |
| Colonel ofRich's Regiment of Dragoons 1725–1731 | Succeeded by | |
| Preceded by | Colonel ofThe King's Regiment of Carabineers 1731–1733 | |
| Preceded by | Captain and Colonel of the 1st Troop of Horse Grenadier Guards 1733–1735 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Colonel of the4th Regiment of Dragoons 1735–1768 | Succeeded by |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by | Governor, Royal Hospital Chelsea 1740–1768 | Succeeded by |
| Baronetage of England | ||
| Preceded by | Baronet (of London) 1706–1768 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
