Macartney of Lisanoure, 1737-1806

About this book

Biographical sketches of different periods of the life of George, Earl Macartney of Lisanoure (near Loughguile) in County Antrim, Ireland. He began his public career as the British Envoy Extraordinary to the court of Catherine the Great of Russia, served successively in the Caribbean, India, China (as Britain's first Ambassador), Verona, and the Cape of Good Hope, and was officially active in Irish affairs. Specialists deal with the major episodes of Macartney's public career (i.e., analysis of the Chinese embassy period requires expertise in Chinese as well as British records), and "... the remaining chapters present a comprehensive account of his private affairs, including his estate and financial concerns." (flyleaf of paper cover). Macartney was granted knighthood in 1764, an Earldom in the Irish peerage in 1794, and a Barony in the British peerage in 1796.