Person    | Male  Born 18/6/1769  Died 12/8/1822

Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh

Categories: Politics & Administration, Tragedy

Countries: Ireland

Politician. Born Dublin to a land-owning politician. Entered government in 1798, first in Ireland, and then from 1801 in Westminster. Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs 1812 - 22. 1821 became  2nd Marquess of Londonderry. 1822 began showing signs of nervous breakdown or madness and one day at his home in Kent he found a small knife and cut his own throat. A retrospective speculative diagnosis suggests syphilis.

Had a political falling out with a fellow cabinet member, George Canning, and challenged him to a duel. This took place on 21 September 1809 on Putney Heath. Canning, who had never previously fired a pistol, missed but was hit in the thigh. When the event was known they both resigned from the government.

Not a popular man, as instanced by Byron's ditty about his grave:
Posterity will ne'er survey
A nobler grave than this:
Here lie the bones of Castlereagh:
Stop, traveller, and piss.

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Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh

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