ÿþ<html> <head> <title> WHKMLA : Statesmen Biographies : British Isles </title> <!-- copyright Alexander Ganse, 2003-2007 --> </head> <body bgcolor="lightblue" text="black" link="blue" vlink="red" alink="brown"> <style> <!-- A{ font-weight: bold; font-size: 10pt; font-face: arial; } --> </style> <DIV align ="center"> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD align = "center" valign = "center"> <A HREF = "../../index.html"> <img src = "../../whkmla2.jpg" border = "0"></a></TD></TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD align = "center" valign = "center"> <A HREF = "../periods.html"> <img src = "../../meh.jpg" border = "0"> </a></TD></TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width = "150" height = "36" align = "center" valign = "center"> <font size = "2" face = "arial"><B> </b></font></TD> <TD width = "36" height = "36" align = "center" valign = "center"> <img src = "../../region/arrowleft.gif" width = "36" height = "36" border = "0"> </a></TD> <TD align = "center" valign = "center"> <A HREF = "xbiographies.html"> <img src = "../../region/banners/banbiography.jpg" border = "0"> </TD> <TD width = "36" height = "36" align = "center" valign = "center"> <img src = "../../region/arrowright.gif" width = "36" height = "36" border = "0"> </a></TD> <TD width = "100" height = "36" align = "center" valign = "center"> <font size = "2" face = "arial"><B> </b></font></TD></TR></TABLE> <font size = "3" face = "arial"><B><i>First posted on May 5th 2003, last revised on September 21st 2007 </i></b></font><BR><BR><BR><BR> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD align = "center" valign = "center" width = "900"> <font face = "Times Roman" size = "5"><B> Statesmen Biographies : British Isles </B></font> <BR> <font face = "Times Roman" size = "2"><i> http://www.zum.de/whkmla/biographies/meh/mbiouk2.html </i></font> </TD></TR></TABLE> <BR><BR> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Asquith, Herbert </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1852-1928, Liberal, Prime Minister 1908-1916; his Old Age Pension Act lead to a conflict with the House of Lords, whose power he curtailed in 1911. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Baldwin, Stanley </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1867-1947, Conservative politician, PM 1923-1924, 1924-1929, 1935-1937. In 1926 he had to face the General Strike; in 1936 to deal with the abdication of Edward VIII. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Blair, Anthony </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1953- , Labour politician, PM 1997-2007 </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Bonar Law, Arthur </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1858-1923, Conservative politician, PM 1922-1923 </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Burke, Edmund </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1729-1797, Protestant Irish politician, wrote <i>"Reflections on the Revolution in France"</i>, some of whose reforms he approved, the violence displayed by her he rejected. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Chamberlain, Arthur Neville </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1869-1940, Conservative Politician, PM 1937-1940, blamed for concessions made to Hitler Germany (a.o. Munich Pact 1938). </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Charles I. </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1600-1649, succeeded his father in 1625; in that year he married a French princess. Ruled absolute 1629-1641; lost the Civil War against Parliamentary forces 1642-1648; was executed in 1649. Suspected of being sympathetic to Catholicism. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Charles II. </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1630-1685, since 1642 in exile (NL, F), recalled in 1660, married a Portuguese Princess; introduced lavish court culture; Crypto-Catholic </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Churchill, Winston </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1874-1965, Conservative politician; First Lord of the Admiralty 1911-1915; suggested the (failed) Gallipoli Campaign; in the 1930es he warned of the danger Germany posed; PM 1940-1945, 1951-1955. Focussed on foreign policy; in office during World War II, elected out of office immediately after the war ended in Europe. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Cromwell, Oliver </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1599-1658, Puritan politician, self-made strategist; 1653-1658 Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland; a fanatic enemy of Catholicism </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Disraeli, Benjamin </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1804-1881, Prime Minister 1868, 1874-1880, acquired Egypt's shares in the Suez Canal, at Berlin Congress of 1878 he forced a redrawal of borders on the Balkan Peninsula, acquired Cyprus; broadened the appeal of the Conservative Party, practically reinventing it. Born a Jew, he had converted to Protestantism. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Eden, Anthony </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1897-1977, Conservative politician, PM 1955-1957, ordered the invasion of Egypt after Nasser had nationalized the Suez Canal (1956); stepped down afterward. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Edward VI. </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1537-1553, succeeded to the throne at age 10, died at age 16. During his rule, Protestantism was introduced. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Edward VIII. </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1894-1972, succeeded to the throne in 1936, abdicated the same year in order to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Elizabeth I. </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1533-1603, succeeded her half-sister Mary in 1558 at age 25. Restored a Protestant Church of England; supported the Dutch Revolt against Spain, the Piracy of Sir Francis Drake e.a. against Spain; in 1588 the Spanish Armada sent against England was defeated by the Eng. Fleet. Nicknamed "the Virgin Queen" because she decided not to marry. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> George III. </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1738-1820, King since 1760, also Duke-Elector of Hannover. Suffered from temporary insanity ("Mad King George"); interfered with foreign policy, thus indirectly contributing to the American Revolution; also with domestic affairs, rejecting the planned Catholic Emancipation (Pitt, 1801). In 1811 declared insane, his son George IV. ruling as regent. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Gladstone, William E. </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1809-1898; E.=Ewart; originally a Tory, he joined the Liberal Party in 1859; Prime Minister 1868-1874, 1880-1885, 1886, 1892-1894; focussed on social reforms, was against costly imperial acquisitions; greatest success Reform Act of 1884; failed with proposed Irish Home Rule Bill 1886, 1893 </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Henry VIII. </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1491-1547, succeeded to the throne at age 18. Married six times (Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard, Catherine Parr); in 1533 he separated the Church of England from Rome </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> James VI. and I. </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1566-1625, son of Mary Queen of Scots; succeeded to the throne at age 1 in 1567; selected by Elizabeth I. of England as her heir; succeeded the latter in 1603, was determined to establish the Anglican Church as State Church; had Book of Common Prayer (1604) published, a new Bible translation (King James Version); alienated Catholics (Gunpowder Plot 1605), Puritans. Claimed to rule by divine right. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> James VII. and II. </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1633-1701, a Catholic; succeeded his brother Charles II. in 1685. His open support for the Catholic Church alienated many; fled mounting opposition in 1689 (Glorious Revolution); his supporters in Ireland were defeated in the Battle of the Boyne 1690. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Lloyd-George, David </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1863-1945, Welsh Liberal, PM 1916-1922, in office during the Paris Peace Conference and the negotiations leading to the establishment of the Irish Free State </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> MacMillan, Harold </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1894-1986, Conservative politician, PM 1957-1963 </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Major, John </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1943- , Conservative politician, PM 1990-1997 </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Mary </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1516-1558, "Bloody Mary", daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon; a devoted Catholic; married to Spanish King Philip II. since 1554; had Protestants persecuted ("Bloody Mary") </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Mary Q. of Scots </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1542-1587, Queen of Scotland at age 1, married Francis II., King of France (1559-1560); returned to Scotland where she attempted to impose Tridentine Catholicism against the emerging Calvinist Church (John Knox); facing a nobles' rebellion in Scotland, she abdicated in 1567 and fled to England. Convicting for plotting against Elizabeth I., she was executed in 1587. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> McDonald, Ramsay </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1866-1937, Scottish Labour politician, PM 1924, 1929-1935. In 1931 he formed a Nat'l Govt. which, during the Great Depression, pursued a policy of austerity, taking the Pound Sterling off the Gold Standard, devaluating it, cutting salaries of state employees etc.; the majority of his own Labour Party broke with him and went into opposition </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Palmerston, Lord </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1784-1865, Prime Minister 1855-1858, 1859-1865; previously foreign secretary; influential in negotiations leading to the independence and neutrality of Belgium, the annexation of Hong Kong </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Pankhurst, Emmeline </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1858-1928, Suffragette, founded the Women's Social and Political Union (1903), saw the voting right granted to British women in 1918/1928 </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Parnell, Charles Stewart </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1846-1891, charismatic Protestant Irish Politician; entered Parliament 1875, promoted an Irish Home Rule Bill; with the Gladstone Cabinet depending on his block of Irish representatives, he and the Bill fell over a scandal involving him and a married woman. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Pitt, William, the Elder </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1708-1778, Prime Minister 1757-1761, 1766-1768, Whig; PM during the Seven Years War </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Pitt, William, the Younger </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1759-1806, Prime Minister 1783-1801, 1804-1806; organized Coalitions directed against Revolutionary France; tried to reduce English nat'l debt, consolidated Br. hold on India, Canada </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Temple, Henry John </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> see Palmerston, Lord </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Thatcher, Margaret </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1925- , PM 1979-1990, cut government subsidies, curbed excessive expenses of Welfare State, the UK among the few nations in Europe to reduce her nat'l debt; in office during the Falkland War. The "Iron Lady" </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Valera, Eamon de </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1882-1975, Irish politician, born in USA; participated in Easter Rising 1916, elected President of the (fictional) Irish Republic while in English jail. Rejected the Free State Treaty in 1921, was on the losing side in the Irish Civil War; founded Fianna Fail Party in 1924, in 1932 elected PM; proclaimed Irish independence in 1937 (recognized in 1949), elected president in 1959 (-1973). </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Victoria </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1819-1901, succeeded to the throne in 1837, age 18. Married Prince Albert of Sachsen-Coburg-Gotha in 1840. Emphasized the role of women as housewives and mothers, introduced decency to court life. Crowned Empress of India in 1877. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Walpole, Robert </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1676-1745, Prime Minister 1715-1717, 1721-1742; in 1740 he convinced King George II. to accept the principle that the Parliament majority leader was to be appointed PM (Cabinet System). </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Wilberforce, William </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1759-1833, Member of Parliament for 40 Years, social reformer, devoted christian; promoted the abolition of slave trade (1807) and slavery (1833/1834) </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> William III. </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1650-1702, established himself Stadholder of Holland by coup in 1672, married to Mary, daughter of King James II. of England. William III. organized the Alliances set up to thwart French King Louis XIV.'s bid for hegemony in continental Europe. In 1689 called to England to lead the rebel forces against his Catholic father-in-law; crowned King William that year. </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD width="200" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> Wilson, Harold </font></TD> <TD width="480" valign="top" align="left"> <font size = "2"> 1916- , Labour Politician, PM 1964-1970, 1974-1976 </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <BR><BR> <TABLE border = "0" cellspace="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"> <TR> <TD align = "left" valign = "center" width = "680"> <font face = "Times Roman" size = "2"> <A NAME = "bib">Bibliography</A> <BR><BR> Geoffrey Treasure, <B>Who's Who in Early Hanoverian Britain 1727-1789</B>, London : Shepheard-Walwyn 1992 <B>[G]</B> <BR> Geoffrey Treasure, <B>Who's Who in Late Hanoverian Britain 1789-1837</B>, London : Shepheard-Walwyn 2002 <B>[G]</B> <BR> Roger Ellis, <B>Who's Who in Victorian Britain 1851-1901</B>, Mechanicsburg (1997) Stackpole 2001 <B>[G]</B> <BR> </font></TD> </TR></TABLE> <BR><BR> </DIV> </DIV> <DIV align="center"> <A href="mailto:aganse@hotmail.com"> <IMG src="../../email.gif" border="0"></a><BR> </DIV><BR><BR><BR><BR><BR> <!-- Start of CH Counter --> <script type="text/javascript"> //<!-- // chCounter v2.0.0 // settings: cstatus = "active"; visible = "0"; path_to_counterfile = "http://www.zum.de/whkmla/counter/counter.php"; urlhp = "http://www.zum.de"; //////////////// url = unescape(location.href); file = url.substring(url.lastIndexOf(urlhp) + urlhp.length, url.length); file = (file.charAt(0) != "/") ? 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