He then resigned from the colonelcy, left France and married the rich English heiress Charlotte Lee, daughter of George Lee, 2nd Earl of Lichfield, acquiring lands in Oxfordshire, England, in addition to his Irish lands. During his second term as colonel he was absent and the regiment was led by hired soldiers.
Birth and origins
Family tree
Henry Dillon with wife, parents, and other selected relatives.[a]
Henry's mother was a daughter of Ralph Sheldon, an English Catholic and an equerry to James II. Dominic Sheldon, the Jacobite general, was her uncle. She served as maid of honour to Queen Mary of Modena, James II's second wife.[4] Both parents were thus Jacobites and Catholics. Henry had four brothers and three sisters,[5]who are listed in his father's article. His elder brother Charles played an important role in his life as he would precede him in the viscountcy and in the colonelcy.[6]
Early life
While a child, Henry lived with his mother at the court in exile of James Francis Edward (the old pretender) at the Château-Vieux de Saint-Germain-en-Laye.[7] James II had died in 1701.[8] King Louis XIV of France recognised James Francis Edward as the rightful king of England and Ireland (as James III) and of Scotland (as James VIII).[9] Dillon's Regiment, led by Henry's father, fought for France in the War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1714). Louis XIV made Henry's father lieutenant-general in 1706 and comte de Dillon in 1711.[10] However, in 1713 Louis XIV signed the Peace of Utrecht recognising the Hanoverian succession and ending its support for the Jacobites.[11] James Francis Edward had to leave France and went to Lorraine, then to Avignon, a papal territory at the time, and finally to the Papal States in Italy. James Francis Edward's mother, the dowager queen, however, stayed behind at Saint-Germain-en-Laye.
In 1714 Henry's uncle the 8th Viscount Dillon died in Dublin, Ireland.[12][13][b] This uncle's father, Theobald Dillon, 7th Viscount Dillon, had been attainted as Jacobite in 1691 but had been pardoned and Henry, the 8th Viscount, had obtained the reversal of the attainder in 1693.[14] He therefore had recovered his title and lands. The 8th viscount was succeeded by his son Richard as the 9th viscount.[15]
In 1716 Henry, aged 11, was made an ensign to the colonel, his father, in the regiment.[16]
The dowager queen, Mary of Modena, died at the Château de Saint-Germain in 1718.[17][18] Henry and his parents were, however, allowed to stay in the castle. His mother lived in the castle until at least 1738.[19]
In 1722 James Francis Edward, who now resided at the Palazzo del Re in Rome,[20] created Henry's father Earl of Dillon.[21]
In 1730 Henry's elder brother Charles took over as colonel of Dillon's Regiment as their father retired.[22][23] Henry, aged 25, was promoted captain.[24] In 1733 his father died at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye.[25] Charles, already colonel, now also succeeded in his father's titles, becoming the 2nd Count Dillon in France and the 2nd Earl of Dillon in the Jacobite peerage.[26]
In 1737 Richard, the 9th Viscount, died in Ireland and Charles, already comte and earl, succeeded as the 10th viscount in the Irish peerage (see family tree).[29][30]
Viscount and colonel
On 24 October 1741 Henry's elder brother Charles, the 10th Viscount and colonel of Dillon's Regiment, died in London without surviving children.[31][32] Charles was buried in St Pancras churchyard where Catholics were usually buried in London.[33][34] Henry succeeded him in all his titles: 11th Viscount Dillon, Earl of Dillon in the Jacobite peerage,[35] and comte de Dillon in France. He also became colonel proprietor of Dillon's regiment.[36]
In the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748) France challenged the succession of Maria Theresa to the Habsburg monarchy. Lord Dillon, as he now was, participated in the Battle of Dettingen 27 June 1743.[37] Being a peer of Ireland, Dillon resigned the colonelcy in favour of his younger brother James and left France in 1744 as England prepared a law to forbid its citizens to fight for foreign countries.[38] His brother James succeeded him as colonel-proprietor of Dillon's Regiment.[39]
Henry (1759–1837), became the last colonel of Dillon's Regiment and married Frances Trant[51]
Second term as colonel
Dillon's brother James commanded the regiment as colonel-proprietor from 1744 to 1745 when he was killed in the Battle of Fontenoy[52] fighting under Maréchal de Saxe for France against the English under the Duke of Cumberland. Thereupon the fourth brother, Edward, succeeded as colonel. He continued to fight with the regiment under de Saxe against the English under Cumberland, but in 1747 he was wounded at the Battle of Lauffeld, taken prisoner, and died.[53]
Dillon's brother Edward's unexpected death created a vacancy in the colonelcy of Dillon's Regiment that was hard to fill. The four brothers Charles, Henry, James, and Edward, had served one after the other as colonel, the fifth brother, Arthur Richard Dillon, was in holy orders. The only son born to Dillon, Charles, was 18 months old at the time and destined to be viscount, not colonel. Eventually, Louis XV allowed Dillon, to serve a second term as colonel, even if absent abroad.[54] This second term lasted 20 years 1747–1767, during which the regiment fought in the Seven Years' War (1756–1763) under several hired commanders. During these twenty years another son was born and grew up. This was Arthur, born 3 September 1750. He became owner and colonel of Dillon's Regiment on 25 August 1767 at the age of 16.[55][c] He went to France and was sent to America to fight in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) against the English.[56]
Lichfield inheritance
Charlotte, Dillon's wife turned out to be a rich heiress. Her father, George Lee, 2nd Earl of Lichfield, had died in 1742, two years before her marriage. The 3rd earl, her only surviving brother George Lee, 3rd Earl of Lichfield married in 1745, but his marriage was childless. When he died in 1772, he was succeeded by their uncle Robert Lee, 4th Earl of Lichfield, whose marriage also was childless. When the uncle, the 4th Earl, died 4 November 1776, the earldom became extinct.[57] Charlotte, the eldest surviving sister of the second earl, was the nearest relative and inherited the Lichfield estate.[58] However, Henry and Charlotte never went to live at Ditchley House, which was probably inhabited by the last Earl's widow, Catharine, who survived until 1784.[59]
Death, succession, and timeline
Dillon died 15 September 1787 in Mansfield Street, London, and was buried at St. Pancras churchyard.[60] He was succeeded by his eldest son, Charles, as the 12th Viscount.[61]
Timeline
As only the year but neither the month nor the day of his birth is known, his age could be a year younger.
^Webb 1878, p. 149, line 7. "... [Sir Henry Dillon] came to Ireland in 1185 as secretary to Prince John ..."
^Burke & Burke 1915, p. 646, right column, line 18b. "He m. [married] Christina, Maid of Honour to Mary, wife of James II), dau. [daughter] of Ralph Sheldon, and d. [died] 5 Feb. 1733 ..."
^Cokayne 1916, p. 360, line 10. "10. Charles (Dillon) Viscount Dillon of Costello-Gallen [I. [Ireland] ] ..."
^Corp 2004, p. 76. "James II was given the larger of the two royal châteaux, known as the château-vieux. The other, the château-neuf was retained by Louis as the official residence of the governor of the town ..."
^Burke & Burke 1915, p. 38. "James II (who d. [died] 16 Sept. 1701, at St. Germains, where he was buried.) ..."
^MacLeod 1999, p. 349. "... Louis XIV recognised his thirteen-year-old son as king."
^ abMiller 1971, p. 147, line 8. "On 11 April 1713 the peace was signed at Utrecht: in return for the acknowledgement of his grandson as Philip V of Spain, Louis had had to recognize the Hanoverian and Protestant succession in England."
^ abCokayne 1916, p. 359, line 34. "He [Henry, the 8th Viscount] d. [died] in Dublin, 13 and was bur. [buried] 23 Jan 1713/4 at Ballyhawnis, co. Mayo."
^Lodge 1789, p. 195, line 1. "After this period it appears by a rule book of the Court of King's Bench, in Trinity Term (6. Will and Mary) that the outlawry against his father was reversed by the judgement of the said court, and which judgement was duly entered up and enrolled, and also examined by the House of Lords, 2 December 1697, when the Lord Viscount Massereene reported that the said outlawry was reversed."
^Cokayne 1916, p. 360, line 3. "9. Richard (Dillon) Viscount Dillon of Costello-Gallen [I. [Ireland] ] ..."
^Dangeau 1859, p. 304. "Samedi 7 [May 1718] – On apprit ce matin, chez le roi, que la reine d'Angleterre étoit morte à Saint-Germain; Elle est morte comme une sainte, et comme elle a toujours vécu."
^Corp2004, p. 338. "The other occupants included ... the dowager Countess Dillon (née Sheldon) ..."
^Corp 2011, p. [1]. "... in the years after 1719 King James III and the Stuart court occupied the Palazzo del Re at the north end of the Piazza dei Santi Apostoli ..."
^Ruvigny 1904, p. 41, line 13. "II. Charles (Dillon) second Earl, Viscount and Baron (Dillon) [Scotland]" ...
^O'Callaghan 1854, p. 49, line 3b. "... in the war from 1733 to 1735, against the Germans, served at the sieges of Kehl and Philipsburgh ..."
^Handley 2004, p. 883. "While he was inspecting the frontline on 12 June 1634, three cannonballs came directly to the place one of which took off his head ..."
^ abDebrett 1828b, p. 748, line 24. "... whose only son Richard, 9th viscount, d. [died] without male issue, 1737;"
^Burke & Burke 1915, p. 646, right column, line 57. "Charles, 10th Viscount Dillon, Col. proprietor of Dillon Regt., 1730–1741 (refer to Arthur, son of Theobald, 7th Viscount). He m. [married] 16 Jan. 1734-5 his cousin Frances, only child of 9th Viscount Dillon and had an only son Charles b. [born] 10 Nov. 1738; d. [died] May 1739. He d. 24 Oct. 1741 ..."
^"A List of Deaths for the year 1741". Gentleman's Magazine. New series. Vol. 11. 1741. p. 554, left column, bottom. [24 October] The Lord Dillon of Ireland and Colonel of a Regiment in the French Service.
^ abCokayne 1916, p. 360, line 18. "He [Charles] d. [died] there [in London] s.p.s. [without surviving issue], 24 and was buried 27 Oct 1741 at St. Pancras, Midx. [Middlesex]."
^Palmer 1870, p. 27}ps=. "... inside the church and on the churchyard, both of which were long noted as burial site of Roman Catholics who died in London and its vicinity.".
^Ruvigny 1904, p. 41, line 20. "III. Henry (Dillon), third earl, viscount, baron [Dillon], [S. [Scotland] ] ..."
^O'Callaghan 1854, p. 49, line 10. "... an Act of Parliament being then in preparation to prevent British subjects from entering foreign service ..."
^ abO'Callaghan 1854, p. 49, line 18. "When he was about to quit France, in 1744, he resigned his regiment there to his next brother, the Chevalier Jacques (or James) de Dillon, Knight of Malta ..."
^Cokayne 1916, p. 360, line 22. "He m. [married], 26 Oct. 1744, at the Portuguese Embassy Chapel, Charlotte, 1st da. [daughter] and eventually h. [heiress] of George Henry [Lee], 2nd Earl of Lichfield ..."
^ abDebrett 1828b, p. 748, line 32. "... [Henry] m. [married] 26 Oct. 1744, Charlotte Lee, eldest da. [daughter] of George-Henry, 2nd Earl of Lichfield, and at length sole h. [heiress] to the estates of the earls of Lichfield ..."
^"A List of Marriages for the year 1745". Gentleman's Magazine. New series. Vol. 15. 1745. p. 51, right column, bottom. 26. [October] At the Portugal ambassador's chapel, the Lord Viscount Dillon, —to the Lady Charlotte Lee, sister to the Earl of Lichfield.
^Burke 1866, p. 317, right column, line . "The earl [of Lichfield] d. [died] 13 February 1742, and was s. [succeeded] by his eldest son George Henry Lee, 3rd earl."
^Burke 1866, p. 317, right column, line 29. "His lordship [Edward Lee, 1st Earl] m. [married] Lady Charlotte Fits-Roy, natural dau. [daughter] of King Charles II., by Barbara Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland ..."
^Debrett 1828b, p. 749. "Charles, 12th viscount, whose claim to the viscountcy was established by the house of lords in Ireland, after a solemn hearing, 18 March 1788; b. [born] 6. Nov 1745 ..."
^Debrett 1828a, p. 315. "Sir William [Jerningham], 6th bart. [baronet], m. [married] June 1767, Frances Dillon, eldest da. [daughter] of Henry, 11th Viscount Dillon ..."
^Debrett 1828b, p. 723, line 44. "Valentine (called) 5th viscount Kenmare ... m. [married] 1st 7 July 1777, Charlotte Dillon, da. [daughter] of Henry, 11th Viscount Dillon ..."
^Burke & Burke 1915, p. 646, right column, line 85. "Henry, major-gen. in the French and English services, Col. of the Dillon Regt. (in the English army 1794–8) when on the surrender of the 2nd Bn. [battalion] at San Domingo it passed to the English Army, b. [born] 28 June 1759; m. [married] 1stly 29 Apr. 1790 Frances, dau. [daughter] of Dominick Henry Trant of Easingwold ..."
^O'Callaghan 1854, p. 49, line 48. "From 1747 the proprietorship of the regiment was consequently allowed to remain with the Lord Henry Dillon referred to, who though resident in England drew the profits on the appointments;"
^ abO'Callaghan 1854, p. 50, line 7. "... Arthur, born in September, 1750, was in his seventeenth year; or of an age deemed sufficient for entering upon the Colonel-Proprietorship of the regiment, which had been reserved for him in France. He accordingly obtained it by a brevet of August 25th 1767 ..."
^O'Callaghan 1854, p. 50, line 15. "... distinguished himself, with his regiment, against the English, during the War for the Independence of the United States of America."
^ abBurke 1866, p. 317, right column, bottom. "His lordship d. [died] 4 November 1776, when the earldom of Lichfield and minor honours became extinct."
^Cokayne 1893, p. 75, footnote d. "His [the 2nd earl of Lichfield's] eldest sister, Charlotte, became eventually the heiress of the estates of the family of Lee."
^Cokayne 1893, p. 76, line 11. "His [the 4th Earl of Lichfield's] widow d. [died] 8. March 1784."
^ abCokayne 1916, p. 360, line 25. "He [Henry the 11th Viscount] d. [died] in Mansfield Str Midx, 15 and was bur. [buried] 25 Sep 1787 at St. Pancras, Midx."
^Burke & Burke 1915, p. 646, right column, line 25. "Edward, b. [born] 1720, s. [succeeded] his brother in the command of Dillon's Regt. and was mortally wounded at Lauffeld, 1747."