William Cavendish-Bentinck

Full Name: 3rd Duke of Portland
Profession: British Prime Minister

Nationality:

Biography: William Cavendish-Bentinch, Duke of Portland was a Whig politician who was Prime Minister twice, with a record 24 years between each term of office.

Cavendish-Bentinck was first elected to parliament in 1761 before entering the House of Lords a year later when he inherited the dukedom from his father.

The Duke of Portland first became Prime Minister in 1783 though it was Charles Fox who took the lead in parliament. Although the King dismissed the government in December of that year, Portland did oversee the signing of the Treaty of Paris, ending the American Revolutionary War.

In 1794 Portland supported William Pitt the Younger and a coalition was formed with Portland as Home Secretary.

When the ‘Ministry of All the Talents’ government of William Grenville fell in 1807 Cavendish-Bentinck once again became Prime Minister but bad health limited his effectiveness and he resigned in 1809 and was dead a month later.

Born: April 14, 1738
Birthplace: Nottinghamshire, England, United Kingdom
Star Sign: Aries

Died: October 30, 1809 (aged 71)
Cause of Death: After an operation to remove a kidney stone