James thomas brudenell biography

In May , at the age of 27, Brudenell joined the army as a Cornet in the 8th Hussars through the influence of the Duke of York. He then proceeded to make full use of the purchase system for commissions: he became a Lieutenant in January , a Captain in June , a Major in August Meanwhile on 26 June Elizabeth Johnstone's marriage finally was dissolved and she and Brudenell were married.

She was promiscuous, extravagant and bad-tempered and the marriage was a disaster. There were no children born to the couple. In December Brudenell became a Lieutenant-Colonel; in he moved to the 15th Hussars at the same rank, having resigned his seat for Marlborough in because of a difference with the constituency's owner, the Marquis of Ailesbury, over Catholic Emancipation.

Brudenell promptly purchased a seat for Fowey. In he fought a very expensive election for North Northamptonshire, and was returned along with Lord Milton, the heir to the Fitzwilliam estates. Brudenell was disliked by the officers under his command because of the way he had used the purchase system; his temper also caused perpetual quarrels.

In , he illegally ordered one of his officers, Captain Wathen, into custody at Cork. Wathen defended himself so well at a court-martial that Brudenell was persuaded to resign the command of the 15th Hussars. However, his father was an old friend of William IV and was able to obtain for him the command of the 11th Hussars. He went to India in but the regiment was ordered home quite soon afterwards.

When it came back from India the regiment was stationed at Canterbury; it was there that the 'Black Bottle' affair took place. While he was praised for his bravery and leadership, he was also criticized for his impulsive decisions and lack of battlefield experience. Nonetheless, his name remains synonymous with the Charge of the Light Brigade, one of the most famous and tragic events in British military history.

Contact About Privacy. Vasiliy Vasilyev. Throughout his life in politics and his long military career he characterised the arrogant and extravagant aristocrat of the period. His progression through the Army was marked by many episodes of extraordinary incompetence, but this can be measured against his generosity to the men under his command and genuine bravery.

As a member of the landed aristocracy he had actively and steadfastly opposed any political reform in Britain, but in the last year of his life he relented and came to acknowledge that such reform would bring benefit to all classes of society. We're doing our best to make sure our content is useful, accurate and safe. If by any chance you spot an inappropriate comment while navigating through our website please use this form to let us know, and we'll take care of it shortly.

After his retirement in , he lived happily at Deene, passing his time with horse racing, hunting and shooting. His parliamentary life continued, with the occasional foray to London to speak in the House of Lords on military matters and to continue to press for further official recognition of his glorious career. In acknowledging his change of heart he said that the time for trying to stem the tide of reform, an endeavour in which he had long strived, had passed and given "good luck" the extension of the vote would "confer He died on 28 March from injuries sustained the previous day, caused by a fall from a dangerous horse "he would not have permitted any friend to ride", [ ] possibly following a stroke, [ ] and was buried in a specially built tomb in the family chapel at St Peter's Church, Deene.

After the death of his widow in , Deene Park reverted to the descendants of George William's younger brother, Ernest Augustus Charles. Assessments of Lord Cardigan have varied significantly over time. In her sweeping condemnation of the Victorian class system, The Reason Why , Cecil Woodham-Smith used the Earl as a prism on the ills of British society of the time but conceded that in the Charge itself Cardigan conducted himself with unwavering courage and discipline.

Donald Thomas 's biography Cardigan: The Hero of Balaclava provided a more sympathetic portrayal. Saul David 's hostile assessment, on the other hand, was entitled simply The Homicidal Earl. Terry Brighton 's book Hell Riders: The Truth about the Charge of the Light Brigade [ ] provides a more recent critical account of Cardigan as a brigade commander but finds him in no way to blame for the charge.

It shows the "black bottle" affair, though it incorrectly makes Louis Nolan Cardigan's antagonist, and heavily features his rivalry with Lord Lucan. It also fictitiously shows Cardigan pursuing an affair with Fanny Duberly. In the first instalment he commands Flashman in the 11th Hussars and transfers him to India after he marries Elspeth, on the grounds that she is the daughter of a tradesman.

Cardigan reappears in Flashman at the Charge , where Flashman catches Cardigan trying to seduce Elspeth. Flashman later reluctantly joins Cardigan for the Charge of the Light Brigade. He appears briefly in Flashman in the Great Game , where Cardigan demands Flashman defend Cardigan's reputation against hostile journalists. Flashman not only refuses but pointedly insults Cardigan.

James thomas brudenell biography

Cardigan appears as an antagonist in the video game Assassin's Creed Syndicate by Ubisoft , set in He is assassinated inside the Palace of Westminster by protagonist Jacob Frye. Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history. Tools Tools. Download as PDF Printable version. In other projects. Wikimedia Commons Wikidata item.

British Crimean War officer — Lieutenant-General The Right Honourable. Biography [ edit ]. Early life [ edit ]. Parliamentary career [ edit ]. Marriages [ edit ]. Early military career [ edit ]. Duel with Captain Tuckett [ edit ]. Crimean War [ edit ]. Reception [ edit ]. Retirement [ edit ]. Assessments [ edit ]. Cultural depictions [ edit ]. See also [ edit ].

Notes [ edit ]. The Unreformed House of Commons. Cambridge University Press.