Arthur Dillon (1670-1733)
Encyclopedia
Arthur, count of Dillon was a Jacobite
soldier from Ireland
who served in the French army.
who fought for James II of England
and was killed at the Battle of Aughrim
. In 1691, after their defeat at Limerick
by William of Orange
, the Jacobites went into exile under the terms of the Treaty of Limerick
, with Arthur Dillon (like many other Irish Jacobites) choosing France. He was the lover of Mme de Tencin
, when she found herself in the convent of Montfleury
in 1708.
In France, he was made the colonel of the Dillon Regiment
that his father had raised at his own expense in 1688. He became a maréchal de camp aged 34 and lieutenant général at only 36. He fought gloriously in the campaigns of Louis-Joseph de Vendôme in Spain
and of François de Neufville de Villeroy in Italy
, served under Claude Louis Hector de Villars
(1708) and James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick
(1709), and in 1713 he captured Kaiserslautern
.
(see Jacobite Peerage
]]).
, queen consort of James II of England
. Catherine's parents were Ralph Sheldon of Ditchford, Worcs (1633–1723) and Elisabeth, heiress of Daniel Dunn of Garnish Hall in Essex. Their children included:
He was also a grandfather of the French generals Arthur Dillon (1750-1794)
and Théobald Dillon
. He was a cousin of Gerard Lally
.
He was a great-grandfather of the famous memoirist Henriette-Lucy, Marquise de La Tour du Pin Gouvernet
, née Henriette-Lucy Dillon.
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
soldier from Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
who served in the French army.
Career
He was a younger son of Theobald, 7th Viscount DillonTheobald Dillon, 7th Viscount Dillon
Theobald Dillon, 7th Viscount Dillon of Costello-Gallin was a supporter of King James II and was attainted on 11 May 1691 in the Williamite War...
who fought for James II of England
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
and was killed at the Battle of Aughrim
Battle of Aughrim
The Battle of Aughrim was the decisive battle of the Williamite War in Ireland. It was fought between the Jacobites and the forces of William III on 12 July 1691 , near the village of Aughrim in County Galway....
. In 1691, after their defeat at Limerick
Siege of Limerick (1691)
Limerick in western Ireland was besieged twice during the Williamite War in Ireland . The city, held by Jacobite forces was able to beat off a Williamite assault in 1690. However, after a second siege in August-October 1691, it surrendered on terms....
by William of Orange
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
, the Jacobites went into exile under the terms of the Treaty of Limerick
Treaty of Limerick
The Treaty of Limerick ended the Williamite war in Ireland between the Jacobites and the supporters of William of Orange. It concluded the Siege of Limerick. The treaty really consisted of two treaties which were signed on 3 October 1691. Reputedly they were signed on the Treaty Stone, an...
, with Arthur Dillon (like many other Irish Jacobites) choosing France. He was the lover of Mme de Tencin
Claudine Guérin de Tencin
Claudine Alexandrine Guérin de Tencin was a French salonist and author. She was the mother of Jean le Rond d'Alembert, philosophe and contributor to the Encyclopédie.- Early life :...
, when she found herself in the convent of Montfleury
Montfleury
Montfleury may mean:* the stage name of Zacharie Jacob, a French actor and playwright of the 17th century* the stage name of Antoine Jacob, a French actor and playwright, son of Zacharie* part of the city of Tunis...
in 1708.
In France, he was made the colonel of the Dillon Regiment
Dillon Regiment
The Dillon's Regiment was first raised in Ireland in 1688 by Theobald, 7th Viscount Dillon for the Jacobite side in the Williamite War. He was then killed at the Battle of Aughrim in 1691....
that his father had raised at his own expense in 1688. He became a maréchal de camp aged 34 and lieutenant général at only 36. He fought gloriously in the campaigns of Louis-Joseph de Vendôme in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and of François de Neufville de Villeroy in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, served under Claude Louis Hector de Villars
Claude Louis Hector de Villars
Claude Louis Hector de Villars, Prince de Martigues, Marquis then Duc de Villars, Vicomte de Melun was the last great general of Louis XIV of France and one of the most brilliant commanders in French military history, one of only six Marshals who have been promoted to Marshal General of...
(1708) and James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick
James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick
James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick, 1st Duke of Fitz-James, 1st Duke of Liria and Jérica was an Anglo-French military leader, illegitimate son of King James II of England by Arabella Churchill, sister of the 1st Duke of Marlborough...
(1709), and in 1713 he captured Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern is a city in southwest Germany, located in the Bundesland of Rhineland-Palatinate at the edge of the Palatinate forest . The historic centre dates to the 9th century. It is from Paris, from Frankfurt am Main, and from Luxembourg.Kaiserslautern is home to 99,469 people...
.
Titles
In 1711 Arthur was created "Comte de Dillon" in France by Louis XIV; and was awarded the Irish title "Earl of Dillon" in 1721 by the monarch he recognised as James IIIJames Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
(see Jacobite Peerage
Jacobite peerage
After the deposition by the English parliament in February 1689 of King James II and VII from the thrones of England and Ireland , he and his successors continued to create peers and baronets, which they believed was their right...
]]).
Family
He married Catherine Sheldon, the daughter of an English Jacobite family, and a maid-of-honour to Mary of ModenaMary of Modena
Mary of Modena was Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the second wife of King James II and VII. A devout Catholic, Mary became, in 1673, the second wife of James, Duke of York, who later succeeded his older brother Charles II as King James II...
, queen consort of James II of England
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
. Catherine's parents were Ralph Sheldon of Ditchford, Worcs (1633–1723) and Elisabeth, heiress of Daniel Dunn of Garnish Hall in Essex. Their children included:
- Archbishop Arthur Richard DillonArthur Richard DillonArthur Richard Dillon , French archbishop, was the son of Arthur Dillon , one of the Irish Wild Geese who became a general in the French service....
- Charles, 10th viscount (d. 1741)
- Henry Dillon, 11th Viscount DillonHenry Dillon, 11th Viscount DillonHenry Dillon, 11th Viscount Dillon of Costello-Gallen was an English peer.Henry's father was the Hon. Arthur Dillon , a son of the 7th Viscount, who was Colonel and founder of the Dillon Regiment in 1688...
- James, killed at the Battle of FontenoyBattle of FontenoyThe Battle of Fontenoy, 11 May 1745, was a major engagement of the War of the Austrian Succession, fought between the forces of the Pragmatic Allies – comprising mainly Dutch, British, and Hanoverian troops under the nominal command of the Duke of Cumberland – and a French army under Maurice de...
in 1745 - Edward, killed at the Battle of LauffeldBattle of LauffeldThe Battle of Lauffeld, also known as the Battle of Lafelt or Battle of Maastricht, also Battle of Val, took place on 2 July 1747, during the French invasion of the Netherlands. It was part of the War of the Austrian Succession...
in 1747
He was also a grandfather of the French generals Arthur Dillon (1750-1794)
Arthur Dillon (1750-1794)
*Biographie moderne, Paris Eymery Éditeur ;...
and Théobald Dillon
Théobald Dillon
Théobald Dillon was count of Dillon and an Irish-born general in the French army. He was the grandson of Arthur Dillon, the nephew of the bishop Arthur Richard Dillon and the cousin of general Arthur Dillon .On 29 April 1792, following the loss of a skirmish with Austrian forces, Dillon was...
. He was a cousin of Gerard Lally
Gerard Lally
Sir Gerald Lally was an Irish Jacobite and French military officer.He was the second son of Thomas Lally of Tullaghnadaly, by his wife, Jane, sister of Theobald Dillon, 7th Viscount Dillon, and younger brother of James Lally...
.
He was a great-grandfather of the famous memoirist Henriette-Lucy, Marquise de La Tour du Pin Gouvernet
Henriette-Lucy, Marquise de La Tour du Pin Gouvernet
Henriette-Lucy, Marquise de La Tour du Pin-Gouvernet , , was a French aristocrat famous for her memoirs entitled Journal d'une femme de 50 ans...
, née Henriette-Lucy Dillon.