Robert Robartes, Viscount Bodmin (7 February 1634 – 8 February 1682) was an English diplomat and politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

between 1660 and 1679. He was later ambassador to Denmark. Robartes was the eldest son of

John Robartes, 1st Earl of Radnor John Robartes, 1st Earl of Radnor (160617 July 1685) was an English politician, peer and military officer who fought for the Roundheads, Parliamentary cause during the English Civil War. He retired from public life before the trial and executi ...

and his wife Lucy Rich, second daughter of

Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, praise, reno ...

Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

He was educated at

Felsted School Felsted School is a co-educational independent school, independent boarding school, boarding and Day school, day school, situated in Felsted in Essex, England. It is in the British Public school (UK), public school tradition, and was founded i ...

in Essex and

Christ's College, Cambridge Christ's College is a Colleges of the University of Cambridge, constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college includes the Master, the Fellows of the College, and about 450 undergraduate and 250 graduate students. The c ...

In 1660, Robartes was elected Member of Parliament for

Cornwall Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...

in the Convention Parliament. History of Parliament Online - Robartes, Robert
/ref> He was elected MP (Member of Parliament) for

Bossiney Bossiney (, meaning ''Kyni's dwelling'') is a village in north Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is north-east of the larger village of Tintagel which it adjoins: further north-east are the Rocky Valley and Trethevy. Until 1832 the village, ...

in 1661 for the

Cavalier Parliament The Cavalier Parliament of England lasted from 8 May 1661 until 24 January 1679. With the exception of the Long Parliament, it was the longest-lasting English Parliament, and longer than any Great British or UK Parliament to date, enduring ...

and sat until 1679. He was ambassador to Denmark in 1681. Robartes died in 1682 at the court of Denmark at the age of 48, predeceasing his father. He had married Sarah, second daughter of

John Bodvel John Bodvel (1617 – March 1663) was a Welsh politician who sat in the House of Commons of England (and Wales) from 1640 to 1644. He was a colonel in the Royalist army in the English Civil War. Bodvel was the son of Sir John Bodvel (died 16 ...

of Bodville Castle, North Wales and his wife Anne Russell, with whom he had two sons. The marriage displeased her father, whose consent had not been asked, and led him to disinherit his daughter in favour of a distant cousin. The Robartes family eventually regained the inheritance, but only after protracted litigation, which is described by

Samuel Pepys Samuel Pepys ( ; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English writer and Tories (British political party), Tory politician. He served as an official in the Navy Board and Member of Parliament (England), Member of Parliament, but is most r ...

in his famous Diary. He was succeeded by his eldest son,

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 ''* ...

(1660–1723), to whom the title of Earl of Radnor later descended from Robert's father, and who was mentioned by

Jonathan Swift Jonathan Swift (30 November 1667 – 19 October 1745) was an Anglo-Irish writer, essayist, satirist, and Anglican cleric. In 1713, he became the Dean (Christianity), dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, and was given the sobriquet "Dean Swi ...

in his

Journal to Stella A journal, from the Old French ''journal'' (meaning "daily"), may refer to: *Bullet journal, a method of personal organization *Diary, a record of personal secretive thoughts and as open book to personal therapy or used to feel connected to onesel ...

. His younger son, Russell, became a

Teller of the Exchequer The Teller of the Receipt of the Exchequer was an office in the English Exchequer. The Tellers of the Exchequer received any money to be paid into the Exchequer, noted the amount in a book, and sent a copy of the entry, called a Teller's Bill, to ...

and an MP. Google Books

References

1634 births 1682 deaths People educated at Felsted School Alumni of Christ's College, Cambridge Members of the pre-1707 English Parliament for constituencies in Cornwall English MPs 1660 English MPs 1661–1679 Heirs apparent who never acceded Ambassadors of England to Denmark 17th-century English diplomats English courtesy viscounts {{1661-England-MP-stub