John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl Granville
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The Earl Granville by William Hoare
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| Lord President of the Council | |
| In office 17 June 1751 – 2 January 1763 |
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| Monarch | |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | The Duke of Dorset |
| Succeeded by | The Duke of Bedford |
| Secretary of State for the Northern Department | |
| In office 12 February 1742 – 24 November 1744 |
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| Monarch | George II |
| Prime Minister | |
| Preceded by | The Lord Harrington |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Harrington |
| In office 5 February 1721 – 21 February 1721 |
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| Monarch | George I |
| Prime Minister | The Earl of Sunderland (as First Lord of the Treasury) |
| Preceded by | The Earl Stanhope |
| Succeeded by | The Viscount Townshend |
| Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | |
| In office 6 May 1724 – 23 June 1730 |
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| Monarch | |
| Prime Minister | Robert Walpole |
| Preceded by | The Duke of Grafton |
| Succeeded by | The Duke of Dorset |
| Secretary of State for the Southern Department | |
| In office 4 March 1721 – 31 March 1724 |
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| Monarch | George I |
| Prime Minister | Robert Walpole |
| Preceded by | James Craggs the Younger |
| Succeeded by | The Duke of Newcastle |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Carteret
22 April 1690 Westminster, Middlesex, England |
| Died | 2 January 1763 (aged 72) Westminster, Middlesex, Great Britain |
| Political party | Whig |
| Spouses |
Frances Worsley
(m. 1710; Sophia Fermor
(m. 1744; |
| Alma mater | Christ Church, Oxford |
John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville (born April 22, 1690 – died January 2, 1763), also known as Lord Carteret, was an important British statesman. He served as Lord President of the Council from 1751 to 1763. He worked closely with the Prime Minister, Spencer Compton, to manage the government. He was also the ruler of Sark (Seigneur of Sark) from 1715 to 1720.
Contents
Who was John Carteret?
John Carteret was the son of George Carteret, 1st Baron Carteret. His mother was Lady Grace Granville. His family, the Carterets, came from the Channel Islands and had Norman roots.
Early Life and Education
John Carteret went to Westminster School and then Christ Church, Oxford. He was known for being very smart. He learned a lot about ancient Greek and Latin. He also knew many modern languages. He was one of the few English noblemen who could speak German. This skill helped him talk with King George I, who didn't speak much English.
In 1710, Carteret married Lady Frances Worsley. They had several children. One of their daughters, Georgiana Caroline Carteret Spencer, later became the grandmother of Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire.
When he turned 21, Lord Carteret joined the House of Lords in 1711. Even though his family had supported the Jacobite cause (who wanted to bring back the old royal family), Carteret was loyal to the new Hanoverian kings. He supported the Whig leaders and helped pass the Septennial Act.
A Career in Diplomacy
Carteret was very interested in how Britain dealt with other countries. In 1719, he became the Ambassador to Sweden. For two years, he worked to protect Sweden from attacks by Peter the Great. He also helped bring peace to northern Europe.
During this time, he learned a lot about European politics, especially in Germany. He was very skilled at dealing with different leaders. When he returned to Britain, he became Secretary of State for the Southern Department. However, he soon faced challenges from other powerful politicians like Townshend and Sir Robert Walpole.
Challenges with Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole was a very powerful politician at the time. He saw Carteret as a rival. Carteret's ability to speak German with King George I made Walpole dislike him even more.
In 1724, there was a big protest in Ireland about new coins called "Wood's halfpence." Carteret was sent to Dublin as the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. His job was to calm things down. He had to deal with strong opposition and the famous Drapier's Letters by Jonathan Swift. Carteret was friends with Swift, which made his job tricky. Luckily, the government stopped trying to force the coins on the Irish people. Carteret was a popular Lord Lieutenant and stayed in Ireland until 1730. He was known for his generous entertaining.
Interests in the Americas
John Carteret had inherited a share of the Province of Carolina in America. In 1727, other owners decided to sell their shares back to the King. Carteret chose not to sell his. In 1729, the others gave up their claims. In 1730, Carteret agreed to give up his role in governing the land but kept his ownership.
His share became a 60-mile wide strip of land in North Carolina, known as the Granville District. This land stayed with the Carteret family until his son Robert died in 1776. After the American War of Independence, the British Crown paid Robert's family for the loss of these lands.
Working with Queen Caroline
When Carteret returned to London in 1730, Walpole was very powerful. Walpole had the full trust of Queen Caroline, and he made her dislike Carteret. For a while, Carteret was a leader of the opposition in the House of Lords.
Carteret tried to impress Queen Caroline, who loved books. He even paid for a special edition of Don Quixote for her. He also helped set up the Foundling Hospital, a charity supported by the Queen, and became a founding governor.
Becoming Secretary of State
Carteret supported the idea of going to war with Spain, which was a popular view. When the War of the Austrian Succession began, he supported Maria Theresa of Austria. He believed that if Austria became weaker, France would become too powerful. King George II liked these ideas and made him Secretary of State for the Northern Department in 1742.
In 1743, Carteret went with the King to Germany and was at the Battle of Dettingen. He held this important job until November 1744. Carteret helped Maria Theresa and Frederick II of Prussia reach an agreement. He understood how European countries related to each other and what was best for Great Britain.
Earl Granville and Later Years
In 1744, Carteret became the 2nd Earl Granville after his mother passed away. His first wife died in 1743. In 1744, he married Lady Sophia Fermor, who was a famous beauty in London. She was much younger than him.
Lady Sophia died in 1745, leaving one daughter, Sophia Carteret. In 1751, he became President of the Council. He was still liked and trusted by the King. In 1756, he was asked to become Prime Minister but declined. He supported William Pitt instead.
In 1761, Pitt wanted to declare war on Spain. Carteret famously said that "the opinion of the majority must decide." He praised Pitt but believed that no single minister should have all the power.
Family Life
John Carteret married twice:
- First, he married Frances Worsley (died 1743) in 1710. They had several children:
* George Carteret (born 1716), who died before his father. * Robert Carteret, 3rd Earl Granville (1721–1776), who inherited his father's title. * Louisa Carteret (around 1712–1736), who married Thomas Thynne, 2nd Viscount Weymouth. * Grace Carteret (born 1713), who married Lionel Tollemache, 4th Earl of Dysart. * Georgiana Caroline Carteret (born 1715–1780), who married John Spencer and was the mother of John Spencer, 1st Earl Spencer. * Frances Carteret (born 1718), who married John Hay, 4th Marquess of Tweeddale.
- Second, he married Sophia Fermor (died 1745) in 1744. She died the next year while giving birth to their only daughter:
* Sophia Carteret, who married William Petty, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne.
Death and Legacy
John Carteret remained President of the Privy Council until he died on January 2, 1763. Even on his deathbed, he insisted on hearing the details of the Treaty of Paris. He said it was his duty. He even quoted a line from an ancient Greek poem, meaning "let us go forward." He died in his home in London and was buried at Westminster Abbey.
His son Robert inherited the title of Earl Granville. However, Robert died without children in 1776, and the title ended.
Two counties in North Carolina were named after him: Carteret County (created 1722) and Granville County (1746). Other places like Granville Street in Vancouver, Canada, and towns in Massachusetts and New York are also named after him.
John Carteret is also shown in the 2011 movie Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, played by Anton Lesser.
See also
In Spanish: John Carteret para niños
