MORDKUNT, CIIARLES, Earl of Peterborough, military and naval commander, and one of the most brilliant ,Englishmen of his time, was the son of John, lord Nordaunt, and was born in 1658, some say 1662. He served as a boy in the navy, and then entered the army. Ile took part against James II., and was made earl of 31ountouth by William 111., succeeding afterwards to the earldom of Peterborough, as heir to his uncle. During the war of the Spanish succession the English government determined to send an expedition to Spain. It was placed under the command of Mordaunt, and in June, 1705, he arrived in Lisbon with 5,000 Dutch and English soldiers. After taking on board the archduke Charles of Austria, who claimed the Spanish crown, the armament proceeded to Valencia. Here Mordaunt, with characteristic daring, conceived the idea of making a dash at Madrid, and finishing the war at one blow. Be was overruled by the archduke and the prince of Hesse, and compelled to besiege Barcelona, which was defended on one side by the sea, and on the other by the strong fortifications of Monjuich. Ilya coup de main he made himself toaster of Monjuich. Barcelona fell, and "Mordaunt, with a handful of men, entered one of the strongest cities of Europe. He pushed his successes into the interior. Several towns submitted. Be marched to Valencia in the depth of Winter, and at the head of 1200 men defeated a Spanish force of 4,000. Th& Spaniards sent a large army into Catalonia, and a French fleet appeared off Barcelona. Mordannt harassed the enemy's army, and putting himself on board the English squadron, directed a movement which, had it been executed a few hours earlier, would have resulted in the capture of the whole French fleet. The Frenchmen put to sea, and Barcelona was
saved. Mordaunt again wished to march towards Madrid, but his plan for gaining possession of the capital was once more rejected by Charles. Ile accordingly left the army in a fit of pique, and went to Italy. In 1707 he returned to Valencia as a volun teer, and gave excellent advice, which was not followed. He was recalled to England, and from that moment the tide of fortune ran strong against the Austrian cause. Few generals have done so much with means so small, or displayed equal originality or bold ness. His fertility and activity of mind were admirably seconded by a most intrepid spirit. His splendid talents, on the other hand, were disfigured by vainglory, and a morbid craving for novelty and excitement. He loved to fly round Europe, and was said to have seen more kings and postilions than any other man of his day. On his return he made common cause with the tories, to spite the duke of Marlborough, and received the garter and other dignities for his services. On the accession of George I. he was appointed commander-in-chief of the naval forces of Great Britain; He died at Lisbon, Oct. 25, 1735. His witty yet affectionate letters to Pope, Swift, Prior, etc.. give a fine insight into his private character. See Eliot Warburton's Memoir of Charles Afordaant, Earl of Peterborough and Alinunouth, with Selections ft out hex Correspondence, 2 vols. (1853). His character has been sketched by Horace Walpole, in his Catalogue of Royal and Noble Authors, and with still greater force and picturesqueness by Macaulay.