Field MarshalJohn Ligonier, 1st Earl Ligonier, KB, PC (born Jean Louis de Ligonnier; 7 November 1680 – 28 April 1770), styled Sir John Ligonier from 1743 to 1757, was a French-born British soldier and politician who fought for the English and British armies for more than half a century. In 1757, he was appointed Commander-in-chief and raised to the peerage as Viscount Ligonier in 1757, and in 1766 further elevated as Earl Ligonier.
Ligonier was a Huguenot refugee who fled his native Castres for England in 1697, following the 1685 Edict of Fontainebleau, which stripped the rights of French Protestants to practice their religion. He joined the British Army in 1702 as a volunteer, and for the next six decades was dedicated to the British cause. He fought in the European wars of the Spanish Succession, of the Quadruple Alliance, and of the Austrian Succession. During the Seven Years' War, he also served as Master-General of the Ordnance, effectively acting as Minister of War for the Pitt–Newcastle ministry. He retired from active duty in 1763 and died at his home in London on 28 April 1770.
John Ligonier was born Jean-Louis de Ligonnier in Castres, Languedoc, the second son of Louis de Ligonnier, sieur de Montcuquet, and Louise de Ligonnier, daughter of Louis du Poncet. His parents were married 28 March 1677 at Roquecourbe.[3] His grandfather built the family's hôtel particulier, Hôtel Poncet [fr], in Castres. Louis de Ligonnier died around 1690.[4]
John, a Huguenot, was educated in France and Switzerland.[5] In 1697, he became the first of Louis' three younger sons who left for England, where they altered the name to Ligonier.[6]
Their eldest brother, Abel de Ligonnier (1669-1769), inherited his father's estates and stayed in Castres. He married Louise de Boileau, daughter of Jacques de Boileau de Castelnau, sister of Huguenot refugee Charles Boileau, the progenitor of the Boileau family in Britain, many of whom served in the British Army.[4] Abel was recorded living in France as late as 1769.[8]
Military career
In 1702, Ligonier volunteered to join a regiment in Flanders commanded by Lord Cutts.[5]
During the Jacobite rising of 1745 he was called home to command the British army in the Midlands.[15] In November 1745 he led a column of troops sent to Lancashire to oppose the rebels.[16] Having been promoted to the rank of general of horse on 3 January 1746,[17] he was placed at the head of the British and British-paid contingents of the Allied army in the Low Countries in June 1746.[18]
He was present at Rocoux in October 1746[19] and, having been made Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance on 19 March 1747,[20] he fought at Lauffeld in July 1747, where he led the charge of the British cavalry.[19] He did this with such vigour that he overthrew the whole line of French cavalry.[21] In this encounter his horse was killed and he was taken prisoner by Louis XV, but was exchanged within a few days.[22] The official despatch reported:
it is impossible to commend too much the conduct of the generals both horse and foot. Sir John Legonier, who charged at the head of the British dragoons with that skill and spirit that he has shown on so many occasions, and in which he was so well seconded...[22]
In September 1757, following the disgrace of the Duke of Cumberland who had signed the Convention of Klosterzeven, Ligonier was made Commander-in-Chief of the Forces.[19] He worked closely with the Pitt–Newcastle ministry who sought his strategic advice in connection with the Seven Years' War which was underway at this time.[19] Ligonier was also made a field marshal on 3 December 1757,[26] Colonel of the 1st Foot Guards on the same date[26] and a peer of Ireland on 10 December 1757 under the title of Viscount Ligonier of Enniskillen.[27] He was notionally given command of British forces in the event of a planned French invasion in 1759 though it never ultimately occurred.[5] He stood down as commander-in-chief in 1759 and became Master-General of the Ordnance.[5] He was given a further Irish peerage on 1 May 1762 as Viscount Ligonier of Clonmell (with remainder to his nephew) and on 19 April 1763 he became a Baron, and on 6 September 1766 an Earl, in the British peerage.[28]
The earldom became extinct but the Irish viscountcy and Cobham Park passed to his nephew Edward (son of his younger brother Francis), who would also be created Earl Ligonier in the Peerage of Ireland six years later.[5]