Paul Methuen (diplomat)
Encyclopedia
Sir Paul Methuen PC, KB
(c. 1672 – 11 April 1757) was an English diplomat and politician.
He was the son of John Methuen
and was educated privately then at a Jesuit school in Paris
. He went to Lisbon
in 1691, when his father was appointed minister there. He gained valuable experience and the esteem of King Pedro. During two absences of his father he became chargé d'affaires, rising to Minister on his father's appointment as Lord Chancellor of Ireland
in 1697. He was unable to prevent a Portuguese-French alliance in 1701. When his father returned to Portugal a special envoy in 1702, they were successful in breaking the alliance in 1703. The led to the Methuen commercial treaty
between England and Portugal
, the basis of Britain's monopoly of Portuguese trade for much of the 18th century. His father remained in Portugal as ambassador. In 1705, he served with the army, being present at the capture of Gibraltar
. On his return to England to obtain military supplies he was appointed Minister to Savoy
, but succeeded his father as ambassador to Portugal on the latter's death in July 1706.
He was elected Member of Parliament
(MP) for Devizes
in 1708. He served there until 1710, then for Brackley
from 1713 to 1714 and from 1715 to 1747. He served as a Lord of the Admiralty from 1709 to 1710, and as a Lord of the Treasury
from 1714 to 1716, being sworn as a Privy Councillor on 29 October 1714. About the same time, he was briefly ambassador to Spain and Morocco. He became Secretary of State for the Southern Department
from 1716–1717, but resigned with Robert Walpole
. On the latter's resumption of office, he became Comptroller of the Royal Household in 1720, exchanging that office for Treasurer of the Household
in 1725.
He was made a Knight of the Bath by George I in May 1725.
He died, unmarried, in 1757, and was buried in the south aisle of Westminster Abbey
, near his father John
. His heir was his cousin Paul Methuen
, for whom he bought Corsham Court
. That Paul's grandson was created Baron Methuen
.
Methuen, Massachusetts
was named after Sir Paul Methuen. It is the only community in the world that bears his name.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(c. 1672 – 11 April 1757) was an English diplomat and politician.
He was the son of John Methuen
John Methuen
The Very Reverend John Alan Robert Methuen was an Anglican priest who was eminent in the latter part of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st. He was born on 14 August 1947 and educated at Eton and Brasenose College, Oxford...
and was educated privately then at a Jesuit school in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He went to Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
in 1691, when his father was appointed minister there. He gained valuable experience and the esteem of King Pedro. During two absences of his father he became chargé d'affaires, rising to Minister on his father's appointment as Lord Chancellor of Ireland
Lord Chancellor of Ireland
The office of Lord Chancellor of Ireland was the highest judicial office in Ireland until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. From 1721 to 1801 it was also the highest political office of the Irish Parliament.-13th century:...
in 1697. He was unable to prevent a Portuguese-French alliance in 1701. When his father returned to Portugal a special envoy in 1702, they were successful in breaking the alliance in 1703. The led to the Methuen commercial treaty
Methuen Treaty
The Methuen Treaty was an offensive military and commercial treaty between Portugal and England signed in 1703 as part of the War of the Spanish Succession....
between England and Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, the basis of Britain's monopoly of Portuguese trade for much of the 18th century. His father remained in Portugal as ambassador. In 1705, he served with the army, being present at the capture of Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
. On his return to England to obtain military supplies he was appointed Minister to Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
, but succeeded his father as ambassador to Portugal on the latter's death in July 1706.
He was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Devizes
Devizes (UK Parliament constituency)
Devizes is a parliamentary constituency in Wiltshire, England, which is now represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and before 1707 in the House of Commons of England....
in 1708. He served there until 1710, then for Brackley
Brackley (UK Parliament constituency)
Brackley was a parliamentary borough in Northamptonshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1547 until 1832, when the constituency was abolished by the Great Reform Act.-History:...
from 1713 to 1714 and from 1715 to 1747. He served as a Lord of the Admiralty from 1709 to 1710, and as a Lord of the Treasury
Lord of the Treasury
In the United Kingdom, there are at least six Lords of the Treasury who serve concurrently. Traditionally, this board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of the Treasury, and four or more junior lords .Strictly they are commissioners for exercising the office of Lord...
from 1714 to 1716, being sworn as a Privy Councillor on 29 October 1714. About the same time, he was briefly ambassador to Spain and Morocco. He became Secretary of State for the Southern Department
Secretary of State for the Southern Department
The Secretary of State for the Southern Department was a position in the cabinet of the government of Kingdom of Great Britain up to 1782.Before 1782, the responsibilities of the two British Secretaries of State were divided not based on the principles of modern ministerial divisions, but...
from 1716–1717, but resigned with Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
. On the latter's resumption of office, he became Comptroller of the Royal Household in 1720, exchanging that office for Treasurer of the Household
Treasurer of the Household
The position of Treasurer of the Household is theoretically held by a household official of the British monarch, under control of the Lord Steward's Department, but is, in fact, a political office held by one of the government's Deputy Chief Whips in the House of Commons...
in 1725.
He was made a Knight of the Bath by George I in May 1725.
He died, unmarried, in 1757, and was buried in the south aisle of Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
, near his father John
John Methuen
The Very Reverend John Alan Robert Methuen was an Anglican priest who was eminent in the latter part of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st. He was born on 14 August 1947 and educated at Eton and Brasenose College, Oxford...
. His heir was his cousin Paul Methuen
Paul Methuen (MP)
Paul Methuen was an English politician.He was Member of Parliament for Westbury 1747–1748, for Warwick 1762–1768, Great Bedwyn 1774–1781.- References:...
, for whom he bought Corsham Court
Corsham Court
Corsham Court is an English country house in a park designed by Capability Brown. It is in the town of Corsham, 3 miles west of Chippenham, Wiltshire and is notable for its fine art collection, based on the nucleus of paintings inherited in 1757 by Paul Methuen from his uncle, Sir Paul...
. That Paul's grandson was created Baron Methuen
Baron Methuen
Baron Methuen, of Corsham in the County of Wiltshire, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1838 for the former Member of Parliament for Wiltshire and Wiltshire North, Paul Methuen. His grandson, the third Baron , was a distinguished soldier. His son, the fourth Baron,...
.
Methuen, Massachusetts
Methuen, Massachusetts
Methuen is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 43,789 at the 2000 census.-History:Methuen was first settled in 1642 and was officially incorporated in 1726; it is named for the British diplomat Sir Paul Methuen. Methuen was originally part of Haverhill,...
was named after Sir Paul Methuen. It is the only community in the world that bears his name.