Charles Talbot, 1st Duke of Shrewsbury

Charles Talbot, 1st Duke of Shrewsbury, KG, PC (24 July 1660 – 1 February 1718) is an English statesman.

Born to Roman Catholic parents, he remains in that faith until 1679 when—during the time of the Popish Plot and following the advice of the divine John Tillotson—he converts to the Church of England.

Shrewsbury takes his seat in the House of Lords in 1680 and three years later is appointed Gentleman-Extraordinary of the Bedchamber, suggesting he was in favour at the court of Charles II.

With the accession in 1685 of James II, Shrewsbury is appointed a captain in order to defeat the Monmouth rebellion, although he resigns his commission in 1687 after refusing to bow to pressure from James to convert back to the Catholic faith.

Making contact with William of Orange, Shrewsbury's home becomes a meeting place for the opposition to James II and Shrewsbury is one of seven English statesmen to sign the invitation to William to invade England in June 1688.

In September, he flees England for Holland and returns with William to England in November.

Shrewsbury is influential in the making of the Revolution Settlement, arguing strongly in favor of recognizing William and Mary as sovereigns.

However, in 1690, Shrewsbury resigns from William's government due to ill-health and opposition to the dissolution of Parliament and the dropping of the Bill that would have required an oath abjuring James as king.

In opposition, Shrewsbury contacts the exiled Stuart court in France as a prelude to a Stuart restoration.

In 1694, however, Shrewsbury returns to government and is prominent in persuading the House of Commons to vote for the funds needed for William's war against France.

Ill-health leads to his resignation in 1698 but he returns to the government in 1699 until resigning again in 1700.

From 1700 until 1705, Shrewsbury is in self-imposed exile abroad, visiting France, Switzerland, Italy, and marrying Countess Adelaide Roffeni.

Upon his return to England, Shrewsbury concentrates on the construction of Heythrop Park.

In April 1710, Shrewsbury returns to government and is an early supporter of the Tory efforts to negotiate peace with France to end the War of the Spanish Succession, concerned at the negative financial impact it is having on landowners.

However, he is uncomfortable with peace negotiations that leave out Britain's ally, the Dutch.

In November 1712, he is appointed ambassador to France and then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, returning to England in June 1714.

In July, Shrewsbury is appointed Lord Treasurer but in August Queen Anne dies and George I succeeds her.

The new Whig regime opposes Shrewsbury, remaining in government and by 1715 has lost all his governmental offices, although until his death he remains George's Groom of the Stole.

Shrewsbury opposes the Whig's attack on the previous Tory ministers and opposes their other policies in the Lords, making contact with the Stuart Pretender, sending him money.

He dies of inflammation of the lungs in 1718.

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