Charles Stuart, 1st Baron Stuart de Rothesay, (2 January 1779 – 6 November 1845), known as Sir Charles Stuart between 1812 and 1828, was a British diplomat. He was twice Ambassador to France and also served as Ambassador to Russia between 1841 and 1844.

Background and education

Stuart was the son of the

Lieutenant-General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was normall ...

The Honourable Sir Charles Stuart, younger son of Prime-Minister

John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute (; 25 May 1713 – 10 March 1792), styled Lord Mount Stuart between 1713 and 1723, was a British Tory statesman who served as the Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1762 to 1763 under George III. He became the ...

. His mother was Louisa Bertie, daughter of Lord Vere Bertie, younger son of

Robert Bertie, 1st Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven Robert Bertie, 1st Duke of Ancaster and Kesteven Privy Council of Great Britain, PC (20 October 1660 – 26 July 1723), ''styled'' 17th Baron Willoughby de Eresby between 1666 and 1701, and known as 4th Earl of Lindsey between 1701 and 1706, ...

. He was educated at Eton and

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

.thepeerage.com Charles Stuart, 1st and last Baron Stuart de Rothesay
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Diplomatic career

Stuart joined the Diplomatic Service in 1801, and was immediately appointed as Secretary of Legation in

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

, a post he held until 1804. He was then sent to Petersburg and this was followed by an assignment in French occupied

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

in 1808. He served as

Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary An envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, usually known as a minister, was a diplomatic head of mission who was ranked below ambassador. A diplomatic mission headed by an envoy was known as a legation rather than an embassy. Under the ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic, is a country on the Iberian Peninsula in Southwestern Europe. Featuring Cabo da Roca, the westernmost point in continental Europe, Portugal borders Spain to its north and east, with which it share ...

and

Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...

between 1810 and 1814. He was appointed a

Knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

of the

Most Honourable Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by King George I on 18 May 1725. Recipients of the Order are usually senior military officers or senior civil servants, and the monarch awards it on the advice of His ...

(KB) in 1812 and sworn of the Privy Council in 1814. In December 1814 Henry Brougham described Stuart to Thomas Creevey:

He is a plain man, of some prejudices, caring little for politics and of very good practical sense... He has no very violent passions or acute feelings about him, and likes to go quietly on and enjoy himself in his way. He has read a great deal and seen much more, and done, for his standing. more business than any diplomatic man I ever heard of... He has no nonsense in his composition, and is a strictly honorable man, and one over whom nobody will ever acquire the slightest influence...

Briefly

Ambassador An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or so ...

to the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

between February and May 1815, it was during his posting as

that Stuart became indispensable to the

Duke of Wellington 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 above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they ar ...

. At the Generals' insistence, he was appointed British Ambassador to France. During Napoleon's Hundred Days, he left

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

and was in

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at the start of the Waterloo Campaign, where during his stay he attended the Duchess of Richmond's Ball. After the fall of Napoleon, he escorted the exiled French King Louis XVIII back to Paris, and became

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

there until 1824. In 1815 he was made a Knight-Grand-Cross in the civil division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (GCB). Pedro I of Brazil and Charles Stuart

From 1825 to 1826 he was once more

and

. In 1825 the Portuguese King John VI named Stuart his plenipotentiary with powers to negotiate and sign with Brazil a Treaty on the recognition of that country's independence. Invested with those powers, Stuart signed the treaty recognising Brazilian independence on 29 August 1825, and on 15 November of the same year the Portuguese King ratified the treaty. He was then created 1st

Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

of o

Machico Machico () is a municipality, parish and city in the southeast part of the island of Madeira Island, Madeira, in the Autonomous Region of Madeira. The easternmost municipality on the island, it is also the third-most populous area with a populati ...

by Decree of 22 November 1825 by

John VI of Portugal '' Dom'' John VI (; 13 May 1767 – 10 March 1826), known as "the Clement" (), was King of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves from 1816 to 1825, and after the recognition of Brazil's independence, titular Emperor of Brazil ...

and later 1st

Marquess A marquess (; ) is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German-language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman with the rank of a marquess or the wife (or wid ...

of Angra by Decree of 1 May 1826 by

Maria II of Portugal Dona Maria II (Maria da Glória Joana Carlota Leopoldina da Cruz Francisca Xavier de Paula Isidora Micaela Gabriela Rafaela Gonzaga de Habsburgo-Lorena e Bragança; 4 April 1819 – 15 November 1853) also known as "the Educator" () or as ...

, then still in Brazil, and was created the 5th Grand-Cross of the Portuguese Ancient and Very Noble Order of the Tower and Sword, of the Valour, Loyalty and Merit. In January 1828 he was once again appointed Ambassador to France and was raised to the Peerage of Great Britain and Ireland as Baron Stuart de Rothesay, of the Isle of Bute, at the same time. He continued as Ambassador to France until November 1830. In 1841 he was made

Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...

, a post he held until 1844.

Personal life

Lord Stuart de Rothesay married Lady Elizabeth Margaret, daughter of Philip Yorke, 3rd Earl of Hardwicke, on 6 February 1816. They had two daughters: * Hon. Charlotte Stuart (1817–1861), wife of

Charles Canning, 1st Earl Canning Charles John Canning, 1st Earl Canning (14 December 1812 – 17 June 1862), also known as the Viscount Canning and Clemency Canning, was a British politician and Governor-General of India during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and the first ...

. * Hon. Louisa Anne Stuart (1818–1891), wife of Henry Beresford, 3rd Marquess of Waterford.

Highcliffe Castle

Early retirement from the diplomatic service allowed him to start on a project to build a new family home. By 1830 he had purchased much of the eastern end of the estate, at Highcliffe, Dorset. Highcliffe had previously been owned by his forebears, although the estate had been sold by his father. Stuart engaged

William Donthorne William John Donthorn (Donthorne in some sources) (1799 – 18 May 1859) was an English architect, and one of the founders of what became the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). He was born in Swaffham, Norfolk. He was a pupil of Sir ...

, a founder member of the

Royal Institute of British Architects The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally, founded for the advancement of architecture under its royal charter granted in 1837, three suppl ...

, to design a new Highcliffe Castle. The castle is built on an L-shaped plan, oriented on a south-east axis. An

oriel window An oriel window is a form of bay window which protrudes from the main wall of a building but does not reach to the ground. Supported by corbels, bracket (architecture), brackets, or similar cantilevers, an oriel window generally projects from an ...

is central on the south east elevation, providing a vista across the landscaped gardens to a panorama of The Needles and

Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight (Help:IPA/English, /waɪt/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''WYTE'') is an island off the south coast of England which, together with its surrounding uninhabited islets and Skerry, skerries, is also a ceremonial county. T ...

. Carved medieval stonework from the Norman benedictine Abbey St Peter at Jumieges and from the Manoir de Radeval or ''Grand Maison'' of

Les Andelys Les Andelys (; Norman language, Norman: ''Les Aundelys'') is a Communes of France, commune in the northern French Departments of France, department of Eure, in Normandy (administrative region), Normandy. Geography It lies on the Seine, about no ...

, was used in the building of the house. Both of these buildings had fallen into disrepair after the French Revolution. A 16th-century oriel window and a stained glass window are among the castle's other notable architectural features.

Later life

After the Castle was completed, Charles became Ambassador to Russia in 1841. However ill-health caused his return to England and he died at Highcliffe in November 1845, aged 66, when the barony became extinct. He was buried at St Mark's Church, Highcliffe and his memorial can still be seen there. Lady Stuart de Rothesay remained a widow until her death in June 1867.

References

* (Originally published in * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Stuart De Rothesay, Charles Stuart, 1st Baron 1779 births 1845 deaths People educated at Eton College Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Barons in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Diplomatic peers Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to France

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 ''* ...

Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Portugal Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to the Russian Empire Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Brazil Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to the Netherlands Ambassadors of the United Kingdom to Spain Peers of the United Kingdom created by George IV