John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair

The Earl of Stair
John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair
Born	20 July 1673 Edinburgh, Scotland
Died	9 May 1747 (aged 73) Edinburgh, Scotland
Allegiance	Kingdom of Scotland  Kingdom of Great Britain
Service/branch	Royal Scots Army  British Army
Rank	Field Marshal
Battles/wars	Nine Years' War War of the Spanish Succession War of the Austrian Succession Jacobite rebellion
Awards	Knight of the Thistle

Nine Years' War
War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Austrian Succession

Field Marshal John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair KT PC (20 July 1673 – 9 May 1747) was a Scottish soldier and diplomat. He served in the Nine Years' War and the War of the Spanish Succession and, after a period as British Ambassador in Paris, became a military commander at the Battle of Dettingen during the War of the Austrian Succession.

Born the son of John Dalrymple, 2nd Viscount Stair (and later 1st Earl of Stair) and Elizabeth Dalrymple (née Dundas), Dalrymple accidentally killed his brother in a shooting accident in April 1682 and thereafter spent most of his early life in the Netherlands where he studied at Leiden University. He joined up as a volunteer for the Nine Years' War with the Earl of Angus's Regiment and fought at the Battle of Steenkerque in August 1692. At Steenkerque he rallied his regiment several times when the ranks had been broken by cannon fire. In 1695 he became Master of Stair when his father succeeded to the Viscountcy of Stair.

He was commissioned as a lieutenant colonel in the 3rd Foot Guards on 12 May 1702 and fought with the Duke of Marlborough during the War of the Spanish Succession at the Battle of Peer in August 1702 and the Battle of Venlo in September 1702. At Venlo he also saved the life of the Prince of Hesse-Kassel.