James Brydges, 8th Baron Chandos (1642–1714) was an English Ambassador to the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

. He was the son of Sir John Brydges, 2nd Baronet and Mary Pearle. A graduate of

St John's College, Oxford St John's College is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford. Founded as a men's college in 1555, it has been coeducational since 1979.Communication from Michael Riordan, college archivist Its foun ...

Brydges became 3rd Baronet, of Wilton, Herefordshire in 1651 and 8th Baron Chandos of Sudeley in 1686 following the death of his third cousin, William Brydges, 7th Baron Chandos. Lord Chandos had connections with the

Levant Company The Levant Company was an English chartered company formed in 1592. Elizabeth I of England approved its initial charter on 11 September 1592 when the Venice Company (1583) and the Turkey Company (1581) merged, because their charters had expired, ...

, for example through his father-in-law Sir Robert Barnard, who was a merchant. The Levant Company controlled the appointment of the British ambassador in

Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...

, and although Charles II had some reservations about his politics, Chandos was elected by the Company on 22 April 1680. Royal Instructions were issued on 29 December. Lord Chandos arrived in Constantinople as the ambassador on 22 July 1681. Having served for only three years, he was recalled in November 1684. He left Turkey in October 1687. At this time, the Ottoman Empire was making great advances into Europe, reaching the walls of

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. ...

. He served as High Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1667. He married Elizabeth Barnard and was the father of James Brydges, 1st Duke of Chandos, famous as the employer of

Handel George Frideric (or Frederick) Handel ( ; baptised , ; 23 February 1685 – 14 April 1759) was a German-British Baroque composer well-known for his operas, oratorios, anthems, concerti grossi, and organ concerti. Born in Halle, Germany, H ...

and friend of

Alexander Pope Alexander Pope (21 May 1688 Old Style and New Style dates, O.S. – 30 May 1744) was an English poet, translator, and satirist of the Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment era who is considered one of the most prominent English poets of the early ...

; his daughter, The Hon. Mary Brydges, who married Theophilus Leigh, was the great-grandmother of

Jane Austen Jane Austen ( ; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for #List of works, her six novels, which implicitly interpret, critique, and comment on the English landed gentry at the end of the 18th century ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chandos, James Brydges, Baron 1642 births 1714 deaths Alumni of St John's College, Oxford Ambassadors of England to the Ottoman Empire 18th-century English civil servants High sheriffs of Herefordshire 17th-century English diplomats Ja 8 18th-century English diplomats