Robert Brudenell (20 September 1726 – 20 October 1768) was a

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army officer and

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. Brudenell was the third son of the 3rd Earl of Cardigan and Elizabeth Bruce and a younger brother of the 1st Duke of Montagu and 4th Earl of Cardigan and the 5th Earl of Cardigan. He was educated at

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and

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; on 27 January 1759, he married Anne Bishopp, a daughter of

Sir Cecil Bishopp, 6th Baronet Sir Cecil Bisshopp, 6th Baronet Bisshopp (30 October 1700 – 15 June 1778), was a British politician. He succeeded to the title of 6th Baronet Bishopp, of Parham, co. Sussex on 25 October 1725. He was Member of Parliament for Penryn betw ...

. Brudenell was commissioned as

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in the First Foot Guards in 1748, promoted to Captain in 1751, Lieutenant-Colonel in 1758 and Colonel in 1762. In 1763 he became colonel of the

16th Regiment of Foot The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment was the final title of a line infantry regiment of the British Army that was originally formed in 1688. After centuries of service in many conflicts and wars, including both the First and Second World W ...

, a post he held until his removal to the 4th Regiment of Foot in 1765. He was also Lieutenant-Governor of

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from 1752, and Vice-Chamberlain to

Queen Charlotte Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz (Sophia Charlotte; 19 May 1744 – 17 November 1818) was Queen of Great Britain and of Ireland as the wife of King George III from their marriage on 8 September 1761 until the union of the two kingdoms ...

from 1766 until his death. He served as MP for

Great Bedwyn Great Bedwyn is a village and civil parishes in England, civil parish in east Wiltshire, England. The village is on the River Dun (River Kennet), River Dun about southwest of Hungerford, southeast of Swindon and southeast of Marlborough, Wilt ...

from 1756 to 1761 and for

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from 1761 to 1768. However, he took little interest in politics, generally supporting each successive administration so as to avoid any risk to his military advancement. As he predeceased his childless elder brothers, Brudenell's son,

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

became the 6th Earl of Cardigan.

References

* Lewis Namier & John Brooke, ''The History of Parliament: The House of Commons 1754-1790'' (London: HMSO, 1964) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Brudenell, Robert 1726 births 1768 deaths British MPs 1754–1761 British MPs 1761–1768 Members of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies Grenadier Guards officers Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment officers Younger sons of earls