Charles Gerard, 2nd Earl of Macclesfield (c. 16595 November 1701) was an English peer, soldier and MP.

Biography

He was born in France, the eldest son of Charles Gerard, Baron Brandon (later 1st Earl of Macclesfield), and Jeanne, the daughter of Pierre de Civelle, equerry to Queen Henrietta Maria. He became an English national by Act of Parliament in 1677. By 1678 he was a lieutenant-colonel in Lord Gerard's Horse and a full colonel in 1679. That year he entered politics, being elected knight of the shire for

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

in both March and October, and again in 1681. Like his father Charles, the 1st Earl, he was involved in the intrigues of the

Duke of Monmouth Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...

. In 1685 he was sentenced to death for being a party to the

Rye House Plot The Rye House Plot of 1683 was a plan to assassinate King Charles II of England and his brother (and heir to the throne) James, Duke of York. The royal party went from Westminster to Newmarket to see horse races and were expected to make the ...

, but was pardoned by Charles II. In 1689 he was re-elected

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...

for

, which he represented until 1694, when he succeeded to his father's peerage. He was

Custos Rotulorum ''Custos rotulorum'' (; plural: ''custodes rotulorum''; Latin for "keeper of the rolls", ) is a civic post that is recognised in the United Kingdom (except Scotland) and in Jamaica. England, Wales and Northern Ireland The ''custos rotulorum'' is t ...

for Lancashire from 1689 until his death in 1701. As

Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire This is an incomplete list of people who served as Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire in Wales. After 1733, all Lord Lieutenants were also Custos Rotulorum of Denbighshire. The office was abolished on 31 March 1974, being replaced by the Lord Lieut ...

he was also

Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

of the Denbighshire Militia in 1697. Having become a major-general in 1694, Macclesfield saw some service abroad, and in 1701 he was selected the first commissioner for the investiture of the elector of Hanover (afterwards King George I) with the

order 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 C ...

, on which occasion he also was charged to present a copy of the Act of Settlement to the dowager electress Sophia. He died suddenly on 5 November 1701 at about 40 years old, leaving no legitimate children.

Family

In March 1698, Macclesfield was divorced from his wife

Anna Anna may refer to: People Surname and given name * Anna (name) Mononym * Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke * Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773) * Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th century) * Anna (Anisia) (fl. 1218 to 12 ...

, daughter of

Sir Richard Mason Sir Richard Mason (c. 1633 – 8 March 1685) was an English Member of Parliament and Courtier. Career He held the following offices: * Clerk of the Green Cloth * Second Clerk Controller of Charles II's Household * One of the Commissioners for ...

of Sutton, by Act of Parliament; the first occasion on which a divorce was so granted without a previous decree of an ecclesiastical court. The countess was the mother of two children who were known by the name of Savage, and whose reputed father was

Richard Savage, 4th Earl Rivers General Richard Savage, 4th Earl Rivers PC (ca. 1654 – 18 August 1712) was an English nobleman and soldier who was a senior Army officer in the English and then British Army. The second son of Thomas Savage, 3rd Earl Rivers and his first wi ...

. The poet Richard Savage claimed that he was the younger of these children. The divorced countess married

Colonel Henry Brett Henry Brett (died 1724) was an English man about town, an army officer and Tory politician. He was involved in the theatrical world, and an associate of the playwrights Joseph Addison and Richard Steele. Life He was the eldest son of Henry Brett ...

about the year 1700, and died at the age of eighty-five in 1753. Her daughter, Anna Margaretta Brett, was a mistress of George I. The 2nd earl of Macclesfield was succeeded by his brother Fitton Gerard, 3rd Earl (c. 1665–1702), on whose death without heirs the title became extinct in December 1702. On his death, Macclesfield left most of his estate to

Charles Mohun, 4th Baron Mohun Charles Mohun, 4th Baron Mohun (c. 1675 – 15 November 1712) was an English politician best known for his frequent participation in duels and for his reputation as a rake. He was killed in the celebrated Hamilton–Mohun Duel in Hyde P ...

. In 1691 Mohun married Charlotte Orby, a granddaughter of Charles, 1st Earl of Macclesfield. Although they were soon separated, in 1694 Mohun accompanied Macclesfield on the Brest expedition.

James Douglas, 4th Duke of Hamilton Lieutenant General James Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton and 1st Duke of Brandon (11 April 1658 – 15 November 1712) was a Scottish nobleman, soldier and politician. Hamilton was a major investor in the failed Darien Scheme, which cost many o ...

also had a claim on the estate through his second wife Elizabeth Gerard, who was also a granddaughter of the 1st Earl. It seems that Macclesfield preferred Mohun, a former captain of horse in his regiment, over Hamilton whom he disliked because of his Tory sympathies. Hamilton challenged Mohun through the courts. After over a decade of legal dispute, the pair fought their famous duel in

Hyde Park Hyde Park may refer to: Places England * Hyde Park, London, a Royal Park in Central London * Hyde Park, Leeds, an inner-city area of north-west Leeds * Hyde Park, Sheffield, district of Sheffield * Hyde Park, in Hyde, Greater Manchester Austra ...

, which resulted in the deaths of both men.

Notes

References

* Attribution: * , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Macclesfield, Charles Gerard, 2nd Earl of 1650s births 1701 deaths Lord-Lieutenants of Anglesey Lord-Lieutenants of Caernarvonshire Lord-Lieutenants of Denbighshire Lord-Lieutenants of Flintshire Lord-Lieutenants of Lancashire Lord-Lieutenants of Merionethshire Lord-Lieutenants of Montgomeryshire People of the Rye House Plot English prisoners sentenced to death Prisoners sentenced to death by England and Wales Recipients of English royal pardons English MPs 1679 English MPs 1680–1681 English MPs 1681 English MPs 1689–1690 English MPs 1690–1695 English generals Lancashire Militia officers Charles Gerard English politicians convicted of crimes Earls of Macclesfield Members of the Parliament of England (pre-1707) for Lancashire English people of French descent