Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin

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Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin and 11th Earl of Kincardine (July 20, 1766 - November 14, 1841) was a British nobleman and diplomat, known for the removal of marble sculptures from the Parthenon in Athens -- popularly known as the Elgin Marbles.

Elgin (pronounced with a 'hard g' IPA: /ˈɛl gɪn/) was the third son of Charles Bruce, 5th Earl of Elgin and succeeded his older brother William, the 6th earl, in 1771 while he was only five.

Elgin was ambassador to the Ottoman Empire between 1799 and 1803. He had a great enthusiasm for antiquities, and was shocked by the indifference of the ruling Turks to the worsening condition of the sculptures. His claimed motive in removing them was to preserve them. In the process of removing the Marbles, he discovered that he was unable to move them out of acropolis without cutting them out in smaller pieces. Therefore, a considerable damage was made to the marbles. Even at the time, his actions were controversial. Elgin spent vast amounts of money in having them shipped home to Britain, which he never recouped.

Elgin's time in the Near East had been full of personal misfortune. He had lost his nose during an outbreak of "plague", and this made him even less appealing than he had previously been to his young wife, Scottish heirress Mary Nisbet. On his journey home, through France, the Earl and some of his companions were taken prisoners of war (war having broken out after they left for home) and were held in detention for several months. Although they were well-treated, Lady Elgin had to travel home without her husband, and began a liaison with one of her escorts. On his return to Britain, Elgin, finding that he could not get the British Museum to pay what he was asking for the marbles, sued his wife's lover for an appropriately high sum. He then remarried (an even younger woman) and went to live on the Continent. The marbles were put on display and were eventually bought for the nation in 1816.

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by ?	British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire 1799–1803	Succeeded by ?
Peerage of Scotland
Preceded by William Robert Bruce	Earl of Elgin 1771–1841	Succeeded by James Bruce