Frederick Howard, 5th Earl of Carlisle (1748-1825)

Frederick Howard, 5th Earl of Carlisle, KG, KT, PC (28 May 1748 – 4 September 1825) was an British diplomat and the son of Henry Howard, 4th Earl of Carlisle and his second wife Isabella Byron.

His mother was a daughter of William Byron, 4th Baron Byron and his wife Hon. Frances Berkeley, a descendant of John Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley of Stratton. She was also a sister of William Byron, 5th Baron Byron and a great-aunt of George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron, the poet. In 1798, Carlisle was appointed guardian to Lord Byron who later lampooned him in English Bards and Scotch Reviewers.

Career
During his youth Carlisle was mentored by George Selwyn and was chiefly known as a man of pleasure and fashion. He was created a Knight of the Thistle in 1767. After he had reached thirty years of age, his appointment on a Commission sent out by Frederick North, Lord North to attempt a reconciliation with the Thirteen Colonies during the American War of Independence was received with sneers by the opposition. The failure of the embassy was not due to any incapacity on the part of the earl, but to the unpopularity of the government from which it received its authority. He was, indeed, considered to have displayed so much ability that he was entrusted with the viceroyalty of Ireland in 1780.

The time was one of the greatest difficulty; for while the calm of the country was disturbed by the American rebellion, it was drained of regular troops, and large bands of volunteers not under the control of the government had been formed. Nevertheless, the two years of Carlisle's rule passed in quietness and prosperity, and the institution of a national bank and other measures which he effected left permanently beneficial results upon the commerce of the island. In 1789, in the discussions as to the regency, Carlisle took a prominent part on the side of the prince of Wales.

In 1791 he opposed William Pitt the Younger's policy of resistance to the dismemberment of the Ottoman Empire by Imperial Russia; but on the outbreak of the French Revolution he left the opposition and vigorously maintained the cause of war. He resigned from the Order of the Thistle and was created a Knight of the Garter in 1793. In 1815 he opposed the enactment of the Corn Laws; but from this time till his death, he took no important part in public life.

In 1798 he was one of the syndicate who bought the Orleans Collection of paintings, many of which remain in Castle Howard.

Literary works
Carlisle was the author of some political tracts, a number of poems, and two tragedies:


 * 1) Poems, London, 1773
 * 2) The Father's Revenge (a tragedy in five acts), London, 1783
 * 3) To Sir J. Reynolds, (verses), London, 1790
 * 4) A Letter to Earl FitzWilliam, London, 1795
 * 5) The Crisis, London, 1798
 * 6) Unite or Fall, London, 1798
 * 7) The Stepmother, (a tragedy), London, 1800
 * 8) The Tragedies and Poems of Frederick, Earl of Carlisle, London, 1801
 * 9) ''Verses on the Death on Lord Nelson, London, 1806
 * 10) Thoughts on the present Condition of the Stage, London, 1808
 * 11) Miscellanies, London, 1820

Marriage and children
On 22 March 1770, Frederick married Margaret Caroline Leveson-Gower (d. 27 Jan 1824). Margaret was a daughter of Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford and his wife Louisa, who was in turn daughter of Scroop Egerton, 1st Duke of Bridgewater.

They were parents to ten children:


 * Lady Isabella Caroline Howard (1771–1848), married John Campbell, 1st Baron Cawdor on 27 July 1789 and had issue
 * George Howard, 6th Earl of Carlisle (1773–1848), married and had issue
 * Lady Charlotte Howard (born and died in 1774).
 * Lady Susan Maria Howard (1776–1783)
 * Lady Louisa Howard (1778–1781)
 * Lady Elizabeth Howard (13 November 1780 – 29 November 1825), married John Manners, 5th Duke of Rutland on 22 April 1799 and had issue
 * Hon. William Howard (1781–1843), Member of Parliament
 * Lady Gertrude Howard (1783–1870), married William Sloane-Stanley on 23 June 1806 and had issue
 * Maj. Hon. Frederick Howard (6 December 1785 – 18 June 1815), killed at Waterloo, married Frances Susan Lambton and had issue, including Frederick John Howard
 * Hon. Henry Edward John Howard (1795–1868), married and had issue