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Lot Essay
Richard, 1st Marquess Wellesley and Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley, were sons of Garret Wesley, 1st Earl of Mornington and the Hon. Anne Hill-Trevor, and brothers of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. Richard Wellesley was born in Ireland and spent much of his early life there, first in Dublin and on the death of his father in 1781 he inherited Dangan Castle, Co. Meath and became 2nd Earl of Mornington. He took his seat in the Irish House of Lords and was elected Grandmaster of the Grand Lodge of Ireland in 1782. In 1784 he was made a member of the British House of Commons and was appointed a Lord of the Treasury by William Pitt the Younger. In 1793 he became a member of the Board of Control over Indian affairs and in 1797 he accepted the office of Governor-General of India where he supported Pitt in the expansion of the British Empire, mostly through conflict and invasion. In 1805 he left India and returned to England for a short period before becoming ambassador to Spain. He later became Foreign Secretary in Spencer Perceval's cabinet until 1812. In 1821 he was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. In his private life, Wellesley had been living with a French actress, Hyacinthe-Gabriel Roland and had five children with her before marrying her in 1794.
Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley served in the British Army with the 1st Foot Guards after an earlier career as a diplomat. He was captured by the French during 'The Terror' in 1794 and remained in prison until escaping in 1795. In 1797 he was elected to the British House of Commons as MP for Eye, Suffolk. In 1797 he joined his brother, Lord Mornington, in India as his Private Secretary. By 1802 he was back in England and married Lady Charlotte Cadogan with whom he had four children. In 1809 she left him for a cavalry officer and they divorced a year later, by which time Wellesley was in Spain as the British envoy. At this time his brothers, Richard, Lord Mornington was Foreign Secretary and Arthur, Viscount Wellington, was British commander-in-chief in Spain. Together the brothers supported the Penninsular campaign and in 1812 Wellesley was knighted for his efforts. In 1823 he was appointed ambassador to Austria where he lived until 1831, having been created Baron Cowley in 1828. He finally served in Paris as ambassador until 1846 and remained there until his death the following year.
Henry Wellesley, 1st Baron Cowley served in the British Army with the 1st Foot Guards after an earlier career as a diplomat. He was captured by the French during 'The Terror' in 1794 and remained in prison until escaping in 1795. In 1797 he was elected to the British House of Commons as MP for Eye, Suffolk. In 1797 he joined his brother, Lord Mornington, in India as his Private Secretary. By 1802 he was back in England and married Lady Charlotte Cadogan with whom he had four children. In 1809 she left him for a cavalry officer and they divorced a year later, by which time Wellesley was in Spain as the British envoy. At this time his brothers, Richard, Lord Mornington was Foreign Secretary and Arthur, Viscount Wellington, was British commander-in-chief in Spain. Together the brothers supported the Penninsular campaign and in 1812 Wellesley was knighted for his efforts. In 1823 he was appointed ambassador to Austria where he lived until 1831, having been created Baron Cowley in 1828. He finally served in Paris as ambassador until 1846 and remained there until his death the following year.