Description: Don Carlo Earl of Plymouth. Charles Fitz-Charles, Earl of Plymouth, c1657-1680, also known as Don Carlos, an illegitimate son of King Charles by Catherine Pegge, daughter of a Derbyshire squire, made by J Smith, 3/4-length, 18th cent mezzotint, mounted on card.
Charles FitzCharles was born in or about 1657. He was the illegitimate son of Charles II, by Catherine, daughter of Thomas Pegge of Yeldersley, Derbyshire. Charles II had the affair with Catherine (or Katherine) Pegge whilst he was abroad in exile. Charles the younger was allowed to use the Royal arms with a baton sinister, Vaire.. and was bred to the sea. He was educated abroad, probably in Spain and he was known by the nickname of Don Carlos. Sir William Dugdale wrote, giving much testimony of his singular accomplishments: In the time of his youth, he was elevated to the peerage, 28 July 1675, as Baron of Dartmouth, Viscount Totness, and Earl of Plymouth, to the end he might be the more encouraged to persist in the paths of virtue, and thereby be the better fitted for the managery of great affairs when he should attain to riper years. He married on 19 September 1678 in Wimbledon, Surrey, Lady Bridget Osborne, third daughter of Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds, Lord High Treasurer.
He was a friend of the dramatic poet, Thomas Otway, for whom he procured a cornet's commission in a regiment of horse serving in Flanders. Later when his friend, John Sheffield, later the 1st Duke of Buckingham and Normandy in consequence of his attachment to Queen Anne then Princess of Denmark was sent to Tangier it was reported that the Duke was purposely despatched in a leaky vessel in order to get rid of him. Nevertheless the Earl of Plymouth we are told notwithstanding he was sensible of the danger insisted on accompanying him.
DeathThe Sultan Moulay Ismail of Morocco had made an unsuccessful attempt to seize the town of Tangier in 1679, but ended up imposing a crippling blockade. The King's Own Royal Regiment was formed on the 13 July 1680 as the 2nd Tangier, or Earl of Plymouth's Regiment of Foot with Charles as the founding Colonel. Charles died of dysentery without issue on 17 October 1680, aged 23 and the British were ultimately forced to withdraw ending the Tangier Garrison. The title Earl of Plymouth became extinct, but was recreated 2 years later with a new holder: Thomas Hickman-Windsor, 1st Earl of Plymouth (1682-)
from wikipedia