Arnold van Keppel, 1st Earl of Albemarle

Arnold Joost van Keppel was born in Zutphen in the Dutch Republic about 1670 and was the heir of a junior branch of an ancient and noble family in Gelderland. He achieved fame and wealth as the right-hand man of William III of Orange. He became the page of honour to William III in his mid-teens, possibly as early as 1685.[3][4] It has been claimed that he was William's lover, but no conclusive evidence has been discovered. Keppel accompanied William to England in the Glorious Revolution of 1688.[2]

While some have suggested their association began when Keppel was only 16, others argue a later date, possibly at the time of a hunting accident when he is said to have attracted the king's attention by his uncomplaining demeanour upon breaking a leg.[5][6] Public commentary on the relationship intensified in 1692 when Keppel began to receive grants of land from the king.[7] He became Groom of the Bedchamber and Master of the Robes in 1695. In 1696, he was created the Viscount Bury in Lancashire, and the Baron Ashford of Ashford, Kent. On 10 February 1697, William made Van Keppel the Earl of Albemarle.[2] In 1699, he was awarded the command of the First Life Guards.[8]

Arnold van Keppel in 1698

In 1700, William gave Albemarle extensive lands in Ireland, but Parliament obliged the king to cancel this grant. William instead granted him £50,000. The same year he was created a Knight of the Garter.[2] He served both with the English and Dutch troops, was a major-general in 1697, colonel of several regiments and governor of 's-Hertogenbosch.

Handsome and engaging, he rivalled Portland (whose jealousy he aroused in the royal favour), possessed William's full confidence, and accompanied him everywhere. In February 1702 William, then prostrated with his last illness, sent Albemarle to the Netherlands to arrange the coming campaign, and he only returned in time to receive William's last commissions on his deathbed,[9] including being entrusted with the king's private papers.[8]

After the death of William III, who bequeathed to him ƒ200,000 and the lordship of Bredevoort,[10] Albemarle returned to the Netherlands, took his seat as a noble in the States-General, and became a general of cavalry in the Dutch army. He joined the forces of the allies in 1703 in the War of Spanish Succession, was present at the Battle of Ramillies in 1706, and at Oudenaarde in 1708, and distinguished himself at the siege of Lille. He commanded at the siege of Aire in 1710, led Marlborough's second line in 1711, and was general of the Dutch forces in 1712. As commander of the Dutch forces he successfully bombarded Arras and destroyed much of the French supplies there, but he was defeated at Denain after the withdrawal of Ormonde and the English forces and taken prisoner. He died on 30 May 1718, at the age of forty-eight.[11]

Arms of the Earl of Albemarle (1697 creation) Arms of van Keppel

Albemarle married Geertruid Johanna Quirina van der Duyn,[12] daughter of Major General Scravenmore (an anglicisation of 's Gravenmoer) who served as an officer in the Danish Auxiliary Corps in the Williamite War in Ireland.

• William Anne, who succeeded him as 2nd Earl of Albemarle. He married the granddaughter of Charles II of England.
• Sophia (1716–1773), who married General John Thomas (son of Sir Edmond Thomas, 2nd Bt.). They had at least two sons. The younger son, Colonel Charles Nassau Thomas, became Vice-Chamberlain to George IV, when he was Prince of Wales and Prince Regent.[13]

Attribution:

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Albemarle, Earls and Dukes of". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 492–493.
• Edmund Lodge The Genealogy of the Existing British Peerage, 1859. at Google Books