John Byng, 1st Earl of Strafford (1772-1860), Field Marshal and politician

Sitter in 5 portraits
Byng entered the Army in 1793 and fought under Col. Arthur Wesley (later Duke of Wellington) in Flanders from 1793 until 1795. In 1811, he was promoted to a Brigadier-General and fought in the Peninsular War in battles in Spain and southern France. He also took part in the Battle of Waterloo and headed the advance on Paris. Byng was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Ireland in 1828, and was admitted to the Privy Council of Ireland the same year. He entered Parliament as an MP in 1831 and was raised to the House of Lords four years later. In 1855, he was promoted to the highest military rank of Field Marshal.