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3rd Lord Baltimore, Charles Calvert (1637-1715)
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| Identifier | 3charlescalvert |
| Title | 3rd Lord Baltimore, Charles Calvert (1637-1715) |
| Creator | Kneller, Godfrey, Sir, 1646-1723
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| Subject | Baltimore, Charles Calvert, Baron, 1699-1751
Colonization
Portraits
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| Description | Poster of the original painting of Charles Calvert, Third Lord Baltimore, that hangs in the main hall of the Central Library, Enoch Pratt Free Library / State Library Resource Center.
Born during the trying period when his father was straining his resources to maintain and strengthen the infant colony, Charles Calvert was bred to the responsibilities and privileges of a future governor and proprietor of the Maryland Palatinate. Through he grew up the atmosphere of a whole noble household - his mother was Anne, daughter of the powerful Catholic Lord Arundell of Wardour - his youth was spent in the turmoil of the Puritan Revolution which came to a climax in the execution of Charles I.
At the age of 24 Charles came as governor to Maryland to remain, except for one visit to his father, till after latter's death. Upon his accession to the barony he went again to England, but soon returned to the colony as first resident proprietor. After the grant of Pennsylvania in 1681, he was obliged to defend his rights along the northern boundary against the claims of William Penn. Thanks to the patronage of James II, Penn was able to get the better of Calvert, who vainly invoked the terms of the charter and the favorable precedents established under preceding regimes. At the height of the bitter controversy both proprietors returned to England, but before a settlement could be reached another revolution brought William and Mary to the throne and a new problem to Charles Calvert. Civil disorder broke out in Maryland, culminating in the Protestant Revolution, whereupon the Crown assumed political control. Though his property rights and revenues were undisturbed. Baltimore thus lost the power to govern. In 1692 the first royal governor, Lionel Copley, arrived in Maryland. From this date until his death Charles exerted all his efforts in an unsuccessful attempt to secure restoration of proprietary privileges. He died in England in 1715.
Firm in will and genuinely concerned for the welfare of his Maryland subjects, Charles lacked the prudence of his father and grandfather and relied too heavily on the outdated prerogatives of the feudal government contemplated by the charter. The new spirit of representative government that had possessed Englishmen on both sides of the Atlantic steadily diminished his power, and loss of the royal support that had shielded the rights of his predecessors reduced the proprietary position during the later years to one of mere ownership of Maryland soil.
The portrait is signed by Sir Godfrey Kneller, court painter to five English sovereigns. |
| Publisher (Electronic Version) | Enoch Pratt Free Library
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| Holding Institution | Enoch Pratt Free Library
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| Date Original | [undated] |
| Date Digital | 1998 |
| Type | Image
Text
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| Format | Digital reproduction of 1 color poster. |
| Source | Central Hall, Enoch Pratt Free Library / State Library Resource Center; |
| Relation | Is Part Of the Six Lords Baltimore
Is Part Of the Maryland Digital Cultural Heritage Program
Is Part Of Prominent Marylanders
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| Coverage (Time Period) | [undated]
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| Rights | The digital images contained in the Portraits of the Six Lords Baltimore Collection are copyright 1998 by the Enoch Pratt Free Library. The Library does not own the copyrights to the prints themselves; to the best of our knowledge all the images published on this website are no longer copyrighted. Anyone intending to use these images must be aware that they may be subject to copyright, fees, and other legal restrictions imposed by parties outside of the Library. Usage of this exhibit implies consent with these digital guidelines. The users of this exhibit are solely responsible for any storage, republication, adaptation, or transmission of these images in any form outside of this exhibit. The Enoch Pratt Free Library is not responsible for the outside use of these images.
The library is committed to the responsible and legal use of any content posted on its web site. Any questions regarding the legal nature of content on this site may be referred to copyright@prattlibrary.org. |
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