James Brydges, 8th Baron Chandos (1642–1714) was an English Ambassador to the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

. He was the son of Sir John Brydges, 2nd Baronet and Mary Pearle. A graduate of St John's College, Oxford Brydges became 3rd Baronet, of

Wilton, Herefordshire Wilton is a village in south Herefordshire, England just under a mile west of the market town of Ross-on-Wye. In 1100, Henry I set up three royal manors in Herefordshire, including the manor of Wilton. This included a number of surrounding vill ...

in 1651 and 8th Baron Chandos of Sudeley in 1686 following the death of his third cousin, William Brydges, 7th Baron Chandos. Lord Chandos had connections with the Levant Company, for example through his father-in-law Sir Robert Barnard, who was a merchant. The Levant Company controlled the appointment of the British ambassador in

Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya ( Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis ( ...

, and although Charles II had some reservations about his politics, Chandos was elected by the Company on 22 April 1680. Royal Instructions were issued on 29 December. Lord Chandos arrived in Constantinople as the ambassador on 22 July 1681. Having served for only three years, he was recalled in November 1684. He left Turkey in October 1687. At this time, the Ottoman Empire was making great advances into Europe, reaching the walls of

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

. He served as

High Sheriff of Herefordshire This is a list of Sheriffs and, since 1998, High Sheriffs of Herefordshire The position of Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in each county, but over the centurie ...

in 1667. He married Elizabeth Barnard and was the father of James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos, famous as the employer of Handel and friend of

Alexander Pope Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 O.S. – 30 May 1744) was an English poet, translator, and satirist of the Enlightenment era who is considered one of the most prominent English poets of the early 18th century. An exponent of Augustan literature, ...

; his daughter, The Hon. Mary Brydges, who married Theophilus Leigh, was the great-grandmother of Jane Austen.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chandos, James Brydges, Baron 1642 births 1714 deaths Alumni of St John's College, Oxford Ambassadors of England to the Ottoman Empire 18th-century English people High Sheriffs of Herefordshire 17th-century English diplomats Ja 8