The Merchant Diplomat: William Lee's Secret Dutch Treaty and the Victory at Yorktown
Summary
This episode chronicles the life of William Lee, a Virginia patriot who became the only American elected as an Alderman of London. After sacrificing his lucrative tobacco business to fight for independence, he exposed corruption in France and drafted an unauthorized treaty with the Dutch. This rogue diplomacy inadvertently triggered the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, diverting British naval power and aiding the victory at Yorktown, yet Lee returned home blind, impoverished, and unrecognized.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: Whole Foods and P.C. Richard & Son
Introduction to William Lee and his family's role in independence
William's upbringing, education, and early life at Stratford Hall
William's rise as a tobacco merchant and marriage for capital
Political rise in London and election as Lord Mayor
Exile to France and uncovering corruption in Nantes
The rogue treaty with the Dutch and its impact on Yorktown
Post-war isolation, blindness, and death
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