Robert Henry King, 4th Earl of Kingston (4 October 1796-21 January 1867), styled the Honourable Robert King until 1837 and Viscount Kingsborough between 1837 and 1839, was an Irish peer, soldier and Whig politician.

Background and education

Kingston was the second but eldest surviving son of George King, 3rd Earl of Kingston, and Lady Helena, daughter of Stephen Morre, 1st Earl of Mount Cashell. He was educated at Exeter College, Oxford

Exeter College, Oxford

Exeter College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England and the fourth oldest college of the University. The main entrance is on the east side of Turl Street...

Military career

Kingston served in the British army in occupied France after the fall of the Emperor Napoleon.

Political career

Kingston was returned to Parliament for County Cork

Cork County (UK Parliament constituency)

Cork County was a parliamentary constituency in Ireland, represented in the Parliament of the United Kingdom. From 1801 to 1885 it returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland....

 in 1826 (succeeding his elder brother Lord Kingsborough

Edward King, Viscount Kingsborough

Edward King, Viscount Kingsborough was an Irish antiquarian who sought to prove that the indigenous peoples of the Americas were a Lost Tribe of Israel...

), a seat he held until 1832. In 1836 he was Sheriff of County Cork. He gained the courtesy title

Courtesy title

A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...

 Viscount Kingsborough on the death of his brother in 1837 and succeeded in the earldom on the death of his father in 1839.

Family

Lord Kingston was arrested in March 1848 for assault and intent to commit an 'unnatural offence' involving a young man named Cull, which took place behind Marylebone police station. Although sent for trial, he failed to surrender to bail. Lord Kingston died in January 1867, aged 70. He was unmarried and was succeeded in the earldom by his younger brother, James

James King, 5th Earl of Kingston

James King , 5th Earl of Kingston; 5th Baron Kingston of Rockingham, Co. Roscommon; 5th Viscount Kingston of Kingsborough, Co. Sligo; 3rd Baron Kingston of Mitchelstown, Co. Cork and 9th Baronet King, of Boyle Abbey, Co...

.