Arnold van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
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The Earl c. 1700.
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| Earl of Albemarle | |
| Tenure | 1697–1718 |
| Predecessor | New creation |
| Successor | William van Keppel |
| Full name |
Arnold Joost van Keppel
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| Baptised | 30 January 1670 Zutphen, Dutch Republic |
| Died | 30 May 1718 (aged 48) |
| Noble family | De Voorst |
| Spouse(s) | Geertruid Johanna Quirina van der Duyn |
| Issue Detail |
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| Father | Oswald van Keppel |
| Mother | Anna Geertruid van Lintelo |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  Dutch Republic |
| Years of service | 1703–1718 |
| Battles/wars | |
Arnold Joost van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle, was an important Dutch military leader. He fought for William III of England, who was also the Prince of Orange. Arnold van Keppel became the first Earl of Albemarle, a special title of nobility. He was born in Zutphen, in what was then the Dutch Republic, around 1670. His parents were Oswald van Keppel and Anna Geertruid van Lintelo. He also owned a large country house called De Voorst, which was paid for by King William III.
Life of Arnold van Keppel
Arnold Joost van Keppel was born in Zutphen, a city in the Dutch Republic, around 1670. His family was old and noble. He became very famous and wealthy as a close helper of William III of Orange.
He started working for William III as a "page of honour" when he was a teenager, possibly as early as 1685. A page of honour was a young attendant to a royal person. Keppel went with William to England during the Glorious Revolution of 1688. This was a time when William III became King of England.
Some people think their friendship began when Keppel was only 16. Others say it started later, perhaps after a hunting accident. It is said that Keppel impressed the king by not complaining when he broke his leg.
In 1692, Keppel started to receive land from the king. This showed how much the king trusted him. By 1695, he became a "Groom of the Bedchamber" and "Master of the Robes." These were important roles in the king's household.
In 1696, he was given the titles of Viscount Bury and Baron Ashford. Then, on February 10, 1697, King William made him the Earl of Albemarle. In 1699, he was put in charge of the First Life Guards, a group of soldiers.
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In 1700, King William gave Albemarle a lot of land in Ireland. However, the Parliament (the government's law-making body) made the king take back this gift. Instead, William gave him £50,000, which was a huge amount of money. In the same year, he became a Knight of the Garter, a very high honor.
Albemarle served in both the English and Dutch armies. By 1697, he was a major-general. He also led several regiments (groups of soldiers) and was the governor of 's-Hertogenbosch, a city in the Netherlands.
He was known for being handsome and friendly. He had the full trust of King William and went with him everywhere. In February 1702, when King William was very ill, he sent Albemarle to the Netherlands to plan for an upcoming military campaign. Albemarle returned just in time to receive William's final instructions before the king died. William also gave him his private papers.
After King William III died, he left Albemarle a large sum of money (ƒ200,000) and the lordship of Bredevoort. Albemarle then went back to the Netherlands. He became a member of the States-General, which was the Dutch government. He also became a general of cavalry (soldiers on horseback) in the Dutch army.
In 1703, he joined the allied forces in the War of the Spanish Succession. He was at important battles like the Battle of Ramillies in 1706 and Oudenaarde in 1708. He also played a key role in the siege of Lille, where armies surround a city to capture it.
He led the siege of Aire in 1710. In 1711, he led part of the army for Marlborough, a famous general. In 1712, he was the general of the Dutch forces. As commander, he successfully attacked Arras, destroying many French supplies. However, he was defeated at the Battle of Denain after the English forces, led by Ormonde, left the battle. Albemarle was taken prisoner. He died on May 30, 1718, when he was 48 years old.
Family Life
Albemarle married Geertruid Johanna Quirina van der Duyn. Her father, Major General Scravenmore, was an officer in the Danish Auxiliary Corps.
Arnold and Geertruid had two children:
- William Anne: He became the 2nd Earl of Albemarle after his father. He married the granddaughter of Charles II of England.
- Sophia (1716–1773): She married General John Thomas. They had at least two sons. Their younger son, Colonel Charles Nassau Thomas, held an important position for George IV when George was a prince.
