Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh

Did You Know?

• Castlereagh served as President of the Board of Control from July 1802, mediating disputes between the Governor-General of India and the East India Company.
• As Secretary of State for War and the Colonies, he endorsed an aggressive expeditionary policy, including a landing at the Elbe in 1805 to liberate Hanover.
• Thomas Moore, the Irish bard, lampooned Castlereagh in works such as Tom Crib's Memorial to Congress and Fables for the Holy Alliance.

Early life and career in Ireland

Robert Stewart was born on 18 June 1769 in Dublin, the only surviving child of Robert Stewart and Sarah Frances Seymour-Conway. His father, a Presbyterian, was a friend of reform and served in the Irish House of Commons, also raising a company for the Irish Volunteer movement. The family's wealth came from the marriage of Castlereagh's grandfather Alexander Stewart to an East India Company heiress, which funded the purchase of estates in north Down, including Mount Stewart. Castlereagh's mother died in childbirth when he was a year old. His father was created Baron Londonderry in 1789, Viscount Castlereagh in 1795, and Earl of Londonderry in 1796, later becoming Marquess of Londonderry in 1816. At some point before his elevation to Viscount, the family took the established Anglican communion.

Chief Secretary for Ireland

In 1795, after William Fitzwilliam was replaced as Lord Lieutenant by John Pratt, 2nd Earl Camden, Stewart crossed the floor of the Irish House of Commons to support the government. He became an adviser to Camden and, following his father's elevation to Earl of Londonderry in 1796, was styled Viscount Castlereagh. In September 1796, he led raids in Belfast that captured leading United Irishmen, including former political associates. In February 1797, he was appointed Keeper of the King's Signet for Ireland and later made a Lord of the Treasury and Member of the Privy Council of Ireland. He assumed many duties of the Chief Secretary and, after March 1798 as Acting Chief Secretary, played a key role in crushing the Irish Rebellion of 1798. In November 1798, he was formally appointed Chief Secretary by Lord Cornwallis. He pushed the Act of Union through the Irish Parliament, but resigned when King George III resisted Catholic Emancipation.

Foreign Secretary

Castlereagh returned to government in 1812 as Foreign Secretary, also becoming Leader of the House of Commons after Spencer Perceval's assassination. He negotiated the quadruple alliance between Britain, Austria, Russia, and Prussia at Chaumont in March 1814, and was involved in the Treaty of Paris and the Congress of Vienna. The Treaty of Chaumont, largely written by Castlereagh, offered cash subsidies to keep armies in the field against Napoleon and established a confederated Germany, independent Italian states, restoration of Bourbon kings of Spain, and enlargement of the Netherlands. Historian G. M. Trevelyan argued that Castlereagh held together the alliance of states against Napoleon, and that without his lead France might not have been reduced to its ancient limits nor Napoleon dethroned.

Decline and death

Castlereagh became extremely unpopular at home, attacked in the House of Commons for supporting repressive European governments and for his role in the divorce of George IV and Queen Caroline. After his father's death in April 1821, he became the 2nd Marquess of Londonderry and won a by-election for his uncle's borough of Orford. He was in favour with King George IV, who proposed dismissing Lord Liverpool to appoint Castlereagh. However, his relations with colleagues broke down, possibly under paranoia. By 1822, he showed signs of paranoia or a nervous breakdown, was overworked, and his oratory became practically incoherent. He spoke of resigning, and died by suicide in 1822.