Michael Symes (diplomat)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Michael Symes FRS (1761–22 January 1809) was an Irish soldier, diplomat and politician.[1]

Early life

He was the fifth son of Richard Symes of

Ross, County Wexford, and was educated at Trinity College Dublin.[2]

Symes entered the

Madras in 1791, became captain in 1793, and lieutenant-colonel in 1800.[3]

Missions to Burma

Amarapura Palace 1795, reception of the British embassy led by Michael Symes

In 1795 Symes was sent by

Rangoon to protect the interests of British subjects.[1] Francis Buchanan-Hamilton accompanied him, as botanist.[4] When Hiram Cox went as agent, however, he found the situation other than he had understood, and there were recriminations against Symes.[1]

Symes was elected a

Calcutta, where he arrived in February 1803, he was affronted by the Burmese governor of Rangoon.[3]

Later life

His regiment returned to England in 1806, and Symes was in poor health, but had a recommendation from Wellesley to the government. He was twice accommodated. First he had a seat at Carlow from the middle of 1806. The arrangement came to an end with the 1806 general election. A seat in parliament was again found for him in January 1807, after he had unsuccessfully contested St Ives. He became Member of Parliament for Heytesbury. The occurrence of the 1807 general election in short succession cancelled this second arrangement, with Sir William à Court, 1st Baronet. Symes stood for Morpeth, but dropped out of parliament.[2]

Symes was sent in 1808 to Spain. He served during

retreat to Coruña, suffered from the hardships of the campaign, and died on the way home, on board the transport Mary, on 22 January 1809. His body was taken from Portsmouth to Rochester, and buried in St. Margaret's Church on 3 February 1809.[3]

Works

Symes wrote An Account of an Embassy to the Kingdom of Ava sent by the Governal-General of India in 1795, London, 1800.[3]

Family

When on leave in England Symes married, on 18 February 1801, Jemima, daughter of Paul Pilcher of Rochester. His widow married

Sir Joseph de Courcy Laffan, 1st Baronet, and died on 18 August 1835, aged 64.[3]

Notes

  1. ^
    doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/26880. (Subscription or UK public library membership
    required.)
  2. ^ a b c historyofparliamentonline.org, Symes, Michael (?1762-1809), of Ballyarthur, co. Wicklow.
  3. ^ a b c d e Lee, Sidney, ed. (1898). "Symes, Michael" . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 55. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  4. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/3836. (Subscription or UK public library membership
    required.)
  5. ^ Symes; Michael (c 1753 - 1809)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to An account of an embassy to the kingdom of Ava.

Further reading

  • D. G. E. Hall, Michael Symes: journal of his second embassy to the court of Ava in 1802, ed. (1955)
Attribution

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Lee, Sidney, ed. (1898). "Symes, Michael". Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 55. London: Smith, Elder & Co.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Michael_Symes_(diplomat)&oldid=1187084275"