Charles Elteman

Charles Philip Elteman, 2nd Baron Elteman, (24 March 1690 - 5 July 1771) was a Brunanter statesman and diplomat. Like his father, Philip Elteman, he was a minister and an adviser to two kings: Marten I and Pieter I. He was Chief Minister from 1755-1760 and oversaw the Franco-Brunanter War. He is considered the architect of the Amici novi period of diplomatic relations.

Biography
A son of Philip Elteman, Charles studied law at the Grijzestad University. He later attended the Bologna University and the Leiden University. His father was a minister and an adviser to Karl Van Draak. Under King Marten I, the Elteman family lived in Great Britain and the Dutch Republic from 1710-1722. Charles' father was an opponent of the Brunanter-Spanish and Brunanter-French alliances, and therefore, he refused to serve under the new king. That is why he took diplomatic positions across Europe. Charles himself was appointed a diplomatic envoy to the Dutch Republic in 1725 and to the Duchy of Savoy in 1729. In 1733, Charles returned to Brunant.

In 1735, he nonetheless became a minister in Marten's council of advisers. The minister of finance and public works, Elteman oversaw an increase of money in the treasury and the construction of various canals in Brunant. He faced opposition from the pro-Spanish politicians and was dismissed by Chief Minister Julian Gonia in 1739. The year before, Charles' father died and he became the 2nd Baron Elteman.

After his resignation, Charles focused on trade in the Middle East and the East Indies, which made him very rich. After Marten's death in 1744, he was appointed the minister of foreign relations and worked under Joseph Ritter. Elteman became a favorite of the new king, Pieter I.

In 1755, Ritter died and Elteman succeeded him as Chief Minister. The next year, France invaded Brunant, which started a three-year war. He signed the Niesburg peace treaties in 1759 and 1760. Brunant was the winner of the war, but would have an economic decline in the next twenty years. Elteman is also considered the architect of the Amici novi period of diplomatic relations. Brunant was no longer an ally of France and Spain, but Elteman sought ties with Great-Britain, Hesse-Kassel and Prussia, both as Chief Minister and as an ambassador.

In 1760, Elteman resigned as Chief Minister and was appointed ambassador to Great-Britain. In 1668, he became ambassador to Portugal, but he returned to Brunant due to health issues.

Charles Elteman ordered the construction of a large country house near Grijzestad, which would only be completed many years after his death. As baron, he was succeeded by his eldest son Maurits.