Charles William Vane

Charles William Vane (formerly Stewart), 3rd Marquess of Londonderry (1778–1854), was a British soldier, diplomat, and politician, known as 'Fighting Charlie' for his distinguished military career in over 25 battles during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, rising to the rank of General.[1][3] Educated at Eton, he served as aide-de-camp to the King, Under-Secretary for Ireland, and British Minister at Vienna from 1814 to 1822, succeeding his half-brother Lord Castlereagh as Marquess in 1822 after marrying heiress Frances Anne Vane-Tempest in 1819 and adopting her surname.[1][5] Post-retirement, he focused on coal mining interests in County Durham and authored military memoirs including Narrative of Events in Spain and Portugal and works on the War in Germany and France.[1][5]