Francis Charteris (rake)

Francis Charteris
Colonel Francis Charteris
Nickname(s)	The Rape-Master General
Born	(1675-04-04)April 4, 1675 Edinburgh
Died	February 23, 1732(1732-02-23) (aged 56) Edinburgh
Buried at	Greyfriars Kirkyard
Allegiance	Scottish
Rank	Colonel
Spouse(s)	Helen Swinton
Relations	John Charteris, Mary, Sir Francis Kinloch, 1st Baronet
Other work	Adventurer

Colonel Francis Charteris (baptised 4 April 1675 – 24 February 1732), nicknamed "The Rape-Master General", was a Scottish soldier and adventurer who earned a substantial sum of money through gambling and the South Sea Bubble. He was convicted of raping a servant in 1730 and sentenced to death, but was subsequently pardoned, before dying of natural causes shortly afterwards.

Charteris was born at Edinburgh in about 1665, the son of John Charteris (died 1691 [?] dead by 1702), a magistrate, and his wife, Mary, who was possibly the daughter of Sir Francis Kinloch, 1st Baronet. His family were land-holders and owned property in Amisfield, near Dumfries. Even before his conviction, he was notorious and despised by many in London as an archetypal rake. He had a serial military career, being dismissed from service four times; the third time in the Southern Netherlands by the Duke of Marlborough, for cheating at cards, and the fourth time by Parliament for accepting bribes. Despite his military dismissals, he amassed a considerable fortune.

Charteris married Helen Swinton, the daughter of Alexander Swinton, Lord Mersington; their daughter Janet married James Wemyss, 5th Earl of Wemyss, in 1720, and his grandson, Francis Wemyss Charteris, 7th Earl of Wemyss, adopted his mother's maiden name in 1732 when he inherited his grandfather's estates.