Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham

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Charles Watson-Wentworth,
2nd Marquess of Rockingham

Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham , KG , PC (born May 13, 1730 in Wentworth Woodhouse near Rotherham , England , † July 1, 1782 in London , England) was a British politician of the Whig Party and two-time Prime Minister of the United Kingdom .

Life

He was born the eighth child of ten of Thomas Watson-Wentworth, 1st Baron Malton , in Wentworth Woodhouse near Rotherham. His ancestors included Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford . His father was elevated to Earl of Malton in 1733 and Marquess of Rockingham in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1746 . Charles Watson-Wentworth survived puberty as the only son, which made him heir to the title in 1739; he carried the courtesy title Viscount Higham .

Watson-Wentworth attended Westminster School and St. John's College , Cambridge . In 1746 he became a colonel in a regiment volunteer, where he met William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland , with whom he had a lifelong friendship. His unit fought against the forces of Charles Edward Stuart during the Second Jacobite Rising .

In 1750 he was raised to Earl Malton in the Peerage of Ireland , in the same year he succeeded his father in his titles after his death. He married 16-year-old Mary Bright on February 26, 1752, the marriage remained childless.

In 1761 he was awarded the Order of the Garter , in 1763 he became Governor of Charterhouse . At the instigation of his friend the Duke of Cumberland, Watson-Wentworth became Prime Minister in July 1765 . Both the Duke and several close political friends, such as Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne , and Augustus FitzRoy, 3rd Duke of Grafton , entered government. The personal private secretary became the Anglo-Irish writer, state philosopher and politician Edmund Burke , with whom he had a close personal friendship until his death. Although Watson-Wentworth made particular efforts to improve relations with the North American colonies, the government broke up after a year of internal differences.

Watson-Wentworth remained in opposition for the next 16 years . He continued to support the constitutional rights of the North American colonists and, later, their independence.

In March 1782 he became Prime Minister for the second time, he initiated a policy of reconciliation with the United States and recognized its independence . The marquess only stayed in office for a short time until his death.

When Watson-Wentworth died on July 1, 1782, the titles of nobility he had carried became extinct and his heir became his nephew William FitzWilliam, 4th Earl FitzWilliam .

literature

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Commons : Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files
predecessor Office successor
Thomas Watson-Wentworth Marquess of Rockingham
1750-1782
Title expired
Thomas Watson-Wentworth Earl Malton
(Peerage of Great Britain)
1750–1782
Title expired
New title created Earl Malton
(Peerage of Ireland)
1750-1782
Title expired