George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington
1668 – 17 January 1733
Admiral of the Fleet George Byng by Jeremiah Davison in 1733
Place of birth	Wrotham, Kent
Place of death	Southill, Bedfordshire
Allegiance	Kingdom of Great Britain
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Rank	Admiral
Battles/wars	Glorious Revolution Battle of Beachy Head Battle of Vigo Bay Battle of Malaga Battle of Cape Passaro
Awards	Viscount Torrington Order of the Bath
Relations	Admiral John Byng Brig. Gen. John Byng

George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington, KB PC (1668 – 17 January 1733) was a British Admiral and statesman of the late 17th and early 18th centuries. His career included service as First Lord of the Admiralty during the reign of King George II. 1668 (MDCLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events February 12 - British colonist James Oglethorpe founds Savannah, Georgia. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 364 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (700 × 1152 pixel, file size: 119 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) A full-length portrait of Admiral George Byng, Viscount Torrington, facing to the right and towards the viewer. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... Wrotham (pronounced ) is a village situated on the Pilgrims Way in Kent, at the foot of the North Downs. ... The Kent coat of arms For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... Southill may refer to: Southill, Bedfordshire, UK Southill, Limerick, Ireland Southill, Virginia, USA Southill, Weymouth, Dorset, UK Southill may also refer to: Viscount Torrington, Lord Byng of Southill Category: ... Bedfordshire (abbreviated Beds) is a county in England that forms part of the East of England region. ... For an explanation of terms such as Scotland, Wales, England, (Great) Britain and United Kingdom, see British Isles (terminology). ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ... For other uses, see Admiral (disambiguation). ... The Revolution of 1688, commonly known as the Glorious Revolution, was the overthrow of James II of England in 1688 by a union of Parliamentarians and the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau (William of Orange). ... Combatants France England United Provinces Commanders Anne Hilarion de Tourville Earl of Torrington Strength 75 ships 56 ships Casualties None 7 Dutch ships lost The naval Battle of Beachy Head or Bataille de Béveziers took place on 30 June 1690 near Beachy Head, a promontory near Eastbourne, on the... The Battle of Vigo Bay, 23 October 1702 by Ludolf Bakhuizen, painted c. ... Combatants France Spain England United Provinces Commanders Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon, Comte de Toulouse George Rooke Strength 32 warships 6 frigates (3,577 guns) 53 ships of the line 6 frigates 7 fireships (3,614 guns) Casualties Unknown Unknown The Battle of Málaga (or Velez-Málaga) took place... The naval Battle of Cape Passaro took place on 11 August 1718 near Cape Passaro, Sicily, when a British fleet under Admiral George Byng defeated a Spanish fleet of twenty-six men-of-war, two fireships, four bomb vessels, seven galleys and several other ships with stores and provisions under... Viscount Torrington is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. ... Badge of a Companion of the Order of the Bath (Military Division) Ribbon of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (formerly The Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath)[1] is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on May 18, 1725. ... Portrait of John Byng by Thomas Hudson, 1749 John Byng (October 29, 1704 – March 14, 1757) was a British Admiral who was court-martialled and executed for failing to do his utmost during the Battle of Minorca, at the beginning of the Seven Years War. ... Field Marshal John Byng, 1st Earl of Strafford, GCB, GCH, PC (I) (1772 – 3 June 1860) was a British peer, politician and soldier. ... Badge of a Companion of the Order of the Bath (Military Division) Ribbon of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (formerly The Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath)[1] is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on May 18, 1725. ... Her Majestys Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. ... 1668 (MDCLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 10-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events February 12 - British colonist James Oglethorpe founds Savannah, Georgia. ... For other uses, see Admiral (disambiguation). ... The First Lord of the Admiralty was a British government position in charge of the Admiralty. ... George II (George Augustus; 10 November 1683 – 25 October 1760) was King of Great Britain and Ireland, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg (Hanover) and Archtreasurer and Prince-Elector of the Holy Roman Empire from 11 June 1727 until his death. ...

Byng was born at Wrotham, Kent, England. At the age of 10 (1678) he entered the Royal Navy as a King's Letter Boy. He left the navy for a brief time to join an army garrison stationed at Tangier, but in 1683 Byng rejoined the navy as a lieutenant, and shipped for the East Indies. In 1688 he was instrumental in instigating the British navy to switch allegiance to William III, Prince of Orange. This naval force took part in the Glorious Revolution of 1688, and William was installed as King of England, thus insuring Byng's rapid rise in rank and fortune. Wrotham (pronounced ) is a village situated on the Pilgrims Way in Kent, at the foot of the North Downs. ... The Kent coat of arms For other uses, see Kent (disambiguation). ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem No official anthem specific to England — the United Kingdom anthem is God Save the Queen. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ... A view of Tangier bay at sunrise as seen from Cape Malabata Tangier - Avenue Mohammed VI Tangier (Tanja طنجة in Berber and Arabic, Tánger in Spanish, Tânger in Portuguese, and Tanger in French) is a city of northern Morocco with a population of 669,680 (2004 census). ... Lieutenant is a military, naval, paramilitary, fire service or police officer rank. ... The Indies, on the display globe of the Field Museum, Chicago The Indies or East Indies (or East India) is a term used to describe lands of South and South-East Asia, occupying all of the former British India, the present Indian Union, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and... William III of England (The Hague, 14 November 1650 – Kensington Palace, 8 March 1702; also known as William II of Scotland and William III of Orange) was a Dutch aristocrat and a Protestant Prince of Orange from his birth, Stadtholder of the main provinces of the Dutch Republic from 28... Prince of Orange is a title of nobility, originally associated with the principality of Orange in southern France. ... The Revolution of 1688, commonly known as the Glorious Revolution, was the overthrow of James II of England in 1688 by a union of Parliamentarians and the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau (William of Orange). ... This is a list of British monarchs, that is, the monarchs on the thrones of some of the various kingdoms that have existed on, or incorporated, the island of Great Britain, namely: England (united with Wales from 1536) up to 1707; Scotland up to 1707; The Kingdom of Great Britain...

In 1702 Byng was given command of a vessel, the Nassau, and took part in the capture and burning of the French Fleet at Vigo. The next year Byng was promoted to Rear-Admiral. In 1704 he was in the Mediterranean under the command of Sir Cloudesley Shovell whose force gained control of Gibraltar. Byng took part in the Battle of Malaga, for which he received a knighthood. The Battle of Vigo Bay, 23 October 1702 by Ludolf Bakhuizen, painted c. ... Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank that originated from the days of Naval Sailing Squadrons and can trace its origins to the Royal Navy. ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... A portrait of Cloudesley Shovell at the museum in Rochester, Kent, where he was an MP. Sir Cloudesley Shovell (c. ... Combatants France Spain England United Provinces Commanders Louis-Alexandre de Bourbon, Comte de Toulouse George Rooke Strength 32 warships 6 frigates (3,577 guns) 53 ships of the line 6 frigates 7 fireships (3,614 guns) Casualties Unknown Unknown The Battle of Málaga (or Velez-Málaga) took place... A statue of an armoured knight of the Middle Ages For the chess piece, see knight (chess). ...

In 1708 Byng had been promoted to full admiral, and took part in the struggle against the Jacobean uprising in Scotland. In 1718 Byng commanded the fleet which routed the Spanish Fleet at the Battle of Cape Passaro, thwarting the attempt of the Spanish to take Sicily. The Jacobean era refers to a period in English and Scottish history that coincides with the reign of James I (1603 – 1625). ... This article is about the country. ... The naval Battle of Cape Passaro took place on 11 August 1718 near Cape Passaro, Sicily, when a British fleet under Admiral George Byng defeated a Spanish fleet of twenty-six men-of-war, two fireships, four bomb vessels, seven galleys and several other ships with stores and provisions under... Sicily (Sicilia in Italian and Sicilian) is an autonomous region of Italy and the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, with an area of 25,708 km² (9,926 sq. ...

Byng was rewarded handsomely for this victory by George I and given full power to negotiate with the various princes and states of Italy, on behalf of the English crown. In 1719 he assisted the Germans in taking Messina, and destroyed the remaining Spanish ships which forced the Spanish king to accept the terms of the Quadruple Alliance. On his return to England in 1721 he was made rear-admiral of Great Britain, a member of the privy council, Baron Byng of Southill in the county of Bedford, and 1st Viscount Torrington in Devon. George I (George Louis; 28 May 1660 – 11 June 1727)[1] was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, from 1 August 1714 until his death. ... The term Quadruple Alliance refers to several historical military alliances; none of which remain in effect. ... A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, especially in a monarchy. ... , Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, England. ... Viscount Torrington is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. ... Part of the seafront of Torquay, south Devon, at high tide Devon is a large county in South West England, bordered by Cornwall to the west, and Dorset and Somerset to the east. ...

In 1725 Byng was made a Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath and in 1727, on the accession of George II, he was made First Lord of the Admiralty. Badge of a Companion of the Order of the Bath (Military Division) Ribbon of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (formerly The Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath)[1] is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on May 18, 1725. ... The First Lord of the Admiralty was a British government position in charge of the Admiralty. ...

Byng's administration of the Admiralty was distinguished by the establishment of the Royal Naval College at Portsmouth. He died in 1733 and is buried at Southill, Bedfordshire. Crest on the gate of the Royal Naval College The Royal Naval College was a Royal Navy training establishment between 1873 and 1998, in the centre of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site in London, United Kingdom. ... For other places with the same name, see Portsmouth (disambiguation). ... Southill may refer to: Southill, Bedfordshire, UK Southill, Limerick, Ireland Southill, Virginia, USA Southill, Weymouth, Dorset, UK Southill may also refer to: Viscount Torrington, Lord Byng of Southill Category: ... Bedfordshire (abbreviated Beds) is a county in England that forms part of the East of England region. ...

Byng had 15 children, and two of his 11 sons — Pattee (1699-1747) and George (1701-1750) — became respectively the second and third Viscounts Torrington. His third-eldest son was Admiral Hon. John Byng, who was controversially court-martialled and shot at the outbreak of the Seven Years' War in Europe. His fourth son Hon. Robert Byng was the grandfather of the soldier John Byng, 1st Earl of Strafford. Portrait of John Byng by Thomas Hudson, 1749 John Byng (October 29, 1704 – March 14, 1757) was a British Admiral who was court-martialled and executed for failing to do his utmost during the Battle of Minorca, at the beginning of the Seven Years War. ... A court-martial (plural courts-martial) is a military court that determines punishments for members of the military subject to military law. ... Combatants Kingdom of Prussia Kingdom of Great Britain Electorate of Hanover Kingdom of Portugal Electorate of Brunswick Electorate of Hesse-Kassel Archduchy of Austria Kingdom of France Empire of Russia Kingdom of Sweden Kingdom of Spain Electorate of Saxony Kingdom of Naples and Sicily Kingdom of Sardinia The Seven Years... Field Marshal John Byng, 1st Earl of Strafford, GCB, GCH, PC (I) (1772 – 3 June 1860) was a British peer, politician and soldier. ...

The first Viscount Torrington's descendants retain the title to the present day.

The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative institution in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories (it alone has parliamentary sovereignty). ... Major-General Charles Trelawny (1653 – 24 September 1731) was a British Army officer of Cornish descent, the fourth son of Sir Jonathan Trelawny, 2nd Baronet. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... Plymouth was a parliamentary borough in Devon, which elected two Members of Parliament (MPs) to the House of Commons in 1298 and again from 1442 until 1918, when the borough was merged with the neighbouring Devonport and the combined area divided into three single-member constituencies. ... Major-General Charles Trelawny (1653 – 24 September 1731) was a British Army officer of Cornish descent, the fourth son of Sir Jonathan Trelawny, 2nd Baronet. ... Sir John Rogers, 2nd Baronet (14 June 1676 – 21 January 1744) was an English lawyer and politician. ... Sir John Rogers, 2nd Baronet (14 June 1676 – 21 January 1744) was an English lawyer and politician. ... Vice-Admiral James Berkeley, 3rd Earl of Berkeley (b. ... The First Lord of the Admiralty was a British government position in charge of the Admiralty. ... Sir Charles Wager (1666 - 1743) was a British Admiral and First Lord of the Admiralty between 1733 and 1742. ... The Peerage of Great Britain comprises all extant peerages created in the Kingdom of Great Britain after the Act of Union 1707 but before the Act of Union 1800. ... Viscount Torrington is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. ...

External links

• List of Byng's battles
• Biography of George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington

References

• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page