Benjamin Keene

Sir Benjamin Keene FRS, KB
Sir Benjamin Keene
British Ambassador to Spain
In office 1749–1757
Monarch	George II
Preceded by	Vacant War of Jenkins' Ear
Succeeded by	Earl of Bristol
Ambassador to Portugal
In office 1745–1749
Preceded by	Charles Crompton
Succeeded by	Abraham Castres
MP for West Looe
In office 1741–1747
MP for Maldon
In office January 1740 – April 1741
British Ambassador to Spain
In office 1729–1739
Preceded by	Anglo-Spanish War
Succeeded by	War of Jenkins' Ear
Personal details
Born	ca 1697 King's Lynn, Norfolk
Died	15 December 1757(1757-12-15) (aged 72) Madrid, Spain
Resting place	St Nicholas's Chapel, Kings Lynn, Norfolk[1]
Nationality	English
Political party	Whigs
Parent(s)	Charles Keene (1674–?) Susan Rolfe (? – 1753)
Alma mater	Pembroke College, Cambridge Leiden University
Occupation	Diplomat
Committees	Board of Trade 1741–1744 Paymaster of Pensions 1745–1746

Sir Benjamin Keene (1697–1757) was a British diplomat from Norfolk, who served as British Ambassador to Spain from 1729 to 1739, then again from 1748 until his death in Madrid in December 1757. He has been described as "by far the most prominent British agent in Anglo-Spanish relations of the 18th century".^[2]

First appointed Consul General to Spain in 1724, he became Ambassador five years later, when he negotiated the 1729 Treaty of Seville ending the 1727 to 1729 Anglo-Spanish War. He later agreed the 1739 Convention of Pardo resolving trade and boundary issues in the Caribbean, but political opposition in England meant it was never ratified, leading to the 1739 to 1748 War of Jenkins' Ear.

On returning to England, he was elected Member of Parliament from 1740 to 1741 for Maldon, then for West Looe until 1747. He was appointed to the Board of Trade in 1741 and made Paymaster of Pensions in 1745; he found political life less interesting than diplomacy and in 1745 transferred to Lisbon as Ambassador to Portugal.

Following the 1748 Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle, he returned to Madrid where his influence kept Spain neutral when the Seven Years' War began in 1756. His importance was such that he was kept in post until his death in December 1757, despite several requests he be allowed to retire due to ill-health. Although his successor lacked the same influence, Spain did not join the war against Britain until 1762, a major factor in British victory.