[1] On his return from the second expedition to Tangier, he plunged into active political life as a zealous Whig and an unswerving opponent of the heir to the throne James, Duke of York.

When James succeeded to the throne, Mordaunt's continued hostility forced him to repair to Holland in 1686, when he proposed to William of Orange to invade England.

When William sailed to Torbay, his friend accompanied him, and when the Dutch prince was safely established on the throne of England, honours without stint were showered upon Lord Mordaunt.

This led to a disagreement with the court, though the final breach did not take place until January 1697, when Monmouth was accused of complicity in Sir John Fenwick's conspiracy and of the use of undutiful words towards the king.

Through the fear of the ministry that his restless spirit would drive him into opposition to its measures if he stayed at home, he was appointed early in 1705 to command an expedition to Spain, during the War of the Spanish Succession.

For some weeks, the operations were not prosecuted with vigour and Peterborough urged that the fleet should transport the troops to Italy, but the energetic counsels of the Archduke Charles of Austria at last prevailed and by 14 October the city fell into his hands.

[1] According to the Encyclopedia Britannica 1911: "It is difficult to understand the action of Peterborough during this campaign, unless on the supposition that he was out of sympathy with the movement for placing an Austrian prince on the throne of Spain.

At first, he urged an advance by Valencia as supplies had there been collected, then he withdrew this statement; afterwards, he delayed for some weeks to join Galway, who was in need of succour, but ultimately reached the camp on 6 August.

[1] His new friends were not desirous of detaining him long on English soil, and they sent him on a mission to Vienna, where he characteristically engaged the ministry in pledges of which they disapproved.

1695–1755), a famous dramatic singer (from 1714) of great beauty and sweetness of disposition, daughter of Thomas Robinson (died 1722), a portrait painter; but she was at first unrecognised as his wife, and lived apart from him (regarded merely as his mistress) with her two sisters at Parson's Green.

{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) – historical fiction of Mordaunt's role in the Spanish War