Macartney, George Macartney, Earl, 1737-1806

A member of an old Scots-Irish family, Macartney studied at Trinity College (M.A., 1759) in Dublin. He was knighted and appointed envoy extraordinary to Russia in 1764 and, on his return, entered Parliament, becoming chief secretary for Ireland (1769-72). In 1775 he became governor of the Caribbee Islands (Grenada, the Grenadines, and Tobago), being created an Irish baron in 1776, and from 1780 to 1786 he served as governor of Madras. After being created a viscount (1792), he was sent to China to negotiate additional trading rights for Britain.

British diplomat and statesman.

George Macartney was born in Ireland on May 3, 1737, the son of George Macartney and Elizabeth Winder. He attended Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, in the 1750s, and earned his master's degree in 1759. In the 1760s and early 1770s, he served in the Irish parliament; he was envoy extraordinary and ambassador to Russia, and later served in Ireland as chief secretary to Field Marshal George Townshend. On February 1, 1768, he married Lady Jane Stuart (1742-1828), the daughter of former prime minister John Stuart, third Earl of Bute (1713-1792), and Mary Wortley Montagu (1718--1794). Macartney traveled to the Caribbean in 1776 and served as governor of Grenada, Tobago, and the Grenadines until 1779, when he was imprisoned following the French invasion of Grenada. After his return to Great Britain, he was governor of Madras (1781-1785) and a diplomat to China and the Cape Colony (in what is now South Africa). He received an earldom in 1794. George Macartney died on March 31, 1806.

Epithet: Earl Macartney

Diplomat.

George Macartney, 1st Earl Macartney was born on May 14, 1737 at Lisanoure, Ireland; M.A., Trinity College, Dublin, 1759; he began his diplomatic career in 1764 as envoy to Russia; he was later appointed chief secretary for Ireland and in 1775 became captain general and governor of the Caribbee Islands (Grenada, the Grenadines, and Tobago); while he was at Grenada in 1779, the island was captured by the French, and Macartney was taken prisoner to France and there exchanged; his next appointment was governor of Fort St. George in India; he later refused the governor generalship; in 1792 he was created Earl Macartney and Viscount Macartney of Dervock in the peerage of Ireland; he was sent on missions to China and Italy, and served finally as governor of the Cape of Good Hope colony, resigning in 1798; he died on May 31, 1806.

George Macartney (1737-1806), 1st Earl Macartney, was Governor and President of Fort St George, Madras, 1780-1786.

Lord Macartney had been the president of Madras, although at the time of this correspondence he was residing in London.

George Macartney was born in Ireland and educated at Trinity College. In 1764, Lord Holland proposed him as envoy extraordinary to St. Petersburg for the negotiation of a trade treaty. Knighted before departing England, Macartney returned in 1767 after concluding the treaty and receiving the Polish Order of the White Eagle. He spent much of the remainder of his career in colonial governorships, including that of Madras, and took his seat in the Irish Parliament in 1788. In 1792 he was sent as plenipotentiary on a mission to Peking, and upon his return from China undertook negotiations with the exiled Louis XVIII in Verona. Macartney thereafter retired from public life due to ill-health.

Epithet: DD

In British heraldry, the coat of arms is a symbolic, visual representation of nobility. Individuals with a coat of arms were almost exclusively upper class, land-owning gentiles with military obligations. Arms passed down through families hereditarily. Beginning in the late 14th century, the King held complete control and jurisdiction over the armory, including the ability to grant arms without hereditary prerequisite. Although the King could and occasionally did directly grant arms, he delegated the responsibility to the Earl Marshal (first in military rank below the King) or the King of Arms.

Lord Macartney was sent to China by the British government in 1792 to negotiate trade terms for the East India Company.

The artist T.H. was Thomas Hickey, who was born in Dublin and worked primarily as a portrait artist. He went to China with the Irish peer, Lord Macartney, as painter for the expedition. H.W.P. was Lieutenant Henry William Parish who was an artillery officer for the expedition but who had also been trained to make plans and sketches.

Epithet: of Add MS 33107

Title: Earl Macartney

Biography

Macartney, George, Earl of Macartney (1737-1806), a British statesman, colonial administrator and diplomat, was born in Ireland on May 3, 1737 to George Macartney (d. 1779) and his wife, Elizabeth (d. 1755). He studied at Trinity College, Dublin, from 1750 to 1754 and received his MA in 1759. Via influential connections, Macartney was appointed envoy to Russia on October 4, 1764 and was knighted on October 19, 1764. He continued his diplomatic and governmental career with posts in Ireland as Chief secretary, Governor of Madras (1781-1796), an appointment as the first envoy of Britain to China (1793), and the governorship of the Cape (1796-1798). Macartney died on May 31, 1806.

George Macartney, 1st Earl Macartney, was born in Ireland in 1737. In 1764 he was appointed envoy-extraordinary to St. Petersburg. In this role he successfully concluded a commercial treaty with Russia and was awarded the Polish order of the White Eagle. He returned to England in 1767 where he declined the offer of the embassy at St. Petersburg and instead entered parliament as member for Cockermouth. He resigned from this post when he was appointed Chief Secretary to Lord Townshend, the Irish viceroy, in January 1769 (he had already been voted member for Armagh in absentia in 1768). Macartney was sworn of the Irish Privy Council in March 1769, was made KB in 1772, and in 1774 was made Governor of Toome Castle.

In 1775, he was appointed Captain-General and Governor of the Caribbee islands (Grenada, the Grenadines and Tobago) and the following year was raised to the Irish peerage as Baron Macartney of Lissanoure. Macartney was in Grenada in 1779 when the island was attacked and captured by the French and for a short period he was held as a prisoner of war in France.

During 1780, Macartney was sent by Lord North on a confidential mission to Ireland. He also sat for a while in the English commons as member for Beeralston, Devonshire. In 1781, the East India Company appointed him Governor of Madras, India; he resigned from this post in c.1785. After declining the offer of being Warren Hastings' successor as Governor-general of India, Macartney arrived back in England in January 1786.

Macartney took his seat in the Irish Lords in 1788 and served as custos rotulorum of Antrim, as a trustee of linen manufacture, and as a colonel in the yeomanry in Ulster. In 1792 he was created Earl Macartney and Viscount Macartney of Dervock in the peerage of Ireland. In September of the same year, he was part of an embassy sent to China to discuss a potential trade treaty; the embassy arrived home in September 1794.

In 1795, the Foreign Secretary, Lord Grenville, sent Macartney to Italy on a confidential mission to Louis XVIII of France who was then an exile at Verona. When Macartney returned to England he was created Baron Macartney of Parkhurst, Sussex, and of Auchinleck, Kirkcudbrightshire. In December 1796 he was appointed to his last official post as Governor of the Cape of Good Hope colony. He resigned in 1798 and returned to England where he declined Addington's offer of the chair of the Board of Control. Earl Macartney died in May 1806.

George Macartney, 1st Earl Macartney, was born in Ireland in 1737. In 1764 he was appointed envoy-extraordinary to St. Petersburg. In this role he successfully concluded a commercial treaty with Russia and was awarded the Polish order of the White Eagle. He returned to England in 1767 where he declined the offer of the embassy at St. Petersburg and instead entered parliament as member for Cockermouth. He resigned from this post when he was appointed Chief Secretary to Lord Townshend, the Irish viceroy, in January 1769 (he had already been voted member for Armagh in absentia in 1768). Macartney was sworn of the Irish Privy Council in March 1769, was made KB in 1772, and in 1774 was made Governor of Toome Castle.

In 1775, he was appointed Captain-General and Governor of the Caribbee islands (Grenada, the Grenadines and Tobago) and the following year was raised to the Irish peerage as Baron Macartney of Lissanoure. Macartney was in Grenada in 1779 when the island was attacked and captured by the French and for a short period he was held as a prisoner of war in France.

During 1780, Macartney was sent by Lord North on a confidential mission to Ireland. He also sat for a while in the English commons as member for Beeralston, Devonshire. In 1781, the East India Company appointed him Governor of Madras, India; he resigned from this post in c.1785. After declining the offer of being Warren Hastings' successor as Governor-general of India, Macartney arrived back in England in January 1786.

Macartney took his seat in the Irish Lords in 1788 and served as custos rotulorum of Antrim, as a trustee of linen manufacture, and as a colonel in the yeomanry in Ulster. In 1792 he was created Earl Macartney and Viscount Macartney of Dervock in the peerage of Ireland. In September of the same year, he was part of an embassy sent to China to discuss a potential trade treaty; the embassy arrived home in September 1794.

In 1795, the Foreign Secretary, Lord Grenville, sent Macartney to Italy on a confidential mission to Louis XVIII of France who was then an exile at Verona. When Macartney returned to England he was created Baron Macartney of Parkhurst, Sussex, and of Auchinleck, Kirkcudbrightshire. In December 1796 he was appointed to his last official post as Governor of the Cape of Good Hope colony. He resigned in 1798 and returned to England where he declined Addington's offer of the chair of the Board of Control. Earl Macartney died in May 1806.

George Macartney, 1st Earl Macartney, was born in Ireland in 1737. In 1764 he was appointed envoy-extraordinary to St. Petersburg. In this role he successfully concluded a commercial treaty with Russia and was awarded the Polish order of the White Eagle. He returned to England in 1767 where he declined the offer of the embassy at St. Petersburg and instead entered parliament as member for Cockermouth. He resigned from this post when he was appointed Chief Secretary to Lord Townshend, the Irish viceroy, in January 1769 (he had already been voted member for Armagh in absentia in 1768). Macartney was sworn of the Irish Privy Council in March 1769, was made KB in 1772, and in 1774 was made Governor of Toome Castle.

In 1775, he was appointed Captain-General and Governor of the Caribbee islands (Grenada, the Grenadines and Tobago) and the following year was raised to the Irish peerage as Baron Macartney of Lissanoure. Macartney was in Grenada in 1779 when the island was attacked and captured by the French and for a short period he was held as a prisoner of war in France.

During 1780, Macartney was sent by Lord North on a confidential mission to Ireland. He also sat for a while in the English commons as member for Beeralston, Devonshire. In 1781, the East India Company appointed him Governor of Madras, India; he resigned from this post in c.1785. After declining the offer of being Warren Hastings' successor as Governor-general of India, Macartney arrived back in England in January 1786.

Macartney took his seat in the Irish Lords in 1788 and served as custos rotulorum of Antrim, as a trustee of linen manufacture, and as a colonel in the yeomanry in Ulster. In 1792 he was created Earl Macartney and Viscount Macartney of Dervock in the peerage of Ireland. In September of the same year, he was part of an embassy sent to China to discuss a potential trade treaty; the embassy arrived home in September 1794.

In 1795, the Foreign Secretary, Lord Grenville, sent Macartney to Italy on a confidential mission to Louis XVIII of France who was then an exile at Verona. When Macartney returned to England he was created Baron Macartney of Parkhurst, Sussex, and of Auchinleck, Kirkcudbrightshire. In December 1796 he was appointed to his last official post as Governor of the Cape of Good Hope colony. He resigned in 1798 and returned to England where he declined Addington's offer of the chair of the Board of Control. Earl Macartney died in May 1806.