Charles FitzCharles, 1st Earl Of Plymouth
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Charles FitzCharles, 1st Earl of Plymouth ( 1657 – 17 October 1680), was the illegitimate son of King
Charles II of England Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was King of Scotland from 1649 until 1651 and King of England, Scotland, and King of Ireland, Ireland from the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy until his death in 1685. Charles II was the eldest su ...
and Catherine Pegge. He had a sister, Catherine, who is believed to have become a nun. His mother went on to marry Sir Edward Greene of Samford in
Essex Essex ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the East of England, and one of the home counties. It is bordered by Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Kent across the Thames Estuary to the ...
, and had one child, Justinia Greene.Literary Anecdotes of the Eighteenth Century
By John Nichols 1812
His subsidiary titles were Viscount Totness and Baron Dartmouth. Plymouth died while serving as part of the Tangier Garrison.


Life

Charles FitzCharles was born in or about 1657. He was the illegitimate son of
Charles II of England Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was King of Scotland from 1649 until 1651 and King of England, Scotland, and King of Ireland, Ireland from the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy until his death in 1685. Charles II was the eldest su ...
, by Catherine Pegge, daughter of Thomas Pegge of Yeldersley, Derbyshire. Charles II had the affair with Catherine (or Katherine) Pegge whilst he was abroad in exile. Charles the younger was allowed to use the Royal arms with a "baton sinister, Vaire ... and was bred to the sea". He was educated abroad, probably in Spain and he was known by the nickname of "Don Carlos". Sir William Dugdale wrote, giving much testimony of his singular accomplishments: He married on 19 September 1678 at St Mary's Church, Wimbledon,
Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...
, Lady Bridget Osborne, third daughter of
Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds, (20 February 1632 – 26 July 1712) was an English Tories (British political party), Tory statesman. During the reign of Charles II of England, he was the leading figure in the English government for ro ...
, Lord High Treasurer. He was a friend of the dramatic poet, Thomas Otway, for whom he procured a cornet's commission in a regiment of horse serving in
Flanders Flanders ( or ; ) is the Dutch language, Dutch-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 culture, la ...
. Later when his friend,
John Sheffield, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby John Sheffield, 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normanby (7 April 164824 February 1721) was an English poet and Tory politician of the late Stuart period who served as Lord Privy Seal and Lord President of the Council. He was also known by his o ...
in consequence of his attachment to Queen Anne, then Princess of Denmark, was sent to the Colony of Tangier, it was reported that the Duke was purposely despatched in a leaky vessel in order to get rid of him. Nevertheless, the Earl of Plymouth, notwithstanding he was sensible of the danger, insisted on accompanying him.John Heneage Jesse (1855)
''Memoirs of the Court of England During the Reign of the Stuarts''
Accessed 19 October 2007 – via Google Books.


Death

The Sultan Moulay Ismail of
Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...
had made an unsuccessful attempt to seize the town of
Tangier Tangier ( ; , , ) is a city in northwestern Morocco, on the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The city is the capital city, capital of the Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima region, as well as the Tangier-Assilah Prefecture of Moroc ...
in 1679, but ended up imposing a crippling blockade. The King's Own Royal Regiment was formed on 13 July 1680 as the 2nd Tangier, or Earl of Plymouth's Regiment of Foot, with Charles as the founding Colonel. Charles died of
dysentery Dysentery ( , ), historically known as the bloody flux, is a type of gastroenteritis that results in bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, and a feeling of incomplete defecation. Complications may include dehyd ...
without issue on 17 October 1680, aged 23, and the English were ultimately forced to withdraw, ending their presence in Tangier. The title of Earl of Plymouth became extinct, but it was recreated two years later for Thomas Hickman-Windsor, 7th Baron Windsor (1627–1687). Plymouth's body was returned to
England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
and he was buried on 18 January 1681 in
Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an Anglican church in the City of Westminster, London, England. Since 1066, it has been the location of the coronations of 40 English and British m ...
. His wife, the Countess, remarried in 1706,
Philip Bisse Philip Bisse (1667 – 6 September 1721) was an English bishop. Life He was born in Oldbury-on-the-Hill, Gloucestershire, the son of John Bisse, a clerk and educated at Winchester College and New College, Oxford, ordained in 1686 and graduating ...
, Bishop of Hereford, and she died on 9 May 1718.Hist. Reg. 1718, Chron. Diary, p. 21; Political State, xv. 553 Bridget left the Bishop a widower and he erected a handsome tablet in her honour in Hereford Cathedral.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Plymouth, Charles FitzCharles, 1st Earl of 1650s births 1680 deaths 17th-century English nobility 1
Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''* ...
Illegitimate children of Charles II of England King's Own Royal Regiment officers People from Westminster Governors of Tangier Soldiers of the Tangier Garrison Peers of England created by Charles II Burials at Westminster Abbey Sons of kings