Philip Stanhope, 5th Earl Stanhope

Philip Henry Stanhope, 5th Earl Stanhope (born January 30, 1805 , † December 24, 1875 in London ) was a British historian. Between 1816 and 1855 he carried the courtesy title Viscount Mahon .

Philip Henry Stanhope, 5th Earl Stanhope, painted by George Hayter

Life

He was the son of Philip Henry Stanhope, 4th Earl Stanhope , and Catherine Stanhope, daughter of the politician Robert Smith, 1st Baron Carrington . Stanhope studied at the College Christ Church of University of Oxford , where he graduated in 1827. From 1830 he was a member of the House of Commons , in which he remained until 1852. In early 1835 he became Under-Secretary of State in the State Department and in 1845 Secretary of the Board of Control (India Board). In 1842 he played a significant role in the creation of the British copyright -Gesetzes (see British Copyright Law ) and was one of the main leaders in the House of Lords for the creation of the National Portrait Gallery in 1856 (for his bust emblazoned there along with those of the historian Thomas Carlyle and Lord Macaulay , who helped him, above the entrance). He was also a trustee of the British Museum and in 1869 one of the founders of the Historical Manuscripts Commission of Great Britain. From 1846 he was President of the Society of Antiquaries, in this capacity he also initiated British excavations in Troy . From 1863 until his death he was President of the Royal Literary Fund.

In 1855 he inherited the title of Earl Stanhope , which he in turn left to his son Arthur Philip Stanhope (1838-1905) . His second oldest son Edward Stanhope (1840-1893) was a well-known Conservative politician, from 1886-1892 Secretary of the State for War, and his son Philip Stanhope, 1st Baron Weardale (1847-1923), was a well-known liberal politician.

As a historian, Stanhope wrote an English story, mainly in the 18th century, which is still used today because of its level of detail and because it is based on intensive study of sources. He published his interviews with the Duke of Wellington , wrote a history of the War of the Spanish Succession (which was also based on papers from his ancestor James Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope ) and wrote a biography of William Pitt , which is still considered a standard work today. Stanhope also edited the letters from his ancestor Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield , to his son from 1845 to 1853.

The Stanhope Essay Prize of the University of Oxford is named after him (founded by him in 1855). In 1872 he became an honorary member of the Institute de France.

Fonts

• Life of Belisarius , 1829
• Life of William Pitt , 4 volumes, 1861–1862
• History of the War of Succession in Spain , 1832 (with two volumes of documents 1836)
• History of England from the Peace of Utrecht to the Peace of Versailles 1713-1783 , 1836-1853, also Leipzig 1853/4 in 7 volumes
• History of England, from the reign of Queen Anne until the Peace of Utrecht , 2 volumes, 1870, 1908
• Notes of Conversation with the Duke of Wellington, 1831-1851 , 1886, 1998.
• Life of Louis, Prince of Condé , 1852

Web links

Commons : Philip Stanhope, 5th Earl Stanhope  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

predecessor	Office	successor
Philip Stanhope	Earl Stanhope 1855-1875	Arthur Stanhope