Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll

The 3rd Duke of Argyll.

Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll, 1st Earl of Ilay (June 1682 – 15 April 1761) was a Scottish nobleman, politician, lawyer, businessman and soldier. He was known as Lord Archibald Campbell from 1703 to 1706, and as the Earl of Ilay from 1706 until 1743, when he succeeded to the dukedom.

Born in Petersham, Surrey, he supported his brother, John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll (on many topics, most notably the Act of Union), earning him the title of Earl of Ilay in 1706. His military career, which was less successful than his brother's, was somewhat distinguished. He obtained the Colonelcy of the newly formed 36th Regiment of Foot in 1701 and assisted his brother at the 1715 Battle of Sheriffmuir. Four years earlier, he had been appointed to the Privy Council. Many called him the "most powerful man in Scotland", at least until the era of Henry Dundas.

Lord Ilay was one of the founders of the Royal Bank of Scotland in 1727, and acted as the bank's first governor. His portrait has appeared on the front of all Royal Bank of Scotland banknotes, and as a watermark on the notes, since they were redesigned in 1987. The portrait is based on a painting by Allan Ramsay, in the Scottish National Portrait Gallery.

He succeeded his brother to the title of Duke of Argyll in October 1743. He worked on Inveraray Castle, his brother's estate, which was finished in the 1750s; however, he never lived in it, and he died in 1761. He was married to Anne Whitfield about 1712, but had no legitimate male issue at his death. In his will, he left his English property to his mistress Ann (née Shireburn) Williams. His titles passed to his cousin, the son of his father's brother John Campbell of Mamore.

He was the first cousin once removed of Lord William Campbell.

The Duke established an estate at Whitton Park, Whitton in Middlesex in 1722 on land that had been enclosed some years earlier from Hounslow Heath. The Duke was an enthusiastic gardner and he imported large numbers of exotic species of plants and trees for his estate. He was nicknamed the 'Treemonger' by Horace Walpole. On his death, many of these, including mature trees, were moved by his nephew, the third Earl of Bute to the Princess of Wales' new garden at Kew. This later became Kew Gardens and some of the Duke's trees are still to be seen there to this day. The Duke of Argyll's Tea Tree is an imported shrub named after him which has become established in hedgegrows in some parts of England. One of his descendents, Jenny von Westphalen was the wife of the famous German philosopher Karl Marx.

Legal offices
Preceded by The Earl of Cromartie	Lord Justice General 1710–1761	Succeeded by The Marquess of Tweeddale
Political offices
Preceded by The Earl of Glasgow	Lord Clerk Register 1714–1716	Succeeded by The Duke of Montrose
Preceded by The Marquess of Annandale	Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland 1721–1733	Succeeded by The Duke of Atholl
Preceded by The Duke of Montrose	Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland 1733–1761	Succeeded by The Duke of Queensberry and Dover
Peerage of Scotland
Preceded by John Campbell	Duke of Argyll 1743–1761	Succeeded by John Campbell
Preceded by New Creation	Earl of Ilay 1706–1761	Succeeded by Extinct

References

• Murdoch, Alexander. "Campbell, Archibald, third duke of Argyll (1682–1761)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Oct 2006 accessed 12 Dec 2010 doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/4477
• Royal Bank of Scotland banknotes Accessed 30 August 2006.

External links

• Archival material relating to Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll listed at the UK National Register of Archives