George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle
George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle KG PC JP (6 December 1608 – 3 January 1670) was an English soldier, who fought on both sides during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. A prominent military figure under the Commonwealth, his support was crucial to the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, who rewarded him with the title Duke of Albemarle and other senior positions.
The Duke of Albemarle KG PC JP | |
|---|---|
c. 1665–66 portrait by Peter Lely | |
| Chief Minister of Great Britain Lord High Treasurer | |
| In office June 1667 – January 1670 † | |
| Lord Lieutenant of Middlesex | |
| In office 1662 – 1670 † | |
| Custos Rotulorum & Lord Lieutenant of Devon | |
| In office July 1660 – January 1670 † | |
| Lord Deputy of Ireland | |
| In office June 1660 – February 1662 | |
| Member of Parliament for Devon | |
| In office April 1660 – July 1660 | |
| Commander-in-Chief of Scotland | |
| In office April 1654 – February 1660 | |
| General at sea | |
| In office 1652–1653 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 December 1608 Potheridge, Devon, England |
| Died | 3 January 1670 (aged 61) Potheridge, Devon, England |
| Resting place | Westminster Abbey |
| Spouse | Anne Clarges (1653–his death) |
| Children | Christopher Monck, 2nd Duke of Albemarle |
| Occupation | Professional soldier and naval officer |
| Signature | |
| Military service | |
| Rank | Captain general |
| Battles/wars | Anglo-Spanish War (1625–1630) Cádiz expedition (1625) Anglo-French War (1627–1629) St Martin-de-Ré Eighty Years' War Maastricht; Breda Wars of the Three Kingdoms Newburn; New Ross; Nantwich; Dunbar; Dundee; First Anglo-Dutch War Portland; The Gabbard; Scheveningen; Glencairn's rising Second Anglo-Dutch War Four Days' Battle; St. James's Day Battle |
The younger son of an impoverished Devon landowner, Monck began his military career in 1625 and served in the Eighty Years' War until 1638, when he returned to England. Posted to Ireland as part of the army sent to suppress the Irish Rebellion of 1641, he quickly gained a reputation for efficiency and ruthlessness. After Charles I agreed to a truce with the Catholic Confederacy in September 1643, he was captured fighting for the Royalists at Nantwich in January 1644 and remained a prisoner for the next two years.
Released in 1647, he was named Parliamentarian commander in Eastern Ulster, fought in Scotland under Oliver Cromwell in the 1650 to 1652 Anglo-Scottish War, and served as General at sea during the 1652 to 1654 First Anglo-Dutch War. From 1655 to 1660, he was army commander in Scotland, and his support for moderates in Parliament who wanted to restore the monarchy proved decisive in Charles II regaining his throne in May 1660.
Due to a combination of illness and lack of interest in politics, Monck faded into the background after 1660, but he returned to sea during the Second Anglo-Dutch War and played an important leadership role during the 1665 Great Plague of London, as well as the Great Fire of London in 1666. He lived in retirement for the last three years of his life and died in January 1670.