During the
Wars of the Three Kingdoms, his
Catholic grandfather Thomas held
Dudley Castle for
Charles I from 1643 to 1646; one of 25 former
Royalists named by
Parliament in 1651 as subject to "perpetual banishment and confiscation", he died in exile on 8 September 1652. Despite the losses caused by the Civil Wars, in 1660 Robert Leveson's annual income was still around £700, a comfortable income for the period, while he was closely involved in Staffordshire politics, for example, helping the Government implement the
1661 Corporation Act in the boroughs. ; his grandfather Thomas commanded the Royalist garrison 1643–46. While neither Richard nor his father Robert were Catholic, they were a substantial and important county family, connected to the future
James II through Sarah's father
Thomas Povey, his Treasurer from 1660 to 1668. When James became King in February 1685, Richard was appointed
Groom of the Chamber; the function of such positions was less important than the status which indicated physical proximity and thus the King's favour. In May, he was elected as one of two
MPs for
Lichfield in what was known as the
Loyal Parliament. Leveson was
Captain of a troop of
dragoons when the
Monmouth Rebellion broke out in June 1685. Although the revolt quickly collapsed, James used the opportunity to expand his army, and in August Leveson's troop became part of a
new regiment, with
Alexander Cannon as Lt-Colonel and the
Duke of Somerset as
Colonel. Cannon became Colonel when Somerset fell from favour in August 1687, with Leveson promoted to Lt-Colonel. In late 1687, James tried to ensure a Parliament that would vote for his
Declaration of Indulgence, by demanding that all candidates confirm their support for repealing the 1678
Test Act, a measure which required holders of public office to swear to uphold 'the Protestant religion.' Although Robert Leveson confirmed his willingness to do so, his son Richard refused; combined with the trial of the
Seven Bishops for seditious libel in June 1688, many of James' supporters now viewed his policies as going beyond toleration for Catholicism into an assault on the
Church of England. The vast majority now abandoned him; the seven signatories of the
Invitation to William asking him to assume the English throne included representatives from the Tories, the Whigs, the Church and the Navy.
William III landed at
Torbay on 5 November 1688 in the invasion known as
the Glorious Revolution; with the exception of Cannon, Leveson and the majority of the Regiment defected, an action leading to his exclusion from a General Amnesty issued by James in May 1692. When William appointed him Colonel in place of Cannon, the regiment became known as 'Leveson's Dragoons,' since units were then considered the property of their
Colonel, and changed names when transferred. The regiment served in the 1689-1691
Williamite War in Ireland and fought at
the Boyne in July 1690, Leveson being promoted
Brigadier-General. While on leave in London in early 1691, he fought a duel with
Sir Henry Belasyse, a fellow officer in Ireland. At this time, he was also appointed
Governor of Berwick-upon-Tweed, a position he held until his death, although mostly absent.
Jacobite defeat at
Aughrim in August 1691 led to the
Treaty of Limerick ending the war in Ireland; his regiment returned to England in February 1692 and December was returned as MP for
Newport, Isle of Wight. On 19 January 1694, he transferred to the
Third Regiment of Horse and returned to full-time military service in Flanders. He did not stand for Parliament in 1695 and remained in Flanders until the
Treaty of Ryswick in 1697 ended the
Nine Years War. He died in March 1699. ==Footnotes==