Thomas Pelham-Holles, I
duque de Newcastle-upon-Tyne (en su segunda creación) y I
duque de Newcastle-under-Lyne, fue un estadista británico,
nacido en Londres el
21 de julio de 1693, y fallecido el 17 de noviembre de 1768 en la misma ciudad.
Thomas Pelham-Holles,
1st Duke of Newcastle upon Tyne and 1st Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyne, KG, PC (21
July 1693 – 17 November 1768) was a British Whig statesman, whose official life
extended throughout the Whig supremacy of the 18th century. He is commonly
known as the Duke of Newcastle.
A protégé of Sir Robert Walpole, he served under him
for more than twenty years, until 1742. He held power with his brother, Henry Pelham (the Prime
Minister of Great Britain), until 1754. He had at this point served as a Secretary of
State continuously for thirty years—dominating British
foreign policy.
After Henry's death the
Duke held his late brother's position for six years, in two separate periods.
While his first premiership was not particularly notable, Newcastle precipitated
the Seven Years' War, which would cause his
resignation from his high position. After his second term as Prime Minister, he
served for a short while inLord Rockingham's ministry, before retiring from government.
Few politicians in British history matched his skills and industry in using
patronage to maintain power over long stretches of time. He was most effective,
however, as a deputy to a leader of greater ability, such as Walpole, his
brother, or Pitt.
Historian Harry
Dickinson says that he became:
notorious for his
fussiness and fretfulness, his petty jealousies, his reluctance to accept
responsibility for his actions, and his inability to pursue any political
objective to his own satisfaction or to the nations profit.... Many modern
historians have depicted him as the epitome of unredeemed mediocrity and as a
veritable buffoon in office.
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