Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald

The Right Honourable The Earl of Dundonald GCB
Member of Parliament for Honiton
In office 1806–1807
Preceded by	Richard Bateman-Robson
Succeeded by	Sir Charles Hamilton
Member of Parliament for Westminster
In office 1807–1818
Preceded by	Richard Brinsley Sheridan
Succeeded by	Samuel Romilly
Personal details
Born	14 December 1775 Annsfield, Lanarkshire
Died	31 October 1860(1860-10-31) (aged 84) Kensington, Middlesex
Political party	Whig Radical
Spouse	Katherine ("Katy") Frances Corbet Barne
Children	6
Alma mater	University of Edinburgh
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Order of the Merit of Chile Order of the Southern Cross
Nickname(s)	Le Loup des Mers (The Sea Wolf) El Diablo (The Devil)[Note 1] El Metálico Lord (The Metallic Lord)[1]
Military service
Allegiance	United Kingdom Republic of Chile Empire of Brazil Hellenic Republic
Branch/service	Royal Navy  Chilean Navy  Imperial Brazilian Navy Hellenic Navy
Years of service	1793–1860
Rank	Admiral of the Red
Commands	North America and West Indies Station
Battles/wars	French Revolutionary Wars Napoleonic Wars Battle of the Basque Roads Chilean War of Independence Capture of Valdivia Battle of Agüi Peruvian War of Independence Liberating Expedition of Peru Brazilian War of Independence Battle of 4 May Greek War of Independence

Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald GCB (14 December 1775 – 31 October 1860), styled Lord Cochrane between 1778 and 1831, was a British naval officer, peer, mercenary and politician. Serving during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars in the Royal Navy, his naval successes led Napoleon to nickname him le Loup des Mers (the Sea Wolf). He was successful in virtually all of his naval actions.^[2]

Cochrane was dismissed from the Royal Navy in 1814 after a controversial conviction for fraud on the London Stock Exchange.^[3] Travelling to South America, he helped to organise and lead the revolutionary navies of Chile and Brazil during their respective wars of independence during the 1820s.^[4] While commanding the Chilean Navy, Cochrane also contributed to Peruvian independence through his participation in the Liberating Expedition of Peru. He was also hired to help the Greek Revolutionary Navy during the Greek War of Independence, but ultimately had little impact. In 1832, Cochrane was pardoned by the Crown and reinstated in the Royal Navy with the rank of Rear-Admiral of the Blue. After several more promotions, he died in 1860 with the rank of Admiral of the Red, and the honorary title of Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom.

Cochrane's life and exploits inspired the naval fiction of 19th- and 20th-century novelists, particularly the fictional characters C. S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower and Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey.

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