Charles Talbot, 1st Duke of Shrewsbury

His Grace The Duke of Shrewsbury KG PC
The Duke of Shrewsbury by Sir Godfrey Kneller
Chief Minister of Great Britain Lord High Treasurer
In office 30 July 1714 – 13 October 1714
Monarchs	Anne George I
Preceded by	The Earl of Oxford and Earl Mortimer
Succeeded by	The Earl of Halifax as First Lord of the Treasury in Commission
Lord Chamberlain
In office 1710–1715
Monarchs	Anne George I
Preceded by	The Marquess of Kent
Succeeded by	The Duke of Bolton
In office 1699–1700
Monarch	Anne
Preceded by	The Earl of Sunderland de jure Vacant de facto
Succeeded by	The Earl of Jersey
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
In office 22 September 1713 – 21 September 1714
Monarchs	Anne George I
Preceded by	The Duke of Ormonde
Succeeded by	The Earl of Sunderland
Secretary of State for the Southern Department
In office 27 April 1695 – 12 December 1698
Monarchs	William III and Mary II
Preceded by	John Trenchard
Succeeded by	James Vernon
In office 14 February 1689 – 2 June 1690
Monarchs	William III and Mary II
Preceded by	The Earl of Middleton
Succeeded by	The Earl of Nottingham
Secretary of State for the Northern Department
In office 2 March 1694 – 3 May 1695
Monarchs	William III and Mary II
Preceded by	John Trenchard
Succeeded by	William Trumbull
Personal details
Born	Charles Talbot 15 July 1660
Died	1 February 1718(1718-02-01) (aged 57) Warwick House, Charing Cross, London, England, Kingdom of Great Britain
Spouse	Adelhida Paleotti
Parent(s)	11th Earl of Shrewsbury Anna Maria Brudenell

Charles Talbot, 1st Duke of Shrewsbury (15 July 1660 – 1 February 1718) was a British Whig statesman who was part of the Immortal Seven group that invited William of Orange to depose King James II of England during the Glorious Revolution. Born to Roman Catholic parents, he remained in that faith until 1679 when—during the time of the Popish Plot and following the advice of the divine John Tillotson—he converted to the Church of England.^[1] He was appointed to several minor roles before the revolution, but came to prominence as a member of William's government, under whom he served as Secretary of State in the 1690s.

From 1700 until 1705, Shrewsbury was in self-imposed exile abroad, during which he married Countess Adelhida Paleotti. After his return to England he avoided politics until April 1710, when he was appointed Lord Chamberlain and joined the Tory government of Robert Harley, the Earl of Oxford. In November 1712 he was appointed ambassador to France and then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, returning to England in June 1714.^[1]

In July of 1714 Shrewsbury was appointed Lord Treasurer but in August Queen Anne died and George I succeeded her. The new Whig regime opposed Shrewsbury remaining in government and by 1715 he had lost all his governmental offices, although until his death he remained George's Groom of the Stool, and he opposed Whig policies. He died in 1718.^[1]