John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair
Field Marshal John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair KT PC ( born July 20, 1673 Edinburgh, Scotland, † May 9, 1747 ) was a Scottish soldier and diplomat.
Military career
Although born in Edinburgh, John Dalrymple spent his earlier years, mainly in the Netherlands and studied at the University of Leiden. When in 1689 William III King of Scotland was, he returned home and in 1707 he was voted one of sixteen Scottish representatives for the newly formed Parliament of Great Britain.
Dalrymple commanded a brigade in the War of Spanish Succession, during the siege of Lille and then at the Battle of Malplaquet. He became assistant to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough and, in 1709, he was sent as ambassador to Poland Augustus II. In 1712 he was promoted for his military successes to the general.
Diplomatic career
When George I ascended the throne, Dalrymple was sent as an envoy to Paris. According to the Duc de Saint -Simon began his time as ambassador bad, because Louis XIV took an instant dislike towards him and refused to meet him or to let him meet his ministers. Stair, in view of the age of the king and his poor health, was waiting for the turn of the situation, and after Louis 's death quickly became established friendly relations with the new regime, which paved the way for the 1717 closed Triple Alliance ( Triple Alliance) between Holland, France and the UK. Five years long, in the 1710s years, prevented his spies effectively different " intrigue " by the Jacobites. In 1729 he became vice-admiral of Scotland, but lost the position again in 1733, mainly because of his opposition to the Excise Bill of 1733 supported by Prime Minister Robert Walpole. However, when Walpole left office in 1742, Dalrymple was promoted to Field Marshal and commanded the Pragmatic Army, which was sent to support the Hanoverian and Austrian troops in their fight for Maria Theresa and the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713 in the Austrian War of Succession. He led the Allies at the Battle of Dettingen to victory.
He was the colonel of various units, including the "Grey Dragoons" ( today's Royal Scots Greys ).
Character
Winston Churchill called him one of the ablest British Ambassador, who was ever sent to Paris. Duke of Saint- Simon, the Stair knew personally, described him as a man of great abilities and intelligence, but treacherous, sneaky, untrustworthy and arrogant.
Family
He married Lady Eleanor Campbell, the daughter of the Earl of Loudon, but had no children. He decreed that after his death his county should go to his nephew John Dalrymple, but the House of Lords ruled that the right to appoint an heir, had lapsed. Thus, the county went to the legal heirs of James Dalrymple, 3rd Earl of Stair.