Lieutenant-General Willem (or William) Anne van Keppel, 2nd Earl of Albemarle (5 June 1702 – 22 December 1754) was a British soldier, diplomat and courtier.
He held various roles in the household of
George II George II or 2 may refer to:
People
* George II of Antioch (seventh century AD)
* George II of Armenia (late ninth century)
* George II of Abkhazia (916–960)
* Patriarch George II of Alexandria (1021–1051)
* George II of Georgia (1072–1089) ...
(1683-1760), who was a personal friend, participated in negotiations to end the 1718 to 1720
War of the Quadruple Alliance
The War of the Quadruple Alliance (1718–1720) was caused by Spanish attempts to recover territories in Italy ceded in the 1713 Peace of Utrecht. Largely focused on Sicily, it included minor engagements in North America and Northern Europe as we ...
and was
British Ambassador to France
The British Ambassador to France is the United Kingdom's foremost diplomatic representative in France, and is the head of Britain's diplomatic mission in Paris. The official title is ''His Majesty's Ambassador to France''.
Traditionally, the ...
from 1748 to 1754.
During the 1740 to 1748
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George's ...
, he commanded troops in
Flanders
Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to cultu ...
and was transferred to Scotland following the outbreak of the
Jacobite rising of 1745
The Jacobite rising of 1745, also known as the Forty-five Rebellion or simply the '45 ( gd, Bliadhna Theàrlaich, , ), was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for his father, James Francis Edward Stuart. It took ...
. After
Culloden, he was appointed
Commander-in-Chief, Scotland before returning to Flanders in 1747.
Despite his many offices and inheriting a large fortune, he was known as the "Spendthrift Earl" and died in 1754 leaving his family nothing but debts.
Life
![Anne, 2nd Countess of Albemarle by Sir Joshua Reynolds](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b5/Anne%2C_2nd_Countess_of_Albemarle_by_Sir_Joshua_Reynolds.jpg)
William (or Willem) Anne van Keppel was born 5 June 1702 at
Whitehall Palace
The Palace of Whitehall (also spelt White Hall) at Westminster was the main residence of the English monarchs from 1530 until 1698, when most of its structures, except notably Inigo Jones's Banqueting House of 1622, were destroyed by fire. H ...
in London, only son of
Arnold, 1st Earl of Albemarle (1670-1718) and Geertruid van der Duyn (died 1741). His father was popular with both
William III and
Queen Anne, who was his godmother.
In 1722, he married
Anne Lennox (1703 – 1789), daughter of the
Duke of Richmond, an illegitimate son of
Charles II. She was
Lady of the Bedchamber
Lady of the Bedchamber is the title of a lady-in-waiting holding the official position of personal attendant on a British queen regnant or queen consort. The position is traditionally held by the wife of a peer. They are ranked between the Mis ...
to
Caroline of Ansbach (1683-1737); she was reputedly a great favourite of
George II George II or 2 may refer to:
People
* George II of Antioch (seventh century AD)
* George II of Armenia (late ninth century)
* George II of Abkhazia (916–960)
* Patriarch George II of Alexandria (1021–1051)
* George II of Georgia (1072–1089) ...
, who paid her a pension of £1,500 per annum when Albemarle died in 1754.
They had over fifteen children, of whom six survived to adulthood;
George, 3rd Earl of Albemarle (1724-1772),
Augustus (1725-1786),
William (1727-1782),
Frederick (1728–1777), Caroline (1733–69) mother of
Sir Robert Adair and Elizabeth (1739-1768).
Career
Albemarle was educated in the Dutch province of
Gelderland
Gelderland (), also known as Guelders () in English, is a province of the Netherlands, occupying the centre-east of the country. With a total area of of which is water, it is the largest province of the Netherlands by land area, and second by ...
, where the family originated. After returning to England in 1717, he was commissioned in the
Coldstream Foot Guards and succeeded his father as Earl of Albemarle in 1718. Over the next few years, he and a colleague
John Huske
Lieutenant General John Huske (ca 1692 – 18 January 1761) was a British military officer whose active service began in 1707 during the War of the Spanish Succession and ended in 1748.
During his early career, he was a close associate of the E ...
accompanied the
Earl of Cadogan in meetings with the Dutch over the
War of the Quadruple Alliance
The War of the Quadruple Alliance (1718–1720) was caused by Spanish attempts to recover territories in Italy ceded in the 1713 Peace of Utrecht. Largely focused on Sicily, it included minor engagements in North America and Northern Europe as we ...
; financially exhausted by the
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict that took place from 1701 to 1714. The death of childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700 led to a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire between his heirs, Phil ...
, they were anxious to avoid another. The
Treaty of The Hague was agreed in 1720, although negotiations continued with
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
.
![William Cadogan, 1st Earl Cadogan by Louis Laguerre](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/William_Cadogan%2C_1st_Earl_Cadogan_by_Louis_Laguerre.jpg)
Like his father, Albemarle appears to have had a talent for making powerful friends; his marriage in 1722 was held at Cadogan's house near
Caversham, outside Reading. He was also made
Lord of the Bedchamber
Gentleman of the Bedchamber was a title in the royal household of the Kingdom of England from the 11th century, later used also in the Kingdom of Great Britain. A Lord of the Bedchamber was a courtier in the Royal Household; the term being fir ...
to the future
George II George II or 2 may refer to:
People
* George II of Antioch (seventh century AD)
* George II of Armenia (late ninth century)
* George II of Abkhazia (916–960)
* Patriarch George II of Alexandria (1021–1051)
* George II of Georgia (1072–1089) ...
, then Prince of Wales, a position he retained until 1751. The role provided proximity to the monarch; its holder was a trusted confidant and often extremely powerful.
In 1737, he was appointed
Governor of Virginia
The governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia serves as the head of government of Virginia for a four-year term. The incumbent, Glenn Youngkin, was sworn in on January 15, 2022.
Oath of office
On inauguration day, the Governor-elect takes th ...
, which he retained until his death, despite never setting foot in it. As was common, the administrative work was done by his deputy
Sir William Gooch
Sir William Gooch, 1st Baronet (21 October 1681 – 17 December 1751) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator who served as the governor of Virginia from 1727 to 1749. Technically, Gooch only held the title of Royal Lieutenant Gove ...
, although the two frequently clashed over appointments.
Albemarle County, Virginia was named after him; it is better known as the location of
Monticello
Monticello ( ) was the primary plantation of Founding Father Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, who began designing Monticello after inheriting land from his father at age 26. Located just outside Charlottesville, V ...
, the estate built by
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was previously the natio ...
.
[''SAH Archipedia'', eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley, Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012. Online. http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/VA-01-CH48. Accessed 2019-03-16.]
Between 1713 and 1739, Britain was mostly at peace; Albemarle was Colonel of the
29th Regiment of Foot from 1731 to 1733 before transferring to the
Royal Horse Guards. As personal escorts to the king, they rarely left London but Albemarle commanded them at
Dettingen in 1743, when George II became the last British monarch to command troops in battle. He became Colonel of the
Coldstream Guards
The Coldstream Guards is the oldest continuously serving regular regiment in the British Army. As part of the Household Division, one of its principal roles is the protection of the monarchy; due to this, it often participates in state ceremonia ...
in 1744 and fought under the
Duke of Cumberland
Duke of Cumberland is a peerage title that was conferred upon junior members of the British Royal Family, named after the historic county of Cumberland.
History
The Earldom of Cumberland, created in 1525, became extinct in 1643. The dukedom ...
at
Fontenoy in April 1745.
![Battle of Lauffeldt](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/Battle_of_Lauffeldt.jpg)
With the outbreak of the
1745 Jacobite Rising, Albemarle was sent to
Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to:
*Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England
*Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England
*Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area in Australia, named after Newcastle ...
as deputy to the elderly
George Wade
Field Marshal George Wade (1673 – 14 March 1748) was a British Army officer who served in the Nine Years' War, War of the Spanish Succession, Jacobite rising of 1715 and War of the Quadruple Alliance before leading the construction of bar ...
. He commanded the government front line at
Culloden in April 1746 and subsequently appointed
Commander-in-Chief, Scotland, despite referring to it as "this cursed country". He told the
Duke of Newcastle
Duke of Newcastle upon Tyne was a title that was created three times, once in the Peerage of England and twice in the Peerage of Great Britain. The first grant of the title was made in 1665 to William Cavendish, 1st Marquess of Newcastle ...
, then
Secretary of State for the Southern Department that "my predecessors have split against a sharp rock". The appointment of a senior and trusted subordinate reflected a widespread perception among both government officials and Jacobite rebels that another landing was imminent.
The immediate focus was capturing the fugitive
Charles Stuart but despite a reward of £30,000, he evaded Albemarle's patrols and escaped to France in September. In 2018, previously unknown records from 1746 and 1747 were discovered in
Ipswich
Ipswich () is a port town and borough in Suffolk, England, of which it is the county town. The town is located in East Anglia about away from the mouth of the River Orwell and the North Sea. Ipswich is both on the Great Eastern Main Line ...
; these include intelligence reports on the search and details showing that after Culloden, Albemarle received a thousand guineas and the Prince's silver-gilt travelling canteen.
With his headquarters in
Edinburgh
Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...
, Albemarle divided Scotland into four military districts and carried out measures intended to bring the
Highlands
Highland is a broad term for areas of higher elevation, such as a mountain range or mountainous plateau.
Highland, Highlands, or The Highlands, may also refer to:
Places Albania
* Dukagjin Highlands
Armenia
* Armenian Highlands
Australia
*Sou ...
under control. They included extending the
military road network begun in 1715 and placing permanent garrisons at key points, whose role was to enforce the 1746
Disarming and
Dress Acts.
In February 1747, he was relieved as commander in Scotland and rejoined the army in Flanders, commanding the British infantry at
Lauffeld in July. Although this was a decisive French victory that effectively ended the
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George's ...
, his troops' disciplined fire helped the
Pragmatic Army
The Pragmatic Army was an army which served during the War of the Austrian Succession. It was formed in 1743 by George II, who was both King of Great Britain and Elector of Hanover, and consisted of a mixture of British, Irish and German forces. I ...
make an orderly retreat.
![The Grosvenor Chapel Mayfair](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/The_Grosvenor_Chapel_Mayfair.jpg)
After the war ended with the
1748 Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, he was sent to
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
as
Ambassador, where he was a great success, entertaining on a lavish scale and sharing a mistress with
Giacomo Casanova
Giacomo Girolamo Casanova (, ; 2 April 1725 – 4 June 1798) was an Italian adventurer and author from the Republic of Venice. His autobiography, (''Story of My Life''), is regarded as one of the most authentic sources of information about the c ...
. He was made a
Knight of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. It is the most senior order of knighthood in the British honours system, outranked in precedence only by the Victoria Cross and the George ...
in 1750, then a
Privy Counsellor
The Privy Council (PC), officially His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the sovereign of the United Kingdom. Its membership mainly comprises senior politicians who are current or former members of ei ...
the following year.
Albemarle died aged 52 in Paris on 22 December 1754, returning home from a pre-Christmas supper; he was buried on 21 February 1755 in
Grosvenor Chapel
Grosvenor Chapel is an Anglican church in what is now the City of Westminster, in England, built in the 1730s. It inspired many churches in New England. It is situated on South Audley Street in Mayfair.
History
The foundation stone of the Gro ...
on
South Audley Street
South Audley Street is a major shopping street in Mayfair, London.'South Audley Street: Introduction', in Survey of London: Volume 40, the Grosvenor Estate in Mayfair, Part 2 (The Buildings), ed. F H W Sheppard (London, 1980), pp. 290–291. Br ...
in London. When his long-term colleague and friend John Huske died in 1761, he instructed his coffin be placed next to that of Albemarle.
Notoriously extravagant, he died leaving nothing but debts, although his sons had successful careers; in 1740,
Augustus Keppel participated in
Anson's capture of the
Manila galleon
fil, Galyon ng Maynila
, english_name = Manila Galleon
, duration = From 1565 to 1815 (250 years)
, venue = Between Manila and Acapulco
, location = New Spain (Spanish Empire ...
, which made the officers wealthy men in their own right.
In her biography of
Madame de Pompadour, the writer
Nancy Mitford
Nancy Freeman-Mitford (28 November 1904 – 30 June 1973), known as Nancy Mitford, was an English novelist, biographer, and journalist. The eldest of the Mitford sisters, she was regarded as one of the "bright young things" on the London ...
remarks that given his love of all things French, it was a blessing Albemarle died before the
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (175 ...
broke out. She records that the French admired his love of life and wit; when a rapacious mistress admired the beauty of the stars, he replied that unfortunately, he was unable to buy them for her.
[Mitford, Nancy ''Madame de Pompadour'' Hamish Hamilton 1954]
Notes
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
* Mitford, Nancy; ''Madame de Pompadour'' Hamish Hamilton, 1954
*
*
*
*
External links
*
*
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Albemarle, Willem Van Keppel, 2nd Earl Of
1702 births
1754 deaths
Colonial governors of Virginia
Willem
Willem () is a Dutch and West FrisianRienk de Haan, ''Fryske Foarnammen'', Leeuwarden, 2002 (Friese Pers Boekerij), , p. 158. masculine given name. The name is Germanic, and can be seen as the Dutch equivalent of the name William in English, ...
Knights Companion of the Order of the Bath
Knights of the Garter
Members of the Privy Council of Great Britain
People from Westminster
Willem van Keppel, 3rd
British Army lieutenant generals
British Life Guards officers
Coldstream Guards officers
29th Regiment of Foot officers
Worcestershire Regiment officers
British Army personnel of the Jacobite rising of 1745
Diplomatic peers
British Army personnel of the War of the Austrian Succession
Ambassadors of Great Britain to France
Grooms of the Stool
Court of George II of Great Britain
Military personnel from London