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Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland

Sir Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland (1640 - September 28, 1702) was an English statesman and politician.

Born in Paris, France, Spencer's father died when he was very young, and he succeeded to his father's titles on 20 September 1643, becoming Baron Spencer of Wormleighton and Earl of Sunderland. He joined the British Army, and reached the rank of captain in the Prince Rupert Regiment of Horse. He married Anne Digby (died 1715), daughter of the 2nd Earl of Bristol on 10 June 1665, then proceeded to serve successively as ambassador to Madrid (1671-1672), Paris (1672-1673), and the United Provinces (1673). He served as a Gentleman of the Bedchamber from 1673 to 1679; within this interval, he was invested as a Privy Councillor. He then succeeded to the position of Secretary of State for the Northern Department in 1679 (some sources say 1678); during this time, he served again as Ambassador Extraordinary to Paris.

Lord Sunderland also served as Lord Lieutenant of Staffordshire during the minority of the Earl of Shrewsbury until 1681. Intermittently, between 1682 and 1688, he served as Secretary of State for the Southern Department, Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire, and Lord President of the Council; in 1687, he openly embraced the Roman Catholic faith to please the king. That year, he was also made a Knight of the Garter. However, it was clear that he was growing uncomfortable under King James II, and he was summarily dismissed in October 1688, with the remark, "You have your pardon; much good doe it you. I hope you will be more faithfull to your next master than you have been to me."

Sunderland fled to Utrecht, Holland, and wrote to Sir John Churchill, a prominent English statesman, asking him to "make things easy for a man in my condition." At first, King William III excepted Lord Sunderland from the 1690 act of indemnity, but by 1691, he was allowed to return to the country. He began sitting in the House of Lords, and soon enough, King William paid a visit to his home in Althorp, Northamptonshire to discuss public affairs. Lord Sunderland advised him to select all of his ministers from one political system, and eventually effected a reconciliation between King William and his sister-in-law, later Queen Anne.

Sunderland became Lord Chamberlain of the Household in April 1697, and was a Lord Justice for a short period, but "the general suspicion with which he was regarded terrified him", and he eventually retired from public life in December of that year. Sunderland died in 1702 at Althorp, where he led a secluded life, and his only surviving son was Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland.

Preceded by: Sir Joseph Williamson	Secretary of State for the Northern Department 1679–1680	Followed by: Sir Leoline Jenkins
Preceded by: Henry Coventry	Secretary of State for the Southern Department 1680–1681	Followed by: Sir Leoline Jenkins
Preceded by: Sir Leoline Jenkins	Secretary of State for the Southern Department 1684–1688	Followed by: The Earl of Middleton
Preceded by: The Marquess of Halifax	Lord President of the Council 1685–1688	Followed by: The Marquess of Carmarthen
Preceded by: The Earl of Dorset	Lord Chamberlain 1697	Followed by: The Duke of Shrewsbury

Preceded by: Henry Spencer

Earl of Sunderland

Followed by: Charles Spencer