Charles Calvert, 3rd Baron Baltimore
The last Lord Baltimore to personally rule Maryland, his struggle to maintain Catholic control ended with the colony's seizure by the English Crown.
1637–1715 (age 78)·English colonial administrator·Birthday: August 27
Biography
Charles Calvert arrived in Maryland as a young man, stepping into the immense shadow of his father, Cecil, the colony's founder. For years, he served as Deputy Governor, learning the complexities of managing a fragile, religiously tolerant proprietorship in a volatile New World. When he inherited the title and full proprietorship in 1675, he faced escalating tensions: Protestant settlers chafed under Catholic proprietorial rule, border disputes with neighboring colonies simmered, and the political winds in England were turning against his family's faith. His decision to return to England in 1684 to defend his charter proved fateful. The Glorious Revolution of 1688, which ousted the Catholic King James II, sealed Maryland's fate. In his absence, Protestants revolted, and the Crown revoked his authority, ending proprietary rule and placing Maryland under direct royal control. He died in England, a lord who lost his American domain.
#1 When Charles Was Born
The biggest hits of 1637
Charles's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1637Born
1642Started school
1650Became a teenager
1653Could drive
1655Could vote
1658Turned 21
1667Turned 30
1677Turned 40
1687Turned 50
1697Turned 60
1707Turned 70
1715Died at 78
Key Achievements
- Served as Deputy Governor of the Maryland colony for over a decade before inheriting full proprietorship.
- Inherited and personally administered the Province of Maryland as the 3rd Baron Baltimore from 1675.
- Oversaw the formal survey and establishment of the boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania, known as the Mason-Dixon Line.
- Founded the city of Charlestown, Maryland (now Annapolis), though it was later renamed.
Did You Know?
He was the last Lord Baltimore to actually set foot in the colony of Maryland.
His official title was "Lord Proprietor of the Province of Maryland, Avalon, and the Islands of Bermuda."
The loss of Maryland's charter in 1689 initiated a 25-year period of direct royal rule before the proprietorship was restored to his son.
“This colony's charter is our shield; we must hold it against all challengers.”
