John Mordaunt, Viscount Mordaunt facts for kids
John Mordaunt, Viscount Mordaunt (born around 1681 – died 5 April 1710) was an English soldier and politician. He was known for his bravery in battle and his work in the British Parliament.
John Mordaunt was the oldest son of Charles Mordaunt, who was the 3rd Earl of Peterborough. He studied at Christ Church, Oxford, a famous university. Before that, he traveled in Holland in 1699.
Contents
A Young Politician
John Mordaunt became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Chippenham in 1701. An MP is someone elected to represent people in the House of Commons, which is part of the British Parliament. He was part of the Whig Party, a political group at the time. Even though some people said he was too young (he was about 20), he was still elected.
He worked closely with his father in politics. In 1701, he helped with an attempt to remove Lord Somers from his position. This process is called impeachment. John Mordaunt left his seat in 1705 to try and win another election in Nottinghamshire, but he didn't succeed. However, he returned to represent Chippenham later that same year and stayed an MP until 1708.
A Brave Soldier
John Mordaunt was a very brave soldier during the War of the Spanish Succession. This was a big war that involved many European countries.
Leading the Charge
In 1704, as a captain, he led a very dangerous attack at the Battle of Schellenberg. This kind of attack was called a "forlorn hope" because it was so risky. He was one of the few soldiers who survived this fierce fight.
Soon after, he helped lead another strong attack at the Battle of Blenheim. During this battle, he was badly injured and lost his left arm.
Becoming a Colonel
On 25 August 1704, John Mordaunt was made a colonel. A colonel is a high-ranking officer in the army. He took command of the Scots Fuzileers regiment. The previous colonel, Brigadier Archibald Rowe, had been killed at the Battle of Blenheim.
In 1706, he switched regiments with another colonel named Sampson de Lalo. But in 1709, he returned to lead the Scots Fuzileers again. This happened after de Lalo was killed at the Battle of Malplaquet.
Family Life
In 1708, John Mordaunt married Lady Frances Powlett. She was the daughter of Charles Paulet, 2nd Duke of Bolton. They had two sons together:
- Charles Mordaunt, 4th Earl of Peterborough (1708–1779)
- Lt.-Col. John Mordaunt (born around 1709–1767)
His Final Years
John Mordaunt died on 5 April 1710 from smallpox. Smallpox was a very serious disease at that time. He was buried in Turvey, Bedfordshire, on 13 April.
