Charles Richard Vaughan
Encyclopedia
Sir Charles Richard Vaughan, GCH
, PC
, (20 December 1774 – 15 June 1849) was a British diplomat
.
Vaughan born at Leicester
, the son of James Vaughan, a physician
, and his wife, Hester née Smalley. His brothers were Sir Henry Halford (Vaughan)
, who dropped the family name; Sir John Vaughan
(1769–1839), a Baron of the Exchequer; and Peter Vaughan, Warden of Merton College, Oxford
. Vaughan was educated at Rugby School
, where he entered on 22 January 1788, and at Merton College, Oxford, matriculating on 26 October 1791. He graduated BA
in 1796 and MA in 1798, in which year he was also elected a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford
. He intended to follow the medical profession, attending lectures in both Edinburgh
and London
, and took the degree of MB
in 1800. He was, however, elected Radcliffe Travelling Fellow on 4 December 1800, and spent the next three years in Germany
, France
, and Spain
. In 1804, he visited Constantinople
, Asia Minor
, and Syria
. The following year, he made his way from Aleppo
to Persia, fell ill near the Caspian Sea
, and was indebted perhaps for his life to the kindness of some Russia
n officers. With them, he sailed for the Volga in November, was shut out by the ice, and had to spend the winter on the desert island of Kulali
, but eventually arrived at Astrakhan
in April 1806, reaching England by way of St Petersburg on 11 August 1806.
In 1808, in a private capacity, Vaughan accompanied Charles Stuart
to Spain
, and was present at the assembly of the northern juntas at Lugo
; thence he went to Madrid
, and travelled to Saragossa with Colonel Charles Doyle. On his return to Madrid, he was sent with dispatches relating to the Battle of Tudela
to Sir John Moore at Salamanca
, and returned to England in December 1808. In 1809, he published his Narrative of the Siege of Saragossa, which reached a fifth edition within the year.
In 1809, Vaughan was also appointed private secretary to Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst
, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. On 5 January 1810, he became secretary of legation
(later of embassy) in Spain, whither he returned with the minister, Henry Wellesley
. He was sent to Britain in 1811 to give information as to the state of politics in Spain. He acted as minister-plenipotentiary
during the absence of his chief from August 1815 until December 1816, and his correspondence during these years throws much light on Spanish politics. On 5 April 1820, he went to Paris as secretary of embassy under his old friend Sir Charles Stuart, and on 8 February 1823, became minister-plenipotentiary to the confederated states of Switzerland. He was appointed envoy-extraordinary and minister-plenipotentiary to the United States in 1825, and on 23 March, he was appointed to the Privy Council
. Between 11 July and 13 August 1826, he travelled nearly 1800 miles in the United States
; three years later he accomplished another long tour. From 1831 to 1833 he was on leave of absence in England, and during this time had a personal conference with the king on American affairs. In 1833 he was appointed a GCH
. Ill health caused his retirement from Washington in October 1835. Though, in Sir Charles Webster's view, a man of 'no great ability', he dealt with important matters such as the Canadian boundary, the Latin America
n republics, the slave trade, and the tariff. On one occasion, he was fiercely reprimanded by Canning
for exceeding instructions. Palmerston
thought him 'a steady sensible man, though not very showy'.
In 1835, Vaughan made a protracted tour of Europe
. On 4 March 1837, he was sent on a special mission to Constantinople, and proceeded by way of Malta
, where he heard that the mission was no longer required; he therefore went to Venice
, and thence travelled home through Italy
and Switzerland
. In such travel, he spent most of the years that were left to him. He left minute itineraries of his later journeys. He died unmarried in Hertford Street, Mayfair
, Westminster
, on 15 June 1849.
Royal Guelphic Order
The Royal Guelphic Order, sometimes also referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent . It has not been conferred by the British Crown since the death of King William IV in 1837, when the personal union of the...
, PC
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
, (20 December 1774 – 15 June 1849) was a British diplomat
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
.
Vaughan born at Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, the son of James Vaughan, a physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, and his wife, Hester née Smalley. His brothers were Sir Henry Halford (Vaughan)
Henry Halford
Sir Henry Halford, 1st Baronet, GCH , born Henry Vaughan, royal and society physician, was physician extraordinary to King George III from 1793 to 1820, then as physician in ordinary to his three successors - George IV, William IV and the young Victoria...
, who dropped the family name; Sir John Vaughan
John Vaughan (puisne judge)
Sir John Vaughan PC was an English judge.Vaughan was born at Leicester, the third but second surviving son of Dr. James Vaughan a physician at Leicester, and his wife, Hester née Smalley. He was called to the bar in June 1791. In 1816 he became King's Serjeant and in 1827 he became Baron of...
(1769–1839), a Baron of the Exchequer; and Peter Vaughan, Warden of Merton College, Oxford
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
. Vaughan was educated at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
, where he entered on 22 January 1788, and at Merton College, Oxford, matriculating on 26 October 1791. He graduated BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1796 and MA in 1798, in which year he was also elected a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
. He intended to follow the medical profession, attending lectures in both Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and took the degree of MB
Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, or in Latin Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae , are the two first professional degrees awarded upon graduation from medical school in medicine and surgery by universities in various countries...
in 1800. He was, however, elected Radcliffe Travelling Fellow on 4 December 1800, and spent the next three years in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. In 1804, he visited Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
, and Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. The following year, he made his way from Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
to Persia, fell ill near the Caspian Sea
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
, and was indebted perhaps for his life to the kindness of some Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n officers. With them, he sailed for the Volga in November, was shut out by the ice, and had to spend the winter on the desert island of Kulali
Kulali
Kulali may refer to:*Aygedzor, Armenia*Karmir Gyukh, Armenia*Karmir-Kulali, Armenia...
, but eventually arrived at Astrakhan
Astrakhan
Astrakhan is a major city in southern European Russia and the administrative center of Astrakhan Oblast. The city lies on the left bank of the Volga River, close to where it discharges into the Caspian Sea at an altitude of below the sea level. Population:...
in April 1806, reaching England by way of St Petersburg on 11 August 1806.
In 1808, in a private capacity, Vaughan accompanied Charles Stuart
Charles Stuart, 1st Baron Stuart de Rothesay
Charles Stuart, 1st Baron Stuart de Rothesay GCB, PC , known as Sir Charles Stuart between 1812 and 1828, was a British diplomat...
to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and was present at the assembly of the northern juntas at Lugo
Lugo
Lugo is a city in northwestern Spain, in the autonomous community of Galicia. It is the capital of the province of Lugo. The municipality had a population of 97,635 in 2010, which makes is the fourth most populated city in Galicia.-Population:...
; thence he went to Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, and travelled to Saragossa with Colonel Charles Doyle. On his return to Madrid, he was sent with dispatches relating to the Battle of Tudela
Battle of Tudela
The Battle of Tudela was a battle of the Peninsular War fought on November 23, 1808 near Tudela, Spain. The battle resulted in the victory of the French and Poles under Marshal Lannes against the Spanish under General Castaños....
to Sir John Moore at Salamanca
Salamanca
Salamanca is a city in western Spain, in the community of Castile and León. Because it is known for its beautiful buildings and urban environment, the Old City was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. It is the most important university city in Spain and is known for its contributions to...
, and returned to England in December 1808. In 1809, he published his Narrative of the Siege of Saragossa, which reached a fifth edition within the year.
In 1809, Vaughan was also appointed private secretary to Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst
Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst
Henry Bathurst, 3rd Earl Bathurst KG PC was a British politician.-Background and education:Lord Bathurst was the elder son of Henry Bathurst, 2nd Earl Bathurst, by his wife Tryphena, daughter of Thomas Scawen...
, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. On 5 January 1810, he became secretary of legation
Legation
A legation was the term used in diplomacy to denote a diplomatic representative office lower than an embassy. Where an embassy was headed by an Ambassador, a legation was headed by a Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary....
(later of embassy) in Spain, whither he returned with the minister, Henry Wellesley
Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley
Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley GCB was the youngest brother of the Duke of Wellington, and became a notable diplomat in his own right.-Life:...
. He was sent to Britain in 1811 to give information as to the state of politics in Spain. He acted as minister-plenipotentiary
Diplomatic rank
Diplomatic rank is the system of professional and social rank used in the world of diplomacy and international relations. Over time it has been formalized on an international basis.-Ranks:...
during the absence of his chief from August 1815 until December 1816, and his correspondence during these years throws much light on Spanish politics. On 5 April 1820, he went to Paris as secretary of embassy under his old friend Sir Charles Stuart, and on 8 February 1823, became minister-plenipotentiary to the confederated states of Switzerland. He was appointed envoy-extraordinary and minister-plenipotentiary to the United States in 1825, and on 23 March, he was appointed to the Privy Council
Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Her Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, usually known simply as the Privy Council, is a formal body of advisers to the Sovereign in the United Kingdom...
. Between 11 July and 13 August 1826, he travelled nearly 1800 miles in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
; three years later he accomplished another long tour. From 1831 to 1833 he was on leave of absence in England, and during this time had a personal conference with the king on American affairs. In 1833 he was appointed a GCH
Royal Guelphic Order
The Royal Guelphic Order, sometimes also referred to as the Hanoverian Guelphic Order, is a Hanoverian order of chivalry instituted on 28 April 1815 by the Prince Regent . It has not been conferred by the British Crown since the death of King William IV in 1837, when the personal union of the...
. Ill health caused his retirement from Washington in October 1835. Though, in Sir Charles Webster's view, a man of 'no great ability', he dealt with important matters such as the Canadian boundary, the Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n republics, the slave trade, and the tariff. On one occasion, he was fiercely reprimanded by Canning
Stratford Canning, 1st Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe
Stratford Canning, 1st Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe KG GCB PC , was a British diplomat and politician, best known as the longtime British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire...
for exceeding instructions. Palmerston
Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, KG, GCB, PC , known popularly as Lord Palmerston, was a British statesman who served twice as Prime Minister in the mid-19th century...
thought him 'a steady sensible man, though not very showy'.
In 1835, Vaughan made a protracted tour of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. On 4 March 1837, he was sent on a special mission to Constantinople, and proceeded by way of Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
, where he heard that the mission was no longer required; he therefore went to Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, and thence travelled home through Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. In such travel, he spent most of the years that were left to him. He left minute itineraries of his later journeys. He died unmarried in Hertford Street, Mayfair
Mayfair
Mayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
, Westminster
Westminster
Westminster is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster, England. It lies on the north bank of the River Thames, southwest of the City of London and southwest of Charing Cross...
, on 15 June 1849.