George Macartney, 1st Earl Macartney

George Macartney, 1st Earl Macartney ( born May 14, 1737 Lissanoure, Ireland, † May 31, 1806 in Chiswick, Middlesex ) was a British statesman, colonial administrator and diplomat of Irish origin.

Life

Hailing from old Scottish family, he was born in 1737 in the Irish Lissanoure. After attending Trinity College, Dublin, and Temple School, London, he began his professional career with his appointment as special envoy to Russia in 1764, where he negotiated an alliance between the two countries with Empress Catherine II.

1776, he was ennobled as Baron Macartney and included in the Peerage of Ireland. He became governor of Grenada in 1775, 1780 of Madras. The appointment as Governor-General of India, he refused and returned to the UK back in 1786 instead.

In 1792 he was elevated to Earl Macartney and appointed head of the eponymous Macartney mission, which was to prepare the inclusion of equal trade relations with China, but was turned brusquely by Emperor Qianlong.

After returning from a secret mission to Italy, he was accepted in 1795 as Baron Macartney in the Peerage of Great Britain, whereby a seat in the House of Lords was connected. Two years later he was appointed governor of the newly acquired Cape Colony. Already in the following year, forcing him to withdraw health problems.

Lord Macartney died 1806 in Chiswick, Middlesex; his titles have gone out with him.

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