Charles Talbot, 1st Duke of Shrewsbury

Charles Talbot, 1st Duke of Shrewsbury, KG, PC ( July 24, 1660 *, † February 1, 1718 ) was an English / British politician.

Talbot was the only son of Francis Talbot, 11th Earl of Shrewsbury. His father was in 1668 by the lover of his wife, George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham, killed in a duel. The English king Charles II, was his godfather.

Talbot went on during the reign of King Charles II in 1681 to the Church of England and therefore had to give up his service as colonel of cavalry immediately after the accession of James II. Talbot was one of the significant leaders of the Whig party, which in 1688 William of Orange demanded that come to England. After he had previously gone to Holland, Talbot landed in November 1688 with him in England ( Glorious Revolution).

He was Secretary of State for the Southern Department, at that time the highest ministerial office in the government. In the following decade Talbot held intermittently several ministerial posts. King William III. elevated him in 1694 to the " Marquess of Alton " and " Duke of Shrewsbury ."

1697 Talbot acknowledged, not accused without reason, to have been linked with the King James II fled compounds his service. But in 1699 he was appointed Lord Chamberlain of the Household of William. The same held office Talbot 1710-1715, after he had moved closer to the more moderate Tory party. Queen Anne Talbot appointed in 1710 to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and in 1714 he was asked by Anne shortly before her death as Lord High Treasurer to the top of the ministry. This appointment made ​​a significant contribution to the peaceful accession of George I. to ensure that he supported.

While Talbot was in his time as a particularly good-looking, but suffered all his life from poor health. Also, he had only one eye. At the age of 57 years Charles Talbot died on February 1, 1718 childless. With him the ducal title became extinct in the male line. The earldom inherited a sideline. His wife, a maid of honor to the Princess of Wales, survived him by eight years.