Charles Middleton, 2nd Earl of Middleton

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Charles Middleton, 2nd Earl of Middleton PC (c. 1640–1719), held several offices under Charles II and James II, being envoy extraordinary at Vienna and afterwards joint secretary for Scotland.

In 1684 he became an English Secretary of State and was sworn of the Privy Council, and with Richard Graham, Viscount Preston, he had the difficult task of managing the House of Commons for James II. He was loyal to James after the king fled to France, although he remained in England. where, as the leader of the moderate Jacobites, he sought to bring about a restoration by peaceful means.

In 1693 the earl joined the exiled king at St Germain, where he became his Secretary of State; afterwards he held the same office at the court of James Edward, the old pretender, in Flanders and in Lorraine. He was partly responsible for the unsuccessful expedition of the Jacobites to Scotland in 1707, and he resigned his office as secretary in 1713. Middleton, who had been created Earl of Monmouth by the pretender, died in 1719. His titles had been declared forfeit in 1695, but they were claimed by his son John, who died unmarried about 1746. The earl was a Protestant, although a lukewarm one, until 1701, when he yielded to the dying wish of James II. and joined the Roman Catholic Church.

Preceded by:
Earl of Lauderdale		 Secretary of State, Scotland
1682–1684		 Succeeded by:
Earl of Melfort
Preceded by:
Sidney Godolphin		 Secretary of State for the Northern Department
1684–1688		 Succeeded by:
The Viscount Preston
Preceded by:
The Earl of Sunderland		 Secretary of State for the Southern Department
1688		 Succeeded by:
The Earl of Shrewsbury
Preceded by:
John Middleton		 Earl of Middleton
1674–1695		 Succeeded by:
Forfeit
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