PETERBOROUGH, CuARLEs AlommuNT, third Earl of (1658-1735). An English military and naval commander. Ile served as a boy in the navy, and then entered the army. For the prominent part that he took against -Tames 11., he was made Earl of Monmouth by William III., succeeding afterwards to the earldom of Peter borough, as heir to his ;nude. During the War of the Spanish Succession the English expedition to the Iberian Peninsula was placed under his command, and in June, 1705, he arrived in Lisbon with 5000 Dutch and English soldiers. After tak ing on hoard the Archduke Charles of Austria. who claimed the Spanish crown, the armament proceeded to Valencia. Slord: unit conceived the idea of making a dash at Madrid, and finishing the war at one blow, but was overruled by the Arcluluke and the Prince of llesse, and compelled to besiege Barcelona, which was defended on one side by the sea, and on the other by the strong fortifications of Alonjuich. By a coup de main he made himself master of Slonjuich, Barcelona fell. and Montana pushed his successes into the interior. Several towns submitted. Ile marched to Valencia and at the head ot 1200 men defeated a Spanish force of 4000. The Spaniards sent a large army into Catalonia, and a French fleet appeared 011' Barcelona. Alordannt returned to lfareelona, harassed the enemy's army, and, put ting himself on hoard the English squadron, directed a movement which compelled the French men to put to sea, and 'Barcelona was saved.
Mordaunt again wished to march toward Mad rid, hut his plan for gaining possession of the capital was once more rejected by Charles. Tie accordingly left the army in a tit of pique, and went to Baty. in 1707 he returned to Valencia as a volunteer, but the excellent advice which he gave was not followed. lie was recalled to Eng land, and from that moment the tide of fortune ran strong against the Austrian cause. On his return lie made common cause with the Tories, and received the Garter aml other dignities for his services. On the accession of George I. he was appointed commander-in-chief of the naval forces of Great Britain. Ile died at Lisbon. Brilliant and versatile, he was also cc-centric and erratic. Ilk witty yet affectionate letters to Pope, Swift. Prior. etc., give a fine insight into his private character. llis character has been sketched by Horace Walpole, in his Catalogue of Royal and A"oble Authors, and with still greater force and picturesqueness by Slacaulay. Attempts have been made to discount the brilliancy of his leadership in the Spanish campaign and to at tribute the successes to other but these have signally fa iled. : Wa rho rt on, Non oirs of Charba Mordaunt, Earl of Peter borough and Monmouth (Loudon, 1853) ; Russell, llcmoir of Charles Mordaunt, Earl of Peter borough (ib., 1857) Slehhing. in English lien of _let ion (ib,