John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll

The Duke of Argyll
Born	10 October 1678(1678-10-10) Petersham, Surrey
Died	4 October 1743(1743-10-04) (aged 64) Sudbrook
Resting place	Westminster Abbey
Other names	Iain Ruaidh nan Cath or Red John of the Battles
Wars and battles	Jacobite rebellion 1715, the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession
Predecessor	Archibald Campbell, 1st Duke of Argyll
Successor	Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll
Spouse(s)	Mary Brown Jane Warburton
Parents	Archibald Campbell and Elizabeth Tollemache

Field Marshal John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll, 1st Duke of Greenwich KG (10 October 1678 – 4 October 1743), known as Iain Ruaidh nan Cath or Red John of the Battles, was a Scottish soldier and nobleman.

Early Life

He was born in Petersham, Surrey, England, in his maternal grandmother's residence 'Ham House'. His parents were Archibald Campbell, 1st Duke of Argyll and Elizabeth Tollemache, daughter of Sir Lionel Tollemache, 3rd Bt.

He was tutored by Walter Campbell of Dunloskin, followed by John Anderson and then Alexander Cunningham. In 1694 his father convinced William III to give John, just 14, the position of colonel in the regiment raised by the Argyll family for the king after his acceptance of the Scottish crown in 1689. He served briefly on the contintent in the Nine Years' War.

After the disbandment of the regiment he went on a European tour from 1699-1700 with his tutor Alexander Cunningam.

Later Life

He succeeded his father as Duke of Argyll and Chief of Clan Campbell in 1703. In 1705, for his support of the Act of Union, he was created Baron Chatham and Earl of Greenwich. He fought during the War of the Spanish Succession under the British Army's overall commander, the Duke of Marlborough, and he fought at the battles of Ramillies, Oudenarde and Malplaquet.

In 1710 he was made a Knight of the Garter, and in 1711 he was appointed commander-in-chief of British forces in Spain by the Tory ministry of Lord Oxford and Lord Bolingbroke and was Governor of Minorca from 1712 to 1716. By 1713, however, Argyll had become critical of the ministry, and he joined the Whig opposition in making speeches against the government in the House of Lords. In July 1714, in Queen Anne's last illness, the unexpected presence of Argyll and the Duke of Somerset at the Privy Council prevented Bolingbroke from taking full power on the fall of Oxford, and thus perhaps secured the Hanoverian succession.

He married first, Mary Brown, daughter of John Brown and Ursula Duncombe, in 1701. They separated soon after the marriage and she was buried in Westminster Abbey in 1717. He married secondly, Jane Warburton, daughter of Thomas Warburton and Anne Williams and maid of honour to Queen Anne, in 1717. Jane died in 1767 and was buried with him in Westminster Abbey. He had four daughters who reached maturity.

Without a male heir he was succeeded by his brother, Archibald Campbell.

Jacobite uprising

In the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion, Argyll led the government army at the Battle of Sheriffmuir and defeated the Jacobites led by the Earl of Mar. In 1719 he was rewarded by being created Duke of Greenwich. He was Master General of the Ordnance from 1725 to 1740 and was promoted to Field Marshal in 1736. He is listed as a founding Governor of the Foundling Hospital on that charity's Royal Charter, granted by the George II in 1739. In 1742, a year before his death, he was given the position of Commander in Chief of the British Army.

Honours

He received the colonelcy of various regiments, including the 1st (His Majesty's Own) Troop ("The Oxford Blues"), the 3rd Regiment of Foot (The Buffs) and 4th (Scots) Troop of the Horse Guards Regiment (now part of the Household Cavalry Regiment),and the 3rd (The Queen's) Dragoon Guards (now part of 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards). He was also the colonel of the 1st Regiment ("Lorne's Foot"), 2nd Regiment ("Lorne's Foot"), and Argyll's Foot.

He is buried in Westminster Abbey; his grave is marked by a small lozenge stone to the north east of Henry VII's tomb. A large monument was erected for him in the south transept designed by the French sculptor, Louis François Roubiliac; this was unveiled in 1749.

In popular culture

Argyll plays a large part in the novel The Heart of Midlothian by Sir Walter Scott, being the saviour of the heroine Jeanie Deans.

In the film Rob Roy, the Duke is portrayed by Andrew Keir.

See also

• Duke of Argyll
• Royal family
• John Campbell, 4th Duke of Argyll
• John Campbell, 5th Duke of Argyll
• John Campbell, 9th Duke of Argyll
• Caroline Townshend, 1st Baroness Greenwich
• Lady Mary Coke, his daughter
• William Wentworth, 2nd Earl of Strafford (1722-1791), his son-in-law
• Military of the United Kingdom
• History of the United Kingdom

References

• Biography on John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll
• regiments.org List of British Field Marshals

External links

• Archival material relating to John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll listed at the UK National Register of Archives

Political offices
Preceded by The Duke of Kent	Lord Steward 1718–1725	Succeeded by The Duke of Dorset
Military offices
Preceded by The Duke of Argyll	Colonel of Lord Lorne's Regiment of Foot 1694–1689	Regiment disbanded
	Colonel of the 4th Troop of Horse Guards 1703–1715	Succeeded by The Earl of Dundonald
Preceded by Lord Strathnaver	Colonel of The Duke of Argyll's Regiment of Foot 1703–1707	Succeeded by Marquess of Tullibardine
Preceded by Thomas Stringer	Colonel of The Duke of Argyll's Regiment of Foot 1706–1707	Succeeded by The Earl of Orrery
Preceded by Charles Churchill	Colonel of Prince George of Denmark's Regiment 1707–1711	Succeeded by John Selwyn
Preceded by The Earl of Peterborough	Colonel of the Royal Horse Guards 1715–1717	Succeeded by The Duke of Bolton
Preceded by The Earl Cadogan	Master-General of the Ordnance 1725–1740	Succeeded by The Duke of Montagu
Preceded by The Lord Londonderry	Colonel of The Queen's Regiment of Horse 1726–1733	Succeeded by William Evans
Preceded by George MacCartney	Governor of Portsmouth 1730–1737	Succeeded by The Viscount Shannon
Preceded by The Duke of Bolton	Colonel of the Royal Horse Guards 1733–1740	Succeeded by Lord Seymour
Preceded by The Duke of Montagu	Master-General of the Ordnance 1742	Succeeded by The Duke of Montagu
Preceded by Earl of Hertford	Colonel of the Royal Horse Guards 1742	Succeeded by Earl of Hertford
Honorary titles
Preceded by The Earl of Halifax	Lord Lieutenant of Surrey 1715–1716	Succeeded by The Lord Onslow
Peerage of Scotland
Preceded by Archibald Campbell	Duke of Argyll 1703–1743	Succeeded by Archibald Campbell
Peerage of Great Britain
New creation	Duke of Greenwich 1719–1743	Extinct
Peerage of England
New creation	Earl of Greenwich 1705–1743	Extinct