Mary Bruce, Countess of Elgin facts for kids
Mary Hamilton Bruce, Countess of Elgin (born Mary Nisbet; 18 April 1778 – 9 July 1855) was an important and wealthy woman in the late 1700s and early 1800s. She was the first wife of Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, who was a British diplomat. He served as the Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire (which is now mostly Turkey).
Early Life of Mary Nisbet
Mary Hamilton Nisbet was born on April 18, 1778, in Dirleton, Scotland. Her parents were from wealthy families who owned a lot of land. Her father, William Hamilton Nisbet, owned large estates in Scotland. Her mother, also named Mary, was the granddaughter of a duke.
Mary grew up on the Archerfield Estate near Edinburgh. From a young age, she wrote in a detailed diary. When she was a teenager, her father became a Member of Parliament. This meant the family traveled to London. There, Mary joined high society through her grandmother. People noticed that she was very mature for her age. She often joined her parents at events usually meant for adults.
Marriage to Lord Elgin
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Mary Nisbet met Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin, in 1798. He had just become the Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. They were distantly related and both families thought they would be a good match. They married on March 11, 1799. After their wedding night, they traveled to Lord Elgin's home in Fife, Scotland.
After a short time in London, the couple left England on September 3, 1799. Lord Elgin needed to start his job as ambassador. They sailed from Portsmouth on a ship called HMS Phaeton. Mary was pregnant, but she decided to travel with her new husband. Their journey lasted two months. They visited Lisbon, Gibraltar, and parts of Sicily before reaching Constantinople (now Istanbul).
Life in Constantinople was challenging at first. English people were not very popular or trusted. Mary and Lord Elgin moved into the old French embassy. Mary decorated it and hosted many grand parties there. In November, with special permission, Mary became the first woman to attend an important Ottoman political ceremony. Even though she was five months pregnant, she had to dress as a man to be there.
Mary and Lord Elgin had five children:
- George Charles Constantine (1800–1840), who passed away before his father.
- Mary, who married Robert Dundas in 1828.
- Matilda-Harrie, who married John Maxwell in 1839.
- William, who passed away young from an illness in 1805.
- Lucy, who married John Grant in 1828.
In Fiction
- Mary is a character in the book Stealing Athena by Karen Essex, published in 2008.
