Daniel Charles O'Connell
Encyclopedia
Daniel Charles, Count O'Connell (May 1745 - 1833) was the uncle of Daniel O'Connell
"the Liberator." He was from a noble family of Derrynane House
, County Kerry, Ireland, but because of the Penal Laws (Ireland)
of the time, which forbade a Catholic to have any education or profession, he, like many other ambitious young Irishmen, went to the Continent for an education, and remained abroad. He entered the service of the king of France in the Royal Swedish Regiment (Royal Suédois
) in 1761, and in 1769 was transferred to Lord Clare's Regiment of the Irish Brigade (French)
and served in Europe and Mauritius
until 1778. Then he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel and transferred back to the Royal Swedish Regiment, with which he saw action at the siege of Port Mahon
and at the Great Siege of Gibraltar
. "At Gibraltar he was on board one of the famous floating batteries and was severely wounded." He was later appointed Colonel Commander of the Salm-Salm Regiment, and was created a Chevalier of the Order of Saint Louis
. He also was appointed to a military committee charged with revising French infantry tactics.
Daniel Charles O'Connell was created Count O'Connell by Louis XVI
in 1785.
He became an officer in the French king's Irish Brigade. He was a friend of, among others, Benoît de Boigne
.
O'Connell left France for England after the French Revolution
. The laws against Catholics were weakening, and in 1794, at the instigation of British Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger
, he now joined the British army and raised the Fourth Brigade of the Irish Brigade of the British army, which he commanded until the corps was disbanded.
He died at Blois
, France, at the chateau of his stepdaughter, in July 1833, holding the ranks of General in the French and Colonel in the British army.
Daniel O'Connell
Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell Daniel O'Connell (6 August 1775 – 15 May 1847; often referred to as The Liberator, or The Emancipator, was an Irish political leader in the first half of the 19th century...
"the Liberator." He was from a noble family of Derrynane House
Derrynane House
Derrynane House was the home of Irish politician and statesman, Daniel O'Connell. It is now an Irish National Monumement and part of a 320 acre National Park....
, County Kerry, Ireland, but because of the Penal Laws (Ireland)
Penal Laws (Ireland)
The term Penal Laws in Ireland were a series of laws imposed under English and later British rule that sought to discriminate against Roman Catholics and Protestant dissenters in favour of members of the established Church of Ireland....
of the time, which forbade a Catholic to have any education or profession, he, like many other ambitious young Irishmen, went to the Continent for an education, and remained abroad. He entered the service of the king of France in the Royal Swedish Regiment (Royal Suédois
Royal Suédois
The Royal-Suédois was an infantry regiment in the French Army during the Ancien Régime. It was created in 1690 from Swedish prisoners taken during the Battle of Fleurus. The regiment was very successful and eventually earned the right and privilege to be called a Royal regiment. Thus it was named...
) in 1761, and in 1769 was transferred to Lord Clare's Regiment of the Irish Brigade (French)
Irish Brigade (French)
The Irish Brigade was a brigade in the French army composed of Irish exiles, led by Robert Reid. It was formed in May 1690 when five Jacobite regiments were sent from Ireland to France in return for a larger force of French infantry who were sent to fight in the Williamite war in Ireland...
and served in Europe and Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
until 1778. Then he was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel and transferred back to the Royal Swedish Regiment, with which he saw action at the siege of Port Mahon
Mahon
Mahón is a municipality and the capital city of the Balearic Island of Minorca , located in the eastern part of the island. Mahon has the second deepest natural harbor in the world: 5 km long and up to 900m. wide...
and at the Great Siege of Gibraltar
Great Siege of Gibraltar
The Great Siege of Gibraltar was an unsuccessful attempt by Spain and France to capture Gibraltar from the British during the American War of Independence. This was the largest action fought during the war in terms of numbers, particularly the Grand Assault of 18 September 1782...
. "At Gibraltar he was on board one of the famous floating batteries and was severely wounded." He was later appointed Colonel Commander of the Salm-Salm Regiment, and was created a Chevalier of the Order of Saint Louis
Order of Saint Louis
The Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis was a military Order of Chivalry founded on 5 April 1693 by Louis XIV and named after Saint Louis . It was intended as a reward for exceptional officers, and is notable as the first decoration that could be granted to non-nobles...
. He also was appointed to a military committee charged with revising French infantry tactics.
Daniel Charles O'Connell was created Count O'Connell by Louis XVI
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
in 1785.
He became an officer in the French king's Irish Brigade. He was a friend of, among others, Benoît de Boigne
Benoît de Boigne
Benoît Leborgne , better known as Count Benoît de Boigne or General Count de Boigne, was a military adventurer from the Alps of French Savoy, who made his fortune and name in India...
.
O'Connell left France for England after the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. The laws against Catholics were weakening, and in 1794, at the instigation of British Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt the Younger was a British politician of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. He became the youngest Prime Minister in 1783 at the age of 24 . He left office in 1801, but was Prime Minister again from 1804 until his death in 1806...
, he now joined the British army and raised the Fourth Brigade of the Irish Brigade of the British army, which he commanded until the corps was disbanded.
He died at Blois
Blois
Blois is the capital of Loir-et-Cher department in central France, situated on the banks of the lower river Loire between Orléans and Tours.-History:...
, France, at the chateau of his stepdaughter, in July 1833, holding the ranks of General in the French and Colonel in the British army.