William Pitt the Younger
William Pitt, the Younger (born 28 May 1759, died 23 January 1806) was an important politician in the late 18th and early 19th Century, who was Prime Minister from 1783-1801 and again from 1804 until his death.
Early Life
William was the second son of William Pitt (the Elder), the first earl of Chatham. Due to health problems he was educated at home by his father. He matriculated in Cambridge in 1773 and graduated M.A. in 1776. As his father died in 1778, he began practising law.
Political Career
Pitt was elected to Parliament in 1781, representing the University of Cambridge. He was an advocate of peace with the rebellious American colonies, and a friend of William Wilberforce, one of the main forces behind the abolition of slavery. In the 1782 government of William Petty, Earl of Shelburne, he became Chancellor of the Exchequer. One year later, when Petty resigned, King George III appointed William Pitt to be the new prime minister, but Pitt declined. As in December of the same year another government fell, and the King offered him the post again, William Pitt accepted and became PM, being only 24 years old. In January he received a vote of no confidence, but instead of resigning assured himself of the King's support and continued his premiership. His major administrative actions were the India Act (1784) and a substantial raising of taxes, in order to repay the national debt. His political standing was seriously weakened by foreign problems. Britain proved unable to defeat the revolutionary government of France. However, when the army managed to quell the Irish Rebellion of 1798, his position was strenghthened. Parliament subsequently passed the Act of Union (1800) establishing the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. In light of this and considering the large number of new citizens of catholic belief, Pitt wanted to concede some rights to Roman Catholics. The king however disagreed strongly, so Pitt resigned on February, 16th 1801. His second premiership was overshadowed by a series of defeats by Napoleon on the continent, though the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 secured British rule over the waves.
Sources
Stephen, Leslie [Ed.]. The Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: OUP, 1917. Wikipedia. William Pitt the Younger. Accessed Tuesday, November 10th 2009.