George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham ( 1628 - 1687 )

Birth: Wallingford House, Westminster, London, England, Europe (30 January 1628) Death: Kirkby Moorside, Yorkshire, England, Europe (16 April 1687) Burial: St George's chapel in Westminster Abbey, London, England, Europe (7 June 1687) Occupation: Politician; statesman; writer Research field: chemistry; alchemy Education: Christ Church, Oxford; Trinity College, Cambridge, MA (fil nob 1642) Career: Joined Royalist Army (1642); proscribed and sentenced to death (1648); fled to Holland (1648); with Charles II in Scotland (1650); fought at Worcester (1651); returned to Holland (1651); returned to England (1657); imprisoned in the Tower of London (1658-1659); set up the Vauxhall glassworks factory at Lambeth, the productions of which were praised by John Evelyn FRS (1660); gentleman of the bedchamber (1661); Lord Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire (1661-1667, recommisioned later in 1667); Privy Councillor (1662-1667); one of the 'Cabal', the cabinet signatories to a treaty with France (1667-1672); played a leading role in the impeachement of former Lord Chancellor Clarendon (1667) shareholder in the Royal African Company; Committee for Foreign affairs (1668); purchased position as Master of the Horse for £20,000 (1668-1674); fought an infamous duel with the Earl of Shrewsbury whose wife was Buckingham's mistress, Shrewsbury later died of his wounds (1668); High Steward of Oxford (1669); Ambassador to Paris (1670-1672); Chancellor of Cambridge University (1671-1674); attached to the embassy to The Hague (June 1672); Keeper of Enfield Chace (1672-1675); Lieutenant General of the Forces (1673); Lord of the Admiralty (1673-1674); dismissed from all offices (1674); imprisoned in the Tower of London for seeking the dissolution of parliament (1677) released after a month thanks to the influence of Nell Gwyn, the King's mistress and other courtiers; lived in retirement in Yorkshire; author of restoration plays, notably 'The Chances' (1667) adpated from John Fletcher's comedy and the popular satire 'The Rehersal' (1671), he also wrote poetry and satirical prose and was famed as a wit Honours: KG 1649 Membership: Original Fellow Election Date: 20/05/1663 Date of ejection/withdrawal: 22/07/1685 (due to non-payment of arrears).