Editing Thomas Bruce, 7th Earl of Elgin (section)

=== Diplomatic career ===
In 1791, he was sent as a temporary [[List of Ambassadors from the United Kingdom to Austria|envoy-extraordinary to Austria]], while [[Robert Murray Keith (the younger)|Sir Robert Keith]] was ill.  He was then sent as [[List of Ambassadors from the United Kingdom to Belgium|envoy-extraordinary in Brussels]] from 1792<ref>London Gazette, # 13451, 18 August 1792, 647</ref> until the conquest of the [[Austrian Netherlands]] by [[First French Republic|France]]. After spending time in Britain, he was sent as envoy-extraordinary to [[Kingdom of Prussia|Prussia]] in 1795.<ref>London Gazette, 13804, 11 August 1795, 836</ref>{{sfn|Wroth|1886}}

Elgin was appointed as ambassador to the [[Ottoman Empire]] in December 1798.<ref>St Clair (1967). pp. 1, 281 n3</ref> On 11 March 1799, shortly before setting off for [[Constantinople]], Elgin married [[Mary Nisbet|Mary]], daughter and heiress of [[William Hamilton Nisbet]], of Dirleton.<ref name="burke">{{cite book |title= Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knighthood|publisher=Burke's Peerage & Gentry |editor= Mosley, Charles |editor-link= Charles Mosley (genealogist) |edition=107 |year= 2003 |page=1295 |ref=Burke |isbn=978-0-9711966-2-9|title-link=Burke's Peerage }}</ref> Elgin arrived at Constantinople on 6 November 1799. As ambassador to the [[Sublime Porte]] he showed considerable skill and energy in fulfilling a difficult mission, the extension of British influence during the conflict between the Ottoman Empire and France.<ref name=Hitchens>Christopher Hitchens,'' The Elgin Marbles: Should They Be Returned to Greece?,'' 1998, p.p.10-11</ref> The [[Treaty of Amiens]] was signed by Britain and France in March 1802. His embassy at an end, Elgin departed Constantinople on 16 January 1803.<ref>St Clair (1967). pp. 112, 120</ref>