Lord Stuart de Rothesay: The Life and Times of Lord Stuart de Rothesay of Highcliffe Castle, 1779-1845

An essential work of reference for any student of British history and a fascinating narrative for the general reader, Dr Robert Franklin's revised edition of his biography of Lord Stuart de Rothesay is a significant contribution to 19th century studies. His extensive researches and scrupulous attention to detail have resulted in the most comprehensive and illuminating portrait of Charles Stuart that has so far appeared. A man of cultivated tastes, urbane and intelligent, yet, as his journals show, of an adventurous and inquiring spirit, Stuart was eminently suited to the career of a diplomat. He represented his country in Spain, Portugal, France (he was twice British Ambassador in Paris) the Netherlands and Russia. Perhaps his most difficult task was as head of the special mission appointed by Canning in 1823 to mediate between Portugal and Brazil and obtain, among other things, the recognition of Brazil's independence by the mother country. His last posting was as British Ambassador at the Court of the Tsar in St Petersburg. Apart from his notable achievements as a diplomat, Lord Stuart is probably best remembered for the creation of Highcliffe Castle in Dorset, one of the most important examples of Romantic and Picturesque architecture. After many years of neglect, this beautiful house has now been restored and opened to the public. From Paris to St Petersburg, from the Peninsular Wars to Brazilian independence, the career of Charles Stuart, later 1st Baron Stuart de Rothesay, is a fascinating and colourful portrait of the life of a British diplomat in the first half of the 19th century. Dr Franklin has invested his narrative with all the energy of its subject and illuminated it with vivid contemporary observations, making this revised edition of his outstanding biography an indispensable volume for specialists and armchair historians alike.