Robert King, 2nd Earl of Kingston

Robert King, 2nd Earl of Kingston (1754 – 17 April 1799) was an Anglo-Irish peer. He was styled Viscount Kingsborough between 1768 and 1797.

Biography

He was the son of Edward King, 1st Earl of Kingston and Jane Caulfeild. From 1767 to 1768 he was educated at Eton College. He sat in the Irish House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for Cork County between 1783 and 1797, and served as a Governor of County Cork in 1789.^[1] In 1797 he succeeded to his father's titles and assumed his seat in the Irish House of Lords. Between 1797 and his death he was Custos Rotulorum of Roscommon.

On 18 May 1798 he was tried by his peers in the Irish House of Lords after allegedly murdering Colonel Henry Gerald FitzGerald, who had seduced his daughter. He was acquitted as no witnesses came forward.

Family

He married Caroline FitzGerald, daughter of Richard FitzGerald and Margaret King, on 5 December 1769. Together they had nine children:

• Hon. John King (died young)
• Hon. Mary King (died young)
• Hon. Diana King (died young)
• George King, Viscount Kingsborough (28 April 1771 – 18 October 1839), succeeded to his father's titles and married Lady Helena Moore, daughter of Stephen Moore, 1st Earl Mountcashell
• Hon. Henry King (1772 – 26 November 1839), married Mary Hewitt
• Hon. Edward King (1772 – 14 February 1848)
• Lady Margaret King (1773 – 29 January 1835), married Stephen Moore, 2nd Earl Mountcashell
• Hon. Robert King (12 August 1773 – 20 November 1854), raised to the peerage as Viscount Lorton, married Lady Frances Parsons, daughter of Laurence Parsons, 1st Earl of Rosse
• Hon. Richard FitzGerald King (8 April 1779 – 22 September 1856), married Williamina Ross

References

1. E. M. Johnston-Liik, MPs in Dublin: Companion to History of the Irish Parliament, 1692-1800 (Ulster Historical Foundation, 2006), p.100 (Retrieved 6 October 2016).