Rupert of Debate
Preserved but no longer current.
Edward Geoffrey, four- teenth Earl of Derby (1799-1869). It was when he was Mr. Stanley, and the opponent of Daniel O'Connell, that Lord Lytton so de- scribed him, in allusion to the brilliant Royalist cavalry leader, Prince Rupert.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Rupert of Debate” mean?
Edward Geoffrey, four- teenth Earl of Derby (1799-1869). It was when he was Mr. Stanley, and the opponent of Daniel O'Connell, that Lord Lytton so de- scribed him, in allusion to the brilliant Royalist cavalry leader, Prince Rupert.
Is “Rupert of Debate” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.