拍品專文
Richard Colley Wellesley was born on 20 June 1760, the eldest son of Garrett Wellesley, 1st Viscount Wellesley of Dungan Castle and Earl of Mornington, and his wife Anne, daugher of Arthur Hill-Trevor, 1st Viscount Dungannon. Henry Wellesley, Lord Cowley, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, and William Wellesley-Pole, Lord Mayborough, were his younger brothers. After Harrow, Eton and Oxford, he returned to Ireland to look after the education of his brothers and the nunning of the estates, following his father's death. He became Member of Parliament for Beeralston in July 1787, for Windsor in 1790 and Old Sarum in 1796.
In 1793 he was appointed by Pitt to the Board of Control for Indian Affairs, and four years later, was appointed Governor-General of India. He arrived at a critical time in India, with disputes and uprisings threatening in several directions, in particular in Hyderabad, the Mahratta States, and with Tippoo Sultan. His brother Colonel Arthur, the future Duke of Wellington, joined him and was in command of troops at the final battle with Tippoo at Seringapatam, when the Sultan was killed, and the final capitulation of the Mysore States was achieved. Successive problems that came up during his administration were the right to the throne of Tanjore, relations with the Nawab of the carnatic and the Kingdom of Oudh. During this time he was not on good terms with the directors of the East India Company, who disliked his autocratic manner, and matters coming to a head, he asked to be relieved from his post, but this was turned down. In 1802-4, the second Mahratta wars took place, with a disasterous defeat for the British; Wellesley was recalled and Cornwallis sent out to replace him. During his term of office Wellesley formulated a system of subsidiary alliances which were later acknowledged to confer enormous benefits to the British. A scheme he also devised of improving the education of the Indian Civil servants was turned down, however, to Wellesley's great disappointment. He left India in August 1805. He straight away had to face a motion of censure for his conduct in India, but Parliament vindicated him by a large majority in a vote in the House of Commons.
In 1809 he was sent as Ambassador-Extraordinary to Seville, and later that year was recalled to take up the post of Foreign Secretary, at a time when Napoleon was holding sway in Europe. He resigned in 1812, and although the Prince Regent asked him to form an administration of both parties so that a united front could be formed for the oncoming war, he was unable to do so, and Lord Liverpool was given the task, forming a ministry that was to last for fifteen years. In the succeeding years, he grew apart from his brother, the Duke, on political grounds. He accepted the post of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1820, holding it until 1828 when his brother, the Duke, became Prime Minister. He was popular while in the office, introducing several radically reforming measures. He took up the post again when Lord Grey became Prime Minister, resigning again when the whig adminisration returned to power. He retired to Kingston House, Brompton, and spent the rest of his life enjoying the society of his friends and pursuing his classical studies. He died at Brompton on 26 September 1842.
Wellesley married firstly Hyacinthe Gabrielle, daughter of Pieter Roland of Paris; they had several children. On 29 October 1825, he married secondly Marianne, daugher of Richard Caton of Baltimore; he was installed a Knight of the Garter in 1812, and was a founder member of the Knights of Saint Patrick. Of all his appointments, his years in India, consolidating the foundations laid by Clive were considered his finest achievement, while his policy in Ireland was considered wise and statesmanlike. He had a great sense of humour and was very popular in society.
In 1793 he was appointed by Pitt to the Board of Control for Indian Affairs, and four years later, was appointed Governor-General of India. He arrived at a critical time in India, with disputes and uprisings threatening in several directions, in particular in Hyderabad, the Mahratta States, and with Tippoo Sultan. His brother Colonel Arthur, the future Duke of Wellington, joined him and was in command of troops at the final battle with Tippoo at Seringapatam, when the Sultan was killed, and the final capitulation of the Mysore States was achieved. Successive problems that came up during his administration were the right to the throne of Tanjore, relations with the Nawab of the carnatic and the Kingdom of Oudh. During this time he was not on good terms with the directors of the East India Company, who disliked his autocratic manner, and matters coming to a head, he asked to be relieved from his post, but this was turned down. In 1802-4, the second Mahratta wars took place, with a disasterous defeat for the British; Wellesley was recalled and Cornwallis sent out to replace him. During his term of office Wellesley formulated a system of subsidiary alliances which were later acknowledged to confer enormous benefits to the British. A scheme he also devised of improving the education of the Indian Civil servants was turned down, however, to Wellesley's great disappointment. He left India in August 1805. He straight away had to face a motion of censure for his conduct in India, but Parliament vindicated him by a large majority in a vote in the House of Commons.
In 1809 he was sent as Ambassador-Extraordinary to Seville, and later that year was recalled to take up the post of Foreign Secretary, at a time when Napoleon was holding sway in Europe. He resigned in 1812, and although the Prince Regent asked him to form an administration of both parties so that a united front could be formed for the oncoming war, he was unable to do so, and Lord Liverpool was given the task, forming a ministry that was to last for fifteen years. In the succeeding years, he grew apart from his brother, the Duke, on political grounds. He accepted the post of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1820, holding it until 1828 when his brother, the Duke, became Prime Minister. He was popular while in the office, introducing several radically reforming measures. He took up the post again when Lord Grey became Prime Minister, resigning again when the whig adminisration returned to power. He retired to Kingston House, Brompton, and spent the rest of his life enjoying the society of his friends and pursuing his classical studies. He died at Brompton on 26 September 1842.
Wellesley married firstly Hyacinthe Gabrielle, daughter of Pieter Roland of Paris; they had several children. On 29 October 1825, he married secondly Marianne, daugher of Richard Caton of Baltimore; he was installed a Knight of the Garter in 1812, and was a founder member of the Knights of Saint Patrick. Of all his appointments, his years in India, consolidating the foundations laid by Clive were considered his finest achievement, while his policy in Ireland was considered wise and statesmanlike. He had a great sense of humour and was very popular in society.