In 1690–91, Nugent fought in the Irish campaign, in support of
King James, during the
Williamite War in Ireland. After the
siege of Limerick in 1691, Nugent joined the Imperial regiment of Irish under
Prince George of Hesse-Darmstadt in 1692, entering into service for the
Habsburgs, as being a
Roman Catholic, he was unable to be commissioned in the
British Army. In 1697, he distinguished himself while defending
Barcelona against the French during the
Siege of Barcelona at the orders of Prince
George of Hesse-Darmstadt. Once the
War of the Spanish Succession started, he was created Count of Val de Soto Two days later, on 6 August 1704, Nugent was appointed Governor of Gibraltar, with the rank of
Major General. Brigadier Fox, commander of the
English Marines, and junior to Nugent, demanded to go home. Hesse gave a refusal to Fox, prompting antagonism between Nugent and Fox. During the
Twelfth Siege of Gibraltar in November 1704, Nugent was mortally wounded on 9 November and died soon thereafter. His death was caused by wounds sustained at
San Pablo Battery (North Bastion). He was succeeded as Governor by Brigadier
John Shrimpton of the Royal Marines. ==Personal life==