Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Burghley or Burleigh, William Cecil, 1st Baron both: bûrˈlē [key], 1520–98, English statesman. He first rose to prominence during the protectorate of Edward Seymour, duke of Somerset, and he serv...

(Encyclopedia) Hamilton, William Hamilton, 2d duke of, 1616–51, Scottish nobleman. With his brother James Hamilton, 3d marquess and 1st duke of Hamilton, he gained favor with Charles I of England. He was created (...

(Encyclopedia) Disraeli, Benjamin, 1st earl of Beaconsfield dĭzrāˈlē [key], 1804–81, British statesman and author. He is regarded as the founder of the modern Conservative party. Disraeli succeeded the earl ...

(Encyclopedia) Roberts, Frederick Sleigh, 1st Earl Roberts of Kandahar kăndəhärˈ [key], 1832–1914, British field marshal. He joined the Bengal artillery in 1851 and fought with distinction in the Indian Mutiny...

(Encyclopedia) George III, 1738–1820, king of Great Britain and Ireland (1760–1820); son of Frederick Louis, prince of Wales, and grandson of George II, whom he succeeded. He was also elector (and later king) of...

(Encyclopedia) Wavell, Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl wāˈvəl [key], 1883–1950, British field marshal and viceroy of India. Wavell first saw service in the South African War and in India. During World War I...

(Encyclopedia) Harley, Robert, 1st earl of Oxford, 1661–1724, English statesman and bibliophile. His career illustrates the power of personal connections and intrigue in the politics of his day. When he entered (1...

(Encyclopedia) Russell, John Russell, 1st Earl, 1792–1878, British statesman; younger son of the 6th duke of Bedford, known most of his life as Lord John Russell. He became a Whig member of Parliament in 1813 and ...

(Encyclopedia) Norfolk, John Howard, 1st duke of nôrˈfək [key], 1430?–1485, English nobleman. The grandson of Thomas Mowbray, 1st duke of Norfolk, he held considerable estates in Norfolk. A faithful adherent of...

(Encyclopedia) Beresford, John bĕrˈĭzfərd, –ĭs– [key], 1738–1805, Anglo-Irish Protestant politician. He entered the Irish Parliament in 1760, became a privy councillor (1768), a commissioner of revenue (1...