George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol facts for kids
George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol (born November 5, 1612 – died March 20, 1677) was an important English politician and a nobleman. He served in the House of Commons, which is like a parliament, from 1640 to 1641. After that, he became a member of the House of Lords, another part of the parliament. George Digby supported the Royalists during the English Civil War. This was a big conflict where people who supported the King fought against those who supported Parliament. Even though he was very smart, his strong personality sometimes caused problems for himself and the Kings he served.
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Early Life and Education
George Digby was born in Madrid, Spain, around 1612. His father, John Digby, 1st Earl of Bristol, was the English Ambassador to Spain for many years. When George was just twelve years old, he spoke in front of the House of Commons to defend his father, who was in the Tower of London. People were very impressed by his youth and his excellent speaking skills.
He later studied at Magdalen College, Oxford, starting in 1626. He was a favorite student of his teacher, Peter Heylin. George spent several years studying and traveling, which helped him become a very accomplished person. In 1634, he got into trouble for an argument in London. This might have made him less friendly towards the King's court. He earned his Master of Arts degree in 1636. George also wrote letters about religion, where he shared his views against Roman Catholicism.
Politics and the English Civil War
In April 1640, George Digby was chosen to be a member of parliament for Dorset. He was elected again in November 1640 for the Long Parliament. At first, he worked with other important politicians like John Pym and John Hampden to challenge King Charles I of England. He was very active in trying to hold the King's advisors accountable.
However, George Digby later changed his mind about some of his earlier actions. For example, he spoke out against punishing Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford, even though he had initially been against him. He argued that it was unfair to punish someone for actions that were not considered crimes at the time they happened. Because of this, many members of Parliament became angry with him. In July 1641, his speech was publicly burned by order of the House of Commons.
In February 1641, he gave an important speech supporting changes to the church but not wanting to completely get rid of the existing church leadership. To protect him from further attacks, King Charles I moved him to the House of Lords in June 1641.
King Charles often listened to George Digby's advice, even over other wise advisors. Digby suggested that the King try to arrest five members of Parliament in January 1642. This was a very risky move and it failed, making the situation between the King and Parliament much worse.
Soon after, Digby was accused of serious actions and fled to the Dutch Republic. There, he joined the Queen, Henrietta Maria of France. He was later accused by Parliament.
George Digby secretly visited King Charles at York disguised as a Frenchman. He was captured on his way back but managed to escape. He fought in the Battle of Edgehill and was injured. After a disagreement with Prince Rupert of the Rhine, he returned to the King at Oxford. He became even more influential as the King's situation grew more difficult.
In September 1643, he became a secretary of state and a royal advisor. He supported the Queen's ideas of getting help from other countries and from Ireland. He was involved in several negotiations that did not go well for the King. His arguments with Prince Rupert also caused more problems.
In October 1645, he became a military leader in the north. He was defeated in a battle at Sherburn, where his private letters were captured. These letters showed the King's plans for help from abroad and from Ireland, which caused more trouble. Digby then went to Ireland, where he tried to organize support for the King.
Life in Exile
After the Civil War, George Digby went into exile in France. He tried to convince Charles, Prince of Wales, to come to Ireland to lead a royalist movement. When he joined Charles in Jersey in April 1646, he wanted to take him to Ireland. However, he was convinced not to by other advisors. Digby then traveled to Paris and eventually persuaded Charles to join him there.
In Paris, among the other Royalists, he faced many people who were angry with him. He even fought a duel with Lord Wilmot. Digby continued his adventures by serving in the French army during a conflict called the war of the Fronde. He showed great bravery and skill, becoming a lieutenant-general in the French army in 1651.
However, these new honors did not last long. He tried to become a powerful advisor to the French King, but when Cardinal Mazarin returned to power, he saw Digby as just an adventurer. Digby was eventually asked to leave France because of a treaty with Oliver Cromwell, who was leading England at the time.
In August 1656, he joined Charles II in Bruges. Wanting revenge on the Cardinal, he offered his help to Spain. He helped Spain capture a town in 1657. Charles II appointed him secretary of state in January 1657. But soon after, he had to give up this job because he had become a Roman Catholic. He probably did this to get along better with his new Spanish friends. Charles II took him to Spain in 1659 because of his cheerful personality and his experience there.
Even though he was not always welcome, he managed to make friends in Spain and was welcomed by Philip IV of Spain in Madrid. George Digby became the 2nd Earl of Bristol after his father died in 1653.
Return to England and Later Life
When the King returned to England in 1660, known as the English Restoration, George Digby also came back. Because he was a Roman Catholic, he was not allowed to hold important government jobs. He tried to make an impact through his active participation in parliament. He was very much against Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon, another important figure.
In foreign affairs, he strongly supported Spain and opposed the King's marriage to Catherine of Braganza. He even convinced Charles to send him to Italy to look at other princesses, but the King's marriage and a treaty with Portugal were decided while he was away.
In June 1663, Bristol tried to challenge Clarendon's leadership in the House of Commons. However, his plans were revealed by King Charles, and he had to explain himself to the House of Lords. His speech was seen as quite amusing. In July, he spoke very angrily to the King, even threatening him. On July 10, he made a serious accusation against Clarendon in the Lords. When the accusation was dismissed, he repeated it and was forced to hide for two years to avoid arrest.
In January 1664, George Digby publicly announced that he was no longer a Roman Catholic and was now a Protestant. He probably did this to avoid being accused of not following the official church. When Clarendon's power began to fall, Bristol was welcomed back to court. He took his seat in the Lords in July 1667. People noted how quickly he could gain and lose favor with the King. He strongly pushed for Clarendon's punishment.
In March 1668, Bristol attended church services in the Lords. In March 1673, even though he was still seen as a Roman Catholic, he spoke in favor of the Test Act. This law made it difficult for Roman Catholics to hold public office. He described himself as "a Catholic of the Church of Rome, not a Catholic of the Court of Rome," meaning he followed the faith but not necessarily the Pope's political power. He believed that Roman Catholics were not suitable for public office. In 1674, he bought a large house in Chelsea. George Digby's adventurous and unpredictable life ended when he died on March 20, 1677.
Character and Writings
George Digby was a very noticeable person of his time. He was incredibly smart and a great speaker. He could succeed in anything he tried, but his strong ambition and changing personality kept him from achieving true greatness.
One historian described him as "the only man I ever knew of such incomparable parts that was none the wiser for any experience or misfortune that befell him." This means he was brilliant but didn't learn from his mistakes. Another writer said his life was full of contradictions. He wrote against Catholicism but then became one. He fought against the King but then sacrificed for him. He was brave but often unsuccessful as a commander.
Besides his early letters about religion, he wrote an Apology (1643) explaining why he supported the King. He also wrote a comedy play called Elvira (1667) and another play called Worse and Worse. Many of his powerful speeches were also printed.
Family Life
George Digby married Lady Anne Russell. She was the daughter of Francis Russell, 4th Earl of Bedford. Anne died in 1697. They had four children together:
- John Digby, 3rd Earl of Bristol (born around 1635 – died September 18, 1698). He married twice but did not have any children, so the title of Earl of Bristol ended with him.
- Francis Digby (died 1672), who never married.
- Diana Digby, who married Rene de Mol, Baron de Herent, in 1658. She had children and, like her father, became a Catholic.
- Anne Digby (died April 26, 1715), who married Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland. Famous people like Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York and Diana, Princess of Wales are descended from her.
Images for kids
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Portrait of George Digby in 1637 with William Russell, 1st Duke of Bedford, by Sir Anthony van Dyck. Althorp, Northamptonshire.
