Richard Bellew, 3rd Baron Bellew of Duleek facts for kids

Richard Bellew, 3rd Baron Bellew of Duleek (born around 1671 – died March 22, 1715) was an important Irish figure. He was a soldier, a peer (which means he held a special noble title), and a politician. He lived during a time of big changes in Ireland.

Early Life and Military Service

Richard Bellew was the second son of John Bellew, 1st Baron Bellew of Duleek. His family supported King James II during a big conflict called the Williamite War in Ireland. This war was fought between those who supported King James II (known as Jacobites) and those who supported William of Orange.

Richard Bellew joined the army and became a captain. Later, he rose to the rank of colonel in a special cavalry unit called a dragoon regiment.

Leaving Ireland

After the war, Richard Bellew was declared an "outlaw" under the Articles of Limerick. This meant he lost some of his rights and property. In 1691, he joined many other Irish soldiers and nobles who left Ireland for France. This event is known as the Flight of the Wild Geese. In France, he briefly served in the French Royal Army.

While in France, Richard had a disagreement with another officer. Because of this, he decided to return to Ireland.

Becoming a Baron and Regaining His Rights

In 1694, Richard's older brother, Walter, passed away. This meant Richard inherited his family's noble title and became the Baron Bellew of Duleek.

He then worked hard to get his outlaw status removed. With help from powerful people, he was granted a "pardon" (forgiveness) by King William III in 1697. It took him another year to get permission to live in England, and even longer to get his family's lands back. Getting everything sorted out was very expensive, and he ended up with a lot of debt.

A Change in Faith and Politics

In 1705, Richard Bellew changed his religion and became a Protestant, joining the Church of England. This was an important step at the time, as it allowed him to take part in politics.

In 1707, he was called to join the Irish House of Lords. This was a special group of nobles who helped make laws for Ireland.

Entering British Politics

Richard Bellew also tried to become a member of the House of Commons of Great Britain, which was the main law-making body for Great Britain.

• First Attempt (1709): He ran in an election for the Steyning area. There was some confusion about who won, and the House of Commons decided he had lost.
• Second Attempt (1712): He tried again in 1712 and won the election! However, after an investigation, it was found that there had been bribery, and his election was cancelled.

At first, he was seen as a "Tory" politician, which was one of the main political groups. But by 1714, he was considered a "Whig" in the Irish parliament, which was the other main political group. In 1713, he was given a yearly payment of £300 by Queen Anne.

Richard Bellew passed away in 1715 and was buried in St. Mary's Abbey, Duleek.

Family Life

In 1695, Richard Bellew married Lady Frances Brudenell. She was the daughter of Francis Brudenell, Lord Brudenell, and had been married before.

When Richard Bellew died, his son, John, inherited his title and became the next Baron Bellew. Richard also had a daughter named Dorothea, who married a politician named Gustavus Hamilton.