shadow of britain

Chapter 779 The Hastings Family: A Family of Outstanding Talents

For an aristocratic family, it usually only takes one generation to revive the family or for the family to decline.

The reason why the second generation of the Hastings family declined so drastically can actually be attributed to the first Marquis of Hastings.

The first Marquess of Hastings was undoubtedly an outstanding and capable man. He was a man of great merit throughout his life. During the American Revolutionary War, he rose from a grenadier lieutenant to become one of the most important figures in the British North American garrison.

Furthermore, this Irish nobleman was a well-known Irish patriot who served in the Irish Parliament after returning from the United States.

On the eve of the Irish Revolt of 1798, the first Marquess of Hastings, realizing the critical situation, publicly called for parliamentary reform in the House of Lords, demanding the abolition of the corrupt Irish constituencies under the control of the Dublin government and amendments to the Supreme Act to allow Catholics to be elected as members of parliament.

He met with representatives of the Irish Catholic Council in London overnight and, acting as an intermediary, arranged for these Irish compatriots to meet with the King so that they could express their demands to him in person.

Unfortunately, despite the Marquis of Hastings' best efforts, the mediation failed.

In an effort to ease tensions, he had no choice but to publicly condemn the British government's repressive policies in Ireland.

He presented the King with evidence provided by Dr. Wheley Stokes and lawyer William Sampson, attempting to demonstrate the various atrocities committed by the army against Irish farmers in its attempts to dismantle the uprising and disarm them.

However, the government's blunt response to the Irish question angered the Irish patriot, to the point that the Marquess of Hastings later voted against the Anglo-Irish Union Act in Parliament, broke with Prime Minister William Pitt Jr., left the Tory Party, and joined the Whig Party.

This is why the first Marquess of Hastings was highly respected in Ireland, and many Irish people even called him "the Lafayette of Ireland".

This occurred during the Directory period in France, a time when France was struggling with pressure from across the sea. They then considered orchestrating Irish independence to weaken British power.

Paul Barras, the Chief Director of the French Republic, once consulted Irish groups in France: Given the widespread ignorance among the Irish, establishing a monarchy might be the only option for Ireland should it become independent. If a king were to be chosen for Ireland, were there any suitable recommendations?

On the question of who should be king, the Irish groups almost unanimously pointed to the first Marquess of Hastings, as if everyone felt he was the only candidate who could be accepted by all the various factions in Ireland. However, because the Marquess of Hastings held anti-French views and had participated in the Ostend Expedition led by the Duke of York as a lieutenant general, the matter was ultimately left unresolved.

Outside of Ireland, such as in India, the work of the first Marquess of Hastings was equally outstanding.

During his tenure, the British East India Company conquered Nepal through the Gurkha War and annexed the Maratha states through the Third Maratha War. Of course, compared to other Viceroys of India, he was not particularly outstanding in foreign wars, but his level of domestic governance was certainly among the best.

Under his rule, British India repaired the Mughal Canal system in Delhi, implemented a series of educational and administrative reforms, and encouraged freedom of the press. In 1819, he also peacefully purchased Singapore from the Sultan of Johor.

However, his ten-year term in India was far from pleasant, as his departure was somewhat undignified.

His problem lies with money.

Initially, it was just a matter of routine financial strain. The military expenditure for conquering Maratha was enormous, and repairing canals, building schools, and establishing a postal system all required money. Although the East India Company was a commercial entity, it also had to assume administrative functions over half of India, and London was notoriously stingy with its funding; usually, they were already being generous by not asking India for more money.

Therefore, the Governor's Office, facing a tight budget, naturally began to seek "more flexible" financial means.

Just then, William Palmer Bank of Calcutta emerged. On the surface, it was a well-run local commercial bank, deeply trusted by local Bengal merchants. In reality, however, it had close ties with the Governor-General's high command, providing substantial loans for military supplies and garrison salaries, acting as an agent for bond issuance in the British Indian colony, and even holding mortgages on some land.

London initially turned a blind eye. After all, the Marquess of Hastings was a close friend of George IV and a man capable of keeping India in check.

Unfortunately, the Marquess of Hastings offended too many people, both on the Irish issue and on the issue of administrative reform in India.

Besides, the truth will eventually come out, and before long, someone filed a lawsuit in London.

Although the letter of complaint contained no concrete evidence, most of it consisted of hearsay, rumors, and insinuations about the Marquis of Hastings' character.

But no matter how dubious the letter was, it certainly achieved its purpose. The scandal became a major scandal, forcing the Marquis of Hastings to submit his resignation to the Indian Board of Governors and return to India to face trial. The investigation lasted for several years, and ultimately, due to insufficient evidence, no charges were brought.

Not long after his reputation was cleared, the first Marquis of Hastings died.

While escaping unscathed from a government investigation doesn't necessarily mean he's completely innocent, it at least suggests his problems aren't serious.

To put it bluntly: the Marquis of Hastings, despite possessing the treasure trove that is India, has not amassed much wealth.

Fortunately, he only had one son among his five adult offspring; otherwise, if the brothers had divided the family property, things would have been even more dire.

To make matters worse, although the first Marquess of Hastings was a capable man and had a very close relationship with the royal family, his Irish origins made his political views quite divided.

On one hand, he was a soldier, an old-school Tory nobleman who rose through the ranks from junior officer to Quartermaster General and finally Commander-in-Chief of the Scottish Garrison. He was an undisputed royalist throughout his life, and from the Regent era onward, George IV considered him a confidant. After the assassination of Prime Minister Spencer Percival in 1812, George IV even briefly ordered the Marquess of Hastings to form a government. Although he ultimately failed to do so, George IV, out of respect, still elected him a member of the Knights of St. George.

However, on the other hand, because the Marquess of Hastings had such a deep love for his homeland, Ireland, he never yielded on issues that could potentially harm Irish interests throughout his life. Whether on religious emancipation, the union of England and Ireland, or the issue of slavery, the Marquess of Hastings held Whig positions. This political inclination easily led him to dislike both sides, as evidenced by his initial failure to form a government. Whether during the Tory or Whig era, the first Marquess of Hastings failed to form his own faction, which ultimately resulted in his failure to form a government.

If it weren't for George IV's consistent support for his old friend, the Marquess of Hastings wouldn't even have had the opportunity to be sent to India as governor.

The Roton-Hastings family crest can still be seen on the wrought iron gate of the Hastings family mansion in Belgrevia, London.

To those unfamiliar with heraldry, these are merely patterns. But to those skilled in heraldry, presenting them with these patterns allows them to decipher the family's history, titles, and fiefdoms.

The coat of arms of the Marquis of Hastings

Currently, the lands held by the Marquess of Hastings mainly include: Moira Manor, their ancestral home in County Down, Ireland; Roton Manor in Yorkshire, which the first Marquess of Hastings received when he was granted the title of Baron Roton; and Donington Manor in Leicestershire, the ancestral home of the Hastings family, which they inherited from their uncle and is considered a prime example of Gothic mansions.

Donington Park

If we disregard the Hastings family's declining political influence in recent years, they are actually living a fairly comfortable life, much more so than Sir Arthur Hastings, a rising political star.

However, even so, it's not a pleasant feeling to have a golden rice bowl and then sit around eating away at it.

Compared to the illustrious career of the first Marquis of Hastings, the second Marquis of Hastings made almost no achievements in politics.

His only official position was as one of William IV's seventeen bedchamber attendants.

In essence, the duties of a palace attendant included assisting the monarch with dressing, attending to him during meals, guarding passageways to the palace and private chambers, and accompanying him on outings. Of course, over time, these duties have largely become nominal, and the king would not actually order them to perform tasks such as emptying chamber pots.

Nowadays, the main duty of the palace attendants is actually to act as advisors to the king and offer him advice.

Therefore, if the king appoints you as a bedchamber attendant, it is usually a sign of favor, as only the most trusted nobles are granted this position.

Unfortunately, William IV's appointment of him as a courtier was likely not because he genuinely trusted the second Marquess of Hastings. Rather, it was because William IV had just ascended the throne and needed to appease the public by showing favor to the son of a former favorite.

Otherwise, the second Marquis of Hastings could not have been dismissed after only one year as a courtier.

As Arthur pondered these matters, a servant approached and removed his cloak as he stepped into the hall. He adjusted his tie, composed a perfectly timed smile, and was then led into the main hall.

The fireplace in the hall was still warm. The room was not shabby, but it was far from extravagant either. Above the fireplace hung a portrait of the first Marquis, a portrait of him during his tenure as Governor-General of India. He was wearing a red and gold uniform, a black feathered military cap, his hands behind his back, and his eyes held an undeniable arrogance.

The man sitting on the sofa below the portrait, the second Marquis George Hastings, clearly did not inherit his father's brilliance.

The 27-year-old nobleman was dressed in an impeccably tailored morning suit, his black hair neatly combed back, and several hunting dogs lay on the blanket beside him. This was one of his great hobbies; Arthur had heard before that the kennels at Donington Hall were among the largest in England.

“Sir Arthur Hastings?” The Marquis stood up with a smile, his voice not loud. “Or, if you don’t mind, may I just call you Arthur?”

“Of course, Your Excellency,” Arthur replied with a smile, and took a seat at the other party’s invitation.

He had barely sat down when he saw the Marquis scrutinizing his face from head to toe, muttering to himself, "This... Flora was right... Your face, especially your eyes, is exactly the same as the portrait in Donington House..."

"portrait?"

The Marquess stated with certainty, “The portrait of Theophrastus Hastings, the 7th Earl of Huntington, do you know him? He's the one who moved the family residence from Ashby de Lazouch Castle to Donington Estate. His portrait is also the oldest art collection in Donington Estate now.”

Upon hearing this, Arthur almost inexplicably told the other person that the oldest portrait in Scotland Yard was sitting right in front of him.

Fortunately, he managed to hold it in at the end.

Arthur began, “Of course I know. The 7th Earl of Huntington is a well-known figure. Theophresus Hastings the ‘Turner.’ I always thought it was a bit of an exaggeration for historians to describe him as a ‘complete traitor.’ After all, he remained loyal to James II after his fall from power, which shows that he was not without principles. It’s just that he had to be inconsistent on many issues in order to restore the family’s status.”

Upon hearing this, the Marquis took a small sip of his black tea, a subtle hint of approval flashing across his face.

The question just now was a test. Arthur's familiarity with the ancestors of the Hastings family is enough to show that this knight has indeed put in a lot of effort.

“You’re right, Arthur.” The Marquis slowly set down his teacup. “Many books portray Theophrastus as a thoroughly opportunistic politician, saying he switched sides between Charles II’s bastard son and James II, and that he tried to curry favor with William before and after the Glorious Revolution, only to be humiliated in Parliament. But few mention that after James was expelled from England, he still went to Paris for the Hajj. That wasn’t opportunism; that was obsession.”

At this point, the Marquess joked, "I've noticed that the Hastings family always seems to have a taboo when it comes to religious matters. The 7th Earl of Huntington hesitated over the succession to the throne, choosing between a Protestant and a Catholic heir, and was ultimately branded a traitor. My father got into trouble because of the Catholic liberation movement in Ireland. As for you, Arthur, I remember a few years ago someone said you deserved to be shot at the Tower of London because you're Catholic."

(I was too tired yesterday, my head was spinning from looking at the data, so I went to sleep first. This chapter is a make-up update from yesterday, and I will update as usual tonight.)
(End of this chapter)