Arthur Dillon, Count Dillon facts for kids

Arthur Dillon, Count Dillon (1670–1733) was an Irish soldier who fought for the Jacobites (supporters of King James II) and for France. He was the colonel of a famous group of soldiers called Dillon's Regiment. This regiment was part of the Irish Brigade in the French army. Arthur Dillon fought in important wars like the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession. He was especially brave at the Battle of Cremona against Prince Eugene of Savoy.

Early Life and Family

Arthur Dillon was born in 1670 in County Roscommon, Ireland. His family lived at a place called Kilmore. He was the third son of Theobald Dillon and his wife, Mary Talbot.

Arthur's father, Theobald, was the 7th Viscount Dillon. He strongly supported King James II during the Williamite War in Ireland. Arthur's family, the Dillons, were originally Anglo-Norman settlers who came to Ireland a long time ago in 1185. His mother's family, the Talbots, were also an old English family living in Ireland. Both of Arthur's parents were Catholic.

Arthur had seven brothers and sisters. His older brother, Henry, later became the 8th Viscount Dillon.

Joining the Army

In 1688, Arthur's father raised two groups of soldiers for King James II. One was led by his brother Henry, and the other by Arthur himself. Arthur was only 20 years old when he became a colonel.

In 1690, King James II and King Louis XIV of France made a deal. They agreed to send 5,400 Irish soldiers to France. In return, France sent six French regiments to Ireland. Arthur Dillon's Regiment was part of this group, known as the Irish Brigade. They arrived in Brest, France, on May 1, 1690.

Sadly, both of Arthur's parents died during the Williamite War. His father was killed at the Battle of Aughrim in July 1691. His mother died in September 1691 during the second Siege of Limerick when a cannonball hit the town.

Fighting in the Nine Years' War

At this time, France was fighting in the Nine Years' War (1688–1697). The war in Ireland was actually a part of this bigger conflict. Dillon and his regiment were sent to fight in Roussillon and Catalonia (parts of modern-day Spain and France). They fought against the Spanish.

One important battle was the siege of Barcelona in 1697. The French army, led by the duc de Vendôme, surrounded the city. Barcelona was defended by its governor and Prince George of Hesse-Darmstadt. After 52 days, the city gave up on August 10, 1697.

Marriage and Family Life

The Nine Years' War ended in 1697, and there were four years of peace. During this time, Arthur Dillon got married. His wife was Christina Sheldon. She was a lady-in-waiting to Mary of Modena, who was King James II's wife. Christina's family was English and Catholic. Her uncle was Dominic Sheldon, a famous Jacobite general.

Arthur and Christina had ten children together:

• Five sons:
  • Charles (1701–1741), who became the 10th Viscount Dillon.
  • Henry (1705–1787), who became the 11th Viscount Dillon.
  • James (died 1745), who became Colonel of Dillon's Regiment and died in the Battle of Fontenoy.
  • Edward (1720–1747), who also became Colonel of the Dillon Regiment and died in the Battle of Lauffeld.
  • Arthur Richard (1721–1806), who became an important French archbishop.
• Five daughters:
  • Frances, who became a Carmelite nun.
  • Catharine (died 1753), who also became a Carmelite nun.
  • Mary (died 1786).
  • Bridget (died 1785), who married Baron Blaisel, a French general.
  • Laura (died 1741), who married Lucius Cary, 6th Viscount Falkland.

War of the Spanish Succession

The War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714) started because the last Spanish king, Charles II of Spain, died without any children to take his place. Arthur Dillon and his regiment were sent to fight in this new war.

Battles in Italy

In 1701, Dillon's regiment was sent to northern Italy. Here, France and its ally, Savoy, were trying to take control of the Duchy of Milan. French troops fought against the Austrians, led by Prince Eugene of Savoy.

On February 1, 1702, Prince Eugene tried to surprise the French army in Cremona. This event is known as the Battle of Cremona. The French commander was captured. However, Dillon's Irish regiment, along with another Irish regiment, saved the French from defeat. They bravely held a key gate and a bridge, stopping the Austrians from taking the town. Prince Eugene eventually had to retreat.

After Cremona, the duc de Vendôme took command of the French army in Italy. Dillon and his regiment fought under Vendôme in several battles, including Santa-Vittoria and Battle of Luzzara in 1702. On October 1, 1702, Dillon was promoted to brigadier, a higher military rank.

In 1704, Arthur Dillon, now 34, was promoted again to maréchal de camp, which is like a major general. In 1705, Dillon's regiment played a key role in stopping Prince Eugene's attack at the Battle of Cassano. For his bravery, Dillon was given an award called the Order of Saint Louis.

Later Campaigns

In 1706, a major battle happened in the Spanish Netherlands, where the French lost. Because of this, many French troops, including Dillon's regiment, were sent to Flanders.

On September 9, 1706, Dillon and another commander won the Battle of Castiglione. However, this victory didn't change the overall war much, because the French had lost another important battle, the Battle of Turin, the day before. After Turin, the French had to leave northern Italy.

For his actions at Castiglione, Dillon was promoted to lieutenant général (Lieutenant General) on September 24, 1706. He also helped defend Toulon in 1707.

In 1708, Dillon's regiment moved to the Moselle region. In 1709, he was sent to defend the French province of Dauphiné from attacks. He successfully defended Briançon and defeated an enemy unit on August 28, 1709.

In 1711, King Louis XIV made Arthur Dillon a "comte" (Count) in France.

The Peace of Utrecht treaty in April 1713 ended the war between France and Britain, the Netherlands, and Savoy. In this treaty, France agreed to stop supporting the Jacobites.

However, the war between France and Austria continued. Count Dillon was sent to fight on the Rhine river in 1713. He helped capture Kaiserslautern and the Castle Wolfstein. He also took part in the sieges of Landau and Freiburg. The war with Austria finally ended in March 1714.

Dillon's last military campaign was back in Spain. He returned to Barcelona in 1714, where he had fought before. The city was taken on September 11, 1714.

Later Life and Death

After his military career, Count Dillon was appointed commander in the Dauphiné region and governor of Toulon.

As a French general, Dillon was not allowed to take part in the Jacobite rising of 1715 in Scotland. However, he continued to support the Jacobite cause. In 1717, he was appointed by James Francis Edward Stuart (the Jacobite claimant to the British throne) to represent him at the French court in Paris. Dillon helped raise money to support Jacobite plans to invade England.

In 1718, Dillon was ordered to command French troops in Italy during another war. He was later replaced as the Jacobite agent in Paris.

James Francis Edward, whom Dillon recognized as King James III, gave him Irish titles of Baron and Viscount in 1717. In 1721, James III also gave him Scottish titles, making him Earl Dillon. In 1722, he was made a Knight of the Thistle, a special Jacobite award.

Arthur Dillon was also the grandfather of two other French generals named Arthur Dillon and Théobald Dillon. He was also the great-grandfather of a famous writer, Henriette-Lucy Dillon.

In 1730, Arthur Dillon retired from the army. He handed over command of his regiment to his eldest son, Charles.

Count Arthur Dillon died on February 5, 1733, at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye in France. His eldest son, Charles, took over his titles.

Images for kids

• Arthur Dillon family tree.svg

  Family tree of Arthur Dillon.