BERKELEY, JOHN [SSNE 2870]

Surname

BERKELEY, BERCKELEY, BARCLAY, BARCKELEY

First name

JOHN

Title/rank

AMBASSADOR, BARON OF STRATTON

Nationality

ENGLISH

Region

STRATTON

Social status

NOBILITY

Text source

John Berkeley is listed as a soldier sent by Charles I to Queen Kristina of Sweden in 1637 to propose an alliance to help the Elector Palatine along with Eleazer Borthwick [SSNE 1064]. He was first to meet Chancellor Axel Oxenstierna in Hamburg and then make his way to Sweden. Berkeley was knighted in 1639. He held a commission in the army raised to coerce the Scots, and was MP for Heytesbury in 1640. He was imprisoned in the Tower for conspiring to corrupt the army in the king's favour. He received bail and was then a royalist commander-in-chief of Devonshire. He took Exeter in 1643 then joined Sir Ralph Hopton 1643-4. He was lieutenant colonel of Devonshire and Cornwall in 1645 but surrendered Exeter to Fairfax in 1646, and then retired to France. He was governor to the duke of York in 1652. 

 

Sources; Swedish Riksarkiv, Svenske Sandebuds till Utlandske Hof och Deras Sandebud till Sverige, Sv. RA. 1841, p.83; DNB; G. M. Bell, A Handlist of British Diplomatic Representatives 1509-1688 (London, 1990); Public Records Office, SP81/76, SP84/199, 207, SP95/4, SP104/184. 

 

English Civil War; Bishops Wars; British Civil Wars

 

Service record

STUART KINGDOMS, SWEDEN

Arrived 1637-01-01

Departed 1637-07-20

Capacity ENVOY, purpose DIPLOMACY

STUART KINGDOMS, NIJMEGEN

Arrived 1675-12-13

Departed 1677-06-16

Capacity DIPLOMAT, purpose DIPLOMACY