Monk, GEORGE, Duke of Albemarle, soldier of fortune and restorer of the English monarchy, was the second son of Sir Thomas Monk of Potheridge, near Torrington, North Devon, and was born either there or at Lancross on 8th December 1608. He saw service first in the expeditions to Cadiz and Rochelle (1625-27), and then for nine years in Holland, returning to England in 1639, in time to take part in the two Bishops' Wars with the Scots. In 1642-43 he com- manded a regiment against the Irish rebels, in 1644 was taken prisoner at Nantwich by Fairfax. He lay two years in the Tower, where he solaced himself with frail, ugly Nan Ratsford or Charges (his future duchess), and whence he freed himself by taking the Covenant—Clarendon hints that he did so for money. As major-general in Ulster he so commended himself to Cromwell, still more by his brilliant conduct at Dunbar (1650), that next year he was left to complete the subjection of Scotland. In 1653 he was associated with Blake and Deane in naval operations against the Dutch, and won two great sea-fights over Tromp (q.v.); in 1654 Cromwell sent him back to Scotland as governor, in which difficult office he acquitted himself with vigour, moderation, and equity. Even the Highlands were reduced to order. His home for five years was Dalkeith, where he 'was ever engaged in business or in planting, which he loved as an amusement and occupation.' After Cromwell's death, seeing everything in confusion, and a splendid chance open to him who dared seize it, on New-year's Day 1660 he crossed the Border with 6000 men, and five weeks later entered London unopposed. So far he had kept his intentions profoundly secret. Still every one felt that the decision lay with 'Old George'; every party courted him; the Republicans even offered him the protectorate. But, while he offended nobody, he declined to connect himself with any of the sectaries, and waited patiently the course of events. From the first, his own wish, dictated by no high motive, had been to bring back the Stuarts; and before long he saw that the nation at large was with him. The freeing of the Rump parliament from the army, the readmission of the excluded members, and the election of a new parliament—these were his wary steps towards the Restoration; on 23d May he welcomed Charles II. on the beach at Dover. Monk now was made Duke of Albemarle, and entrusted with the highest offices in the state. But he soon retired from political affairs. In 1665, when the plague ravaged London, and every one fled that could, as governor of the City he stuck bravely to his post, and did his best to allay the panic and confusion. Next year he was employed as second in command of the fleet sent under the Duke of York against the Dutch, and was defeated by De Ruyter in a sea-fight off Dunkirk, but soon after gained a bloody victory over him off the North Foreland. He died, sitting in his chair, at Newhall, his Essex seat, on 3d January 1670, and was buried in Westminster Abbey. 'A man,' says Guizot, 'capable of great things, though possessing no greatness of soul.'
See, besides works cited at CHARLES I., CROMWELL, and CHARLES II., the Lives of Monk by Gumble, his chaplain (1671), Skinner (1723), Guizot (Eng. trans. 1851), and Corbett (1889), the last a eulogy.