Archibald Montgomerie, 13th Earl of Eglinton

Archibald William Montgomerie, 13th Earl of Eglinton and 1st Earl of Wintoun (September 29 1812, Palermo – October 4 1861) was the heir to Archibald Montgomerie, Lord Montgomerie (b. 30 July 1773 – died 4 January 1814), the eldest son of the 12th Earl of Eglinton. His mother was Lady Mary Montgomerie (d. 1848), a daughter of the 11th Earl of Eglinton.

Educated at Eton, the young Earl's main object of interest for some years was the turf; he kept a large racing stud and won success and reputation in the sporting world.

The Eglinton Tournament

In 1839 his name became more widely known in connection with the Eglinton Tournament. This took place at Eglinton castle and is said to have cost him £30,000 or £40,000. It was made the subject of much ridicule and was partly spoiled by the unfavourable weather, the rain falling in torrents. It was a real tournament, and the knights broke their spears in the orthodox way.

Prince Louis Napoleon (Napoleon III) and Lady Seymour, a granddaughter of Richard Brinsley Sheridan and the wife of Lord Seymour, afterwards 12th Duke of Somerset, took part. A list of the challengers with an account of the jousts and the mêlée will be found in the volume on the tournament written by John Richardson, with drawings by J. H. Nixon. It is also described by Disraeli in "Endymion".

Politics

Eglinton was a staunch Tory, and in February 1852 he became Lord Lieutenant of Ireland under the Earl of Derby. He retired with the ministry in the following December, having by his princely hospitality made himself one of the most popular of Irish viceroys. When Derby returned to office in February 1858 he was again appointed Lord-Lieutenant, and he discharged the duties of this post until June 1859.

In this year he was created Earl of Wintoun, an earldom which had been held by his kinsfolk, the Setons, from 1600 until 1716, when George Seton, the 5th Earl (c. 1678 – 1740), was deprived of his honors for high treason.

Family

He married, firstly, Theresa Newcomen (see below), by whom he had the following children:

* Egida Montgomerie (d. 13 January 1880)
* Archibald William Montgomerie, 14th Earl of Eglinton (b. 3 December 1841 - d. 30 August 1892)
* Seton Montolieu Montgomerie (b. 15 May 1846 - d. 26 November 1883)
* George Arnulph Montgomerie, 15th Earl of Eglinton, 3rd Earl of Winton (b. 23 February 1848 - d. 10 August 1919)

He married Adela Caroline Harriett Capell (b. 4 March 1828 - d. 31 December 1860), following the death of his first wife and by whom he had the following children:
* Sybil Amelia Montgomerie (d. 3 February 1932)
* Lady Hilda Rose Montgomerie (d. 18 June 1928)

Lady Theresa Montgomerie

The 13th Earl of Eglinton's first wife, Theresa Newcomen, was a daughter of Thomas Gleadowe-Newcomen, 2nd Viscount Newcomen and Harriet Holland. She was born in Calcutta on an unknown date, and died on 16 December 1853 at Eglintoun Castle of unknown cause.

Heirs

The Earl was succeeded by his eldest son Archibald Montgomerie (1841 – 1892). When this Earl died in 1892 his younger brother George (b. 1848 - d. 1919) became 15th Earl of Eglinton and 3rd Earl of Winton.

See also

*Eglinton Country Park
*Eglinton Tournament Bridge

Links

* [http://www.thepeerage.com/p2158.htm Peerage.org p. 2158]

References

* Sir William Fraser, "Memorials of the Montgomeries, Earls of Eglinton" (1859).
*