William Harbord (politician)

William Harbord (25 April 1635 – 31 July 1692), of Grafton Park, was an English diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1661 and 1690.

Life

Harbord was the second son of Sir Charles Harbord (1596–1679) of Charing Cross, who had been Surveyor General to Charles I. He entered Parliament in 1661 as member for Dartmouth, and subsequently also represented Thetford and Launceston.[1]

In 1672, Harbord became secretary to the Earl of Essex. In the debates of 1676-8 Harbord spoke often against the alliance with France, and pressed for the removal of all papists from the king's person. He was a firm believer in the reality of the Popish Plot, and in concert with Ralph Montagu, whom he helped to get into parliament, took an important part in the attack on the Earl of Danby. In the parliament of 1679, in which he represented Thetford, he spoke against Danby's pardon, attacked Lauderdale, and was eager for the disbanding of the army.[2]

Leaving England on the accession of James II, Harbord served as a volunteer in the Imperial Army at Siege of Buda in 1686. He accompanied William of Orange on his invasion of England in 1688, and the following year was made a Privy Counsellor and Paymaster of the Forces in Ireland.

Harbord was made Vice-Treasurer of Ireland in 1690. He was nominated by the King to Constantinople on 2 November 1691. He left England on 9 November, arriving in Vienna on 8 March 1692. As ambassador to mediate between Sultan Ahmed II and the Emperor Leopold I, but died in Belgrade before reaching his posting in Belgrade on 31 July 1692.

Family

Harbord married twice. By his first wife, Mary Duck, daughter of Arthur Duck, whom he married in 1661, he had three daughters,

and by his second, Catherine Russell (niece of the 1st Duke of Bedford), one daughter,

References

Parliament of England
Preceded by
John Frederick
John Hale
Member of Parliament for Dartmouth
16611679
With: Thomas Southcote 16611664
Thomas Kendall 16641667
Sir Walter Yonge, Bt 16671670
William Gould 16701673
Josiah Child 16731679
Succeeded by
Sir Nathaniel Herne
John Upton
Preceded by
Sir Allen Apsley
Sir Joseph Williamson
Member of Parliament for Thetford
16791681
With: Sir Joseph Williamson
Succeeded by
Henry Heveningham
William de Grey
Preceded by
Sir Hugh Piper
Lord Lansdowne
Member of Parliament for Launceston
16811685
With: Sir Hugh Piper
Succeeded by
Sir Hugh Piper
John Granville
Preceded by
Henry Heveningham
William de Grey
Member of Parliament for Thetford
Jan–June 1689
With: Sir Henry Hobart, Bt 1689
Sir Francis Guybon 1689
Succeeded by
Sir Francis Guybon
John Trenchard
Preceded by
John Granville
Sir Hugh Piper
Member of Parliament for Launceston
June 16891692
With: Edward Russell 16891690
Bernard Granville 16901692
Succeeded by
Lord Hyde
Bernard Granville
Preceded by
Sir Francis Guybon
John Trenchard
Member of Parliament for Thetford
Feb–May 1690
With: Sir Francis Guybon
Succeeded by
Sir Francis Guybon
Baptist May
Political offices
Preceded by
Henry Ford
Chief Secretary for Ireland
1673–1676
Succeeded by
Sir Cyril Wyche
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