Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Anglesey
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Lord Anglesey, by John Michael Wright
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| Lord Privy Seal | |
| In office 1673–1682 |
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| Monarch | Charles II |
| Preceded by | The Lord Robartes |
| Succeeded by | The Marquess of Halifax |
| President of the Council of State | |
| In office 23 February 1660 – 28 May 1660 |
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| Preceded by | Bulstrode Whitelocke |
| Succeeded by | position abolished (Council of state dissolved, monarchy restored) |
| Treasurer of the Navy | |
| In office 1667–1668 |
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| Preceded by | Sir George Carteret |
| Succeeded by | Sir Thomas Osborne and Sir Thomas de Littelton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 July 1614 Dublin, Kingdom of Ireland |
| Died | 6 April 1686 (aged 71) London, Kingdom of England |
| Resting place | Farnborough, Hampshire, England |
| Alma mater | Magdalen College, Oxford |
| Occupation | Anglo-Irish royalist statesman |
Arthur Annesley, 1st Earl of Anglesey (born July 10, 1614 – died April 6, 1686) was an important statesman from Ireland and England. He was known for supporting the king. He held several high-ranking jobs in the government.
He was the President of the English Council of State for a short time. He also served as the Treasurer of the Navy. Later, he became the Lord Privy Seal for King Charles II from 1673 to 1682. In 1660, he became the 2nd Viscount Valentia after his father. The next year, in 1661, he was given the title Earl of Anglesey.
Contents
Arthur Annesley's Early Life
Arthur Annesley was born in Dublin, Ireland. His father was Francis Annesley, 1st Viscount Valentia. Arthur went to Magdalen College, Oxford, and finished his studies in 1634. After college, he traveled around Europe.
When he returned to Ireland, he worked for the Parliament. He helped make a peace agreement in 1647. This agreement kept the country from falling completely into rebel hands. In April 1647, he became a member of the House of Commons of England.
Supporting Parliament and the King
Annesley supported the Parliament members who were against the army's power. He was a moderate and a Presbyterian. This meant he was careful about the army's decisions during the war. He did support Oliver Cromwell, who later became a powerful leader.
His loyalty to Cromwell might have helped him keep his seat in Parliament. He also served in Richard Cromwell's Parliament for Dublin City. In February 1660, he became the President of the Council of State. He worked hard to bring back the king during the English Restoration.
He tried to be fair and gentle when judging those who had acted against the king. On June 1, 1660, he joined the Privy Council of England. In November, he became Viscount Valentia after his father passed away. On April 20, 1661, he was made Baron Annesley and Earl of Anglesey.
Working for the Government
Anglesey supported the king's government in Parliament. However, he disagreed with a new tax on goods. He thought it was unfair after another tax was removed. He was very good at helping manage Ireland.
He was the Vice-Treasurer of Ireland from 1660 to 1667. He also worked on committees to help settle affairs in Ireland. Later, in 1671 and 1672, he led groups looking into how new laws were working. In 1667, he became the Treasurer of the Navy.
Later Years and Public Service
Arthur Annesley was known for being independent and sticking to his beliefs. In 1663, he was the only one to protest a new trade law. He believed it would cause England to lose its silver money. He also strongly opposed a law that stopped Irish cattle from being imported into England.
In 1667, his navy accounts were checked because he refused to join an attack on another official. He was suspended from his job in 1668, but no wrongdoing was found. In 1671, he played a big part in a debate between the two parts of Parliament. He wrote a paper called The Privileges of the House of Lords and Commons (1702).
Important Roles and Challenges
In April 1673, he became the Lord Privy Seal. He was a calm and fair person during the religious arguments of his time. In 1674, he tried to stop laws against Roman Catholics and Nonconformists from being enforced.
During the "Popish Plot" scare in 1678, he showed great courage. He was one of the few who protested against disarming Catholics. He also disagreed that there was an Irish plot. Even though he believed Lord Stafford was guilty, he asked the king to be merciful to him.
His independent views led to attacks against him. He was accused of trying to hide evidence for Catholics. In 1681, Anglesey wrote a letter to defend his views on the Irish rebellion. He also wrote a report to the king in 1682 about the state of the government. Because of this, he was removed from his job as Lord Privy Seal on August 9, 1682.
Final Years and Legacy
In 1683, Anglesey spoke in court to defend Lord Russell. In 1685, he was the only one to protest a decision about Lord Stafford. He spent his time between his home in Oxfordshire and London. He died in 1686 from a throat infection.
He was a very capable and brave statesman. He earned a lot of money in Ireland and owned a large library of books. His books were sold after his death. Many of his books have been found, including one with his notes.
People like Samuel Pepys, a famous diarist, spoke highly of him. Pepys called him a "grave, serious man" and praised his work as treasurer of the navy.
Works
Arthur Annesley wrote several books and pamphlets, including:
- A True Account of the Whole Proceedings betwixt ... the Duke of Ormond and ... the Earl of Anglesey (1682)
- A Letter of Remarks upon Jovian (1683)
- The King's Right of Indulgence in Matters Spiritual ... asserted (1688)
- Truth Unveiled, to which is added a short Treatise on ... Transubstantiation (1676)
- The Obligation resulting from the Oath of Supremacy (1688)
- England's Confusion (1659)
- Reflections on a Discourse concerning Transubstantiation
Family and Descendants
Anglesey married Elizabeth Altham. She was the daughter of Sir James Altham, a judge. They had seven sons and six daughters, including:
- James (1645–1690), who became the 2nd Earl of Anglesey.
- Altham, who was made Baron Altham.
- Richard (died 1701), who became the 3rd Baron Altham.
- Dorothy, who married Richard Power, 1st Earl of Tyrone.
- Elizabeth, who married Alexander MacDonnell, 3rd Earl of Antrim.
- Frances (died 1704/5), who married twice.
- Philippa (died 1714/5), who also married twice. Her son was Charles, 4th Baron Mohun.
- Anne, who married Sir Francis Wingate.
The sons of James became the 3rd, 4th, and 5th earls. Richard's second son, Richard (died 1761), became the 6th earl. The family line of the 1st Earl of Anglesey ended in 1844. However, the titles of Viscount Valentia and Baron Mountnorris passed to a cousin, Arthur.
Images for kids
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The title page of Anglesey's pamphlet The Privileges of the House of Lords and Commons (1702).
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