Home > Henry Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne

The great grandson of the British prime minister the Earl of Shelburne (later created 1st Marquess of Lansdowne), and the eldest son of the 4th Marquess of Lansdowne , Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice was born in London. He held the courtesy title Viscount Clanmaurice from birth until he succeeded to the marquessate. After studying at Eton and Oxford, he succeeded his father as 5th Marquess of Lansdowne and 6th Earl of Kerry at the relatively young age of 21 on 5 June 18661866 is a common year starting on Monday. Events January 6 Ottoman troops clash with men of a Maronite leader Karam in St. Doumit in Lebanon Turks are defeated January 12 Royal Aeronautical Society is formed ( London) January 28 800 Maronite troops clash. He inherited a vast estate, including Bowood HouseBowood House near Calne in Wiltshire, England, is the stately home of the Lansdowne family and has been the residence of: Sir William Petty, (1622-1687) Thomas Viscount Clanmaurice, 1st Earl of Kerry (1668-1741) John, 1st Earl of Shelburne (1705-1761) Wil and great wealth. Three years later, he married Lady Maud Evelyn Hamilton and they had two sons and two daughters.

The Marquess of Lansdowne entered the House of LordsThis article is about the British House of Lords. See also the historical Irish House of Lords. The House of Lords is a component of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also includes the Sovereign and the British House of Commons. The House of Lor as member of the Liberal PartyThe Liberal Party was one of the two major British political parties from the early 19th century until the 1920s, and a third party of varying strength and importance up to 1988, when it merged with the Social Democratic Party to form a new party which wo in 1866. He served in Prime Minister William Gladstone'sWilliam Ewart Gladstone ( December 29 1809 May 19 1898) was a British liberal politician and Prime Minister (1868-1874, 1880-1885, 1886 and 1892-1894). He was a notable political reformer, known for his populist speeches, and was for many years the main p government as a Lord of the Treasury from 18691869 is a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). Events March 1 North German Confederation issues 10 gr and 30gr value stamps, printed on goldbeater's skin May 10 Transcontinental Railroad completed at Promontory, Utah. May 15 Wo to 1872Events January 2 Brigham Young, is arrested for bigamy (25 wives). February 20 In New York City the Metropolitan Museum of Art opens. March 1 Yellowstone National Park is established as the world's first national park March 5 George Westinghouse patents t and as Under-Secretary of State for War from 1872Events January 2 Brigham Young, is arrested for bigamy (25 wives). February 20 In New York City the Metropolitan Museum of Art opens. March 1 Yellowstone National Park is established as the world's first national park March 5 George Westinghouse patents t to 1874. He was appointed Under-Secretary of State for India in 1880, and having gained experience in overseas administration, was appointed Governor General of Canada in 1883. Lord Lansdowne was Governor General during turbulent times in Canada. Sir John A. Macdonald's government was in its second term and facing allegations of scandal over the building of the railway (the Pacific scandal, and the economy was once again sliding into recession. The North-West Rebellion of 1885 and the controversy of its leader, Louis Riel, posed a serious threat to the stability of Canada.

Yet the Marquess of Lansdowne took the opportunity to travel extensively throughout western Canada in 1885, meeting many of Canada's First Nations peoples. While the railway to British Columbia was not completed, this did not stop the Governor General from travelling throughout the Rockies on horseback and by boat. On his second trip out west, Lord Lansdowne took the new Canadian Pacific Railway, and was the first Governor General to use the line all the way out west.

His experiences in western Canada gave the Marquess of Lansdowne a great love of the Canadian outdoors and the physical beauty of Canada. He was an avid salmon fisherman, and was also intently interested in winter sports. His love of the wilderness and Canadian countryside led him to purchase a second residence on the Cascapedia River in Quebec.

It was with the issue of fishing rights between the United States and Canada that the Marquess of Lansdowne proved himself as an adept statesman, helping to negotiate a peaceful settlement to a potentially serious dispute between both countries. He was also a supporter of scientific development, presiding over the inaugural session of the British Association for the Advancement of Science in 1884.

The Marquess of Lansdowne departed Canada with a true appreciation of the beauty of the wilderness and an equal appreciation of the diversity of Canadian society. He was considered a very able Governor General, and gave his wife, the Marchioness of Lansdowne, a great deal of the credit for his success in Canada. One of her happiest and most successful endeavours while at Rideau Hall was a party she threw for 400 Sunday school children. Lady Lansdowne was decorated with the Order of Victoria and Albert and the Imperial Order of the Crown of India.

The Marquess of Lansdowne was appointed Viceroy to India the same year he left Canada, finally returning to England in 1894. Upon his return, he aligned with the Conservative Party. The prime minister, the Marquess of Salisbury, appointed Lord Lansdowne to the post of Secretary of State for War in June 1895. The unpreparedness of the British Army during the Boer War brought calls for Lansdowne's impeachment in 1899. After the Conservative victory in the November 1900 general elections, Lord Salisbury reorganized the cabinet and appointed Lord Lansdowne Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. He continued in that office under Salisbury successor Arthur Balfour. As British foreign secretary, he signed the 1902 Anglo-Japanese Alliance and negotiated the 1904 Anglo-French Entente Cordiale with the French foreign minister, Theophile Delcassé.

Following the Liberal victory in the January 1906 general elections, the Marquess of Lansdowne became the leader of the opposition Conservatives in the House of Lords in 1911. He left that position in 1916 and joined the wartime coalition cabinet of Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith as a minister without portfolio. In 1917, he published the controversial “Lansdowne Letter” (1917), which called for a statement of postwar intentions from the Allied Powers. He was criticized as acting contrary to cabinet policy.

The Marquess of Lansdowne's military secretary, Lord Melgund, benefited greatly from serving the Governor General. He later became Lord Minto and served as Governor General between 1898 and 1904.

Adapted from http://www.gg.ca