The Duke of Rutland | |
|---|---|
 The Duke of Rutland, byJoshua Reynolds,c. 1770-90 | |
| Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | |
| In office 12 February 1784 – 24 October 1787 | |
| Monarch | George III |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Northington |
| Succeeded by | The Marquess of Buckingham |
| Lord Privy Seal | |
| In office 23 December 1783 – 27 November 1784 | |
| Monarch | George III |
| Prime Minister | William Pitt |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Carlisle |
| Succeeded by | The Marquess of Stafford |
| Member of Parliament forCambridge University | |
| In office 1774–1779 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas Townshend |
| Succeeded by | James Mansfield |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 March 1754 |
| Died | 24 October 1787(1787-10-24) (aged 33) |
| Resting place | St Mary the Virgin's Church, Bottesford[1] |
| Spouse | Lady Mary Isabella Somerset |
| Children | 6, includingJohn |
| Parents |
|
Charles Manners, 4th Duke of RutlandKG PC (15 March 1754 – 24 October 1787) was a British politician and nobleman, the eldest legitimate son ofJohn Manners, Marquess of Granby. He was styledLord Roos from 1760 until 1770, andMarquess of Granby from 1770 until 1779.
Manners was educated atEton andTrinity College, Cambridge, graduating the latter with a nobleman'sMA in 1774.[2] That year, he was elected as one of two members of parliament forCambridge University. He continued to maintain the family's substantial electoral interests, and to collect objets d'art to decorateBelvoir Castle. He pledged to redeem his father's substantial debts, but was hampered by his passion for gambling.
On 26 December 1775, he marriedLady Mary Isabella Somerset (died 1831), daughter ofCharles Somerset, 4th Duke of Beaufort and a celebrated beauty, renowned for her elegance and good taste. She was one of the most prominent society hostesses, and SirJoshua Reynolds painted her portrait four times. Charles and Mary had six children:
Later in life, he was said to have been the lover ofElizabeth Billington.
Granby entered parliament in opposition to theNorth Ministry and as an ally to theRockinghamWhigs. He acted only as an observer until reaching his majority, and made his maiden speech on 5 April 1775, advocating free trade with the southernAmerican Colonies. The speech brought him thanks from his father's friendChatham, whom he praised, and initiated a friendship withWilliam Pitt the Younger. It much disappointed the Court, and particularlyLord Mansfield, who had thought to govern the young Granby. During theAmerican Revolution, he followed Chatham in urging reconciliation with America, and was one of those who questioned the conduct ofAdmiral Keppel in March 1779. He did not follow this up, and does not seem to have spoken in Parliament afterwards, acceding to the dukedom on 29 May 1779. He was able to obtain a seat for his friendPitt atAppleby in 1780 when Pitt failed in an election forCambridge University, and promised him a seat in one of the boroughs of the Rutland interest in the future. His own Parliamentary interest notwithstanding, he supported Pitt's plans for reform, and the two men remained friends for life.
With the entry of the French into the war, he became colonel of theLeicestershire militia, and was createdLord Lieutenant of Leicestershire on 9 July 1779, an honour bestowed byGeorge III in person. On 30 October 1782, he was made aKnight of the Garter and was madeLord Steward of the Household[3] and sworn of thePrivy Council on 17 February 1783.Shelburne thus brought him into the cabinet; but the appointment met with royal disfavour and prompted the resignation ofGrafton and the collapse of the ministry. Rutland was by now an ally of Pitt, and upon his premiership, becameLord Privy Seal in December 1783.
Rutland was madeLord Lieutenant of Ireland on 11 February 1784. He was enthusiastic for Pitt's Irish policy and the legislative union which it entailed, but became increasingly doubtful of its implementation. In 1785, Pitt and Rutland successfully worked a trade plan through theIrish Parliament, initially against the opposition ofHenry Grattan andHenry Flood. However, theFoxite opposition in theBritish House of Commons so gutted the measure with amendments that it was rejected in its new form in Ireland. While the Irish opposition was later reconciled to Pitt'sbona fides with regard to trade, the episode demoralizedThomas Orde, theChief Secretary of Ireland, and further hindered efforts at reform.
Rutland was increasingly popular as viceroy, in part because of his convivial nature and ample banquets atDublin Castle. In the summer of 1787, he made an extended and rigorous tour of the midlands and north of Ireland, but his excessive consumption ofclaret was by now taking a toll upon his health. He died of liver disease on 24 October 1787 at theViceregal Lodge in thePhoenix Park, Dublin.
 |
|
 | This article includes a list ofgeneral references, butit lacks sufficient correspondinginline citations. Please help toimprove this article byintroducing more precise citations.(March 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Parliament of Great Britain | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forCambridge University 1774 –1779 With:Richard Croftes | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Lord Steward 1783 | Succeeded by |
| Lord Privy Seal 1783–1784 | Succeeded by | |
| Preceded by | Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 1784–1787 | Succeeded by |
| Honorary titles | ||
| Preceded by | Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire 1779–1787 | Succeeded by |
| Peerage of England | ||
| Preceded by | Duke of Rutland 1779–1787 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
