William Stanhope, 1st Earl of Harrington

The Right Honourable
The Earl of Harrington
PC

William Stanhope, 1st Earl of Harrington (Godfrey Kneller, 1646-1723)
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
In office
15 November 1746  15 December 1750
Monarch George II
Preceded by The Earl of Chesterfield
Succeeded by The Duke of Dorset
Lord President of the Council
In office
13 February 1742  3 January 1745
Monarch George II
Prime Minister The Earl of Wilmington
Henry Pelham
Preceded by The Earl of Wilmington
Succeeded by The Duke of Dorset
Personal details
Born William Stanhope
c.1690
Died 8 December 1756(1756-12-08)
London, England.
Nationality British
Spouse(s) Anne Griffith (daughter of Colonel Edward Griffith and Elizabeth Lawrence)
Parents John Stanhope
Dorothy Agard
Residence Elvaston Castle
Occupation Peer, British statesman and diplomat.

General William Stanhope, 1st Earl of Harrington, PC (c.1683  8 December 1756) was a British statesman and diplomat.

Biography

Coat of Arms of the Earl of Harrington

He was a younger son of John Stanhope of Elvaston, Derbyshire, and a brother of Charles Stanhope (1673–1760), an active politician during the reign of George I. His ancestor, Sir John Stanhope (d. 1638), was a half-brother of Philip Stanhope, 1st Earl of Chesterfield. Educated at Eton, William Stanhope entered the army and served in Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession as Lieutenant and captain in the 2nd Foot Guards (1703), captain and lieutenant-colonel in the 3rd Foot Guards (1710), colonel of the Regiment of Foot (1711–12), Regiment of Dragoons (1715–18) and the 13th Dragoons (1725–30), Major-General (1735), Lieutenant-General (1739) and General (1747). [1]

He afterwards turned his attention to more peaceful pursuits, went on a mission to Madrid and represented his country at Turin. When peace was made between Britain and Spain in 1720 Stanhope became British ambassador to the latter country, and he retained this position until March 1727, having built up his reputation as a diplomatist during a difficult period. He was appointed Vice-Chamberlain of the Household in 1727–30 and a Privy Councillor on 31 May 1727. In 1729 he had some part in arranging the Treaty of Seville between Britain, France and Spain, and for his services in this matter he was created Baron Harrington in January 1730.

Later in the same year he was appointed Secretary of State for the Northern Department under Sir Robert Walpole, replacing Lord Townshend, but, like George II, he was anxious to assist the emperor Charles VI in his war with France, while Walpole favoured a policy of peace. Although the latter had his way Harrington remained secretary until the great minister's fall in 1742, when he was transferred to the office of Lord President of the Council and was created Earl of Harrington of (Harrington, Northamptonshire) and Viscount Petersham of (Surrey).

In 1744, owing to the influence of his political allies, the Pelhams, he returned to his former post of Secretary of State, but he soon lost the favour of the king, and this was the principal cause why he left office in October 1746. He was Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from 1747 to 1751, and he died in London on 8 December 1756.

William Stanhope, 1st Earl of Harrington

in 1741 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. [2]

He had married Anne, the daughter and heiress of Colonel Edward Griffith, and had twin sons:[1]

Styles of address

References

  1. 1 2 "STANHOPE, William (c.1683-1756).". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 11 May 2014.
  2. "Fellows Details". Royal Society. Retrieved 11 May 2014.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: "Stanhope, William". Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. 
Public Domain This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "article name needed". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Edward Mundy
Nathaniel Curzon
Member of Parliament for Derby
17151722
With: Lord James Cavendish
Succeeded by
Lord James Cavendish
Thomas Bayley
Preceded by
John Gumley
Marquess of Carnarvon
Member of Parliament for Steyning
1727
With: John Gumley
Succeeded by
The Viscount Vane
Thomas Bladen
Preceded by
Lord James Cavendish
Thomas Bayley
Member of Parliament for Derby
1727–1730
With: Lord James Cavendish
Succeeded by
Lord James Cavendish
Charles Stanhope
Military offices
Preceded by
Sir Robert Rich
Colonel of Harrington's Regiment of Dragoons
1725–1730
Succeeded by
Henry Hawley
Diplomatic posts
Vacant
Title last held by
John Chetwynd
British Ambassador to Spain
1721–1727
Succeeded by
Benjamin Keene
Political offices
Preceded by
Thomas Coke
Vice-Chamberlain of the Household
1727–1730
Succeeded by
Lord Hervey
Preceded by
The Duke of Devonshire
Northern Secretary
1730–1742
Succeeded by
The Lord Carteret
Preceded by
The Earl of Wilmington
Lord President of the Council
1742–1745
Succeeded by
The Duke of Dorset
Preceded by
The Lord Carteret
Northern Secretary
1744–1746
Succeeded by
The Earl of Chesterfield
Preceded by
The Earl of Chesterfield
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
1746–1751
Succeeded by
The Duke of Dorset
Peerage of Great Britain
New creation Earl of Harrington
1742–1756
Succeeded by
William Stanhope
Baron Harrington
1730–1756
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