Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury was a British Conservative statesman, serving as prime minister three times for a total of over 13 years. He was the last prime minister to head his full administration from the House of Lords.
Background
Lord Robert Cecil was born on February 3, 1830 in Hatfield, Hertfordshire, United Kingdom as the second son of James Gascoyne-Cecil, 2nd Marquess of Salisbury and Frances Mary Gascoyne. He was a patrilineal descendant of Lord Burghley and the 1st Earl of Salisbury, chief ministers of Elizabeth I. The family owned vast rural estates in Hertfordshire and Dorset. This wealth increased sharply in 1821, when he married the rich heiress of a merchant prince who had bought up large estates in Essex and Lancashire.
Robert had a miserable childhood, with few friends; he filled his time with reading. He was bullied unmercifully at the schools he attended.
Education
Robert Cecil was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, where he took his degree in 1850.
The first few years after leaving the university were spent by Lord Robert Cecil (as he then was) in travel, as far afield as New Zealand; but in 1853 he was returned unopposed to the House of Commons as Conservative member for Stamford, being elected in the same year a fellow of All Souls.
Career
Salisbury, Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil, 3d marquess of Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne-Cecil Salisbury, 3d marquess of (sôlz´bərē), 1830–1903, British statesman.
He became (1866) secretary for India in Lord Derby's government but resigned (1867) in protest against the Reform Bill (see Reform Acts) sponsored and passed by Benjamin Disraeli.
In 1885 he entered upon the first of his three ministries.
Salisbury's second government lasted six years (until 1892); his third, seven years (1895–1902).
Salisbury avoided alignments in European affairs, maintaining the policy of what was later called"splendid isolation.
"Colonial affairs, however, brought difficulties with some of the European powers.
An Anglo-German agreement (1890) resolved conflicting claims in East Africa; Great Britain received Zanzibar and Uganda in exchange for Helgoland.
A treaty with Portugal (1891) gave Britain further rights in E Africa.
The Fashoda Incident (1898) brought Britain and France to the verge of war but ended in a diplomatic victory for Britain.
Difficulties with the Boers, however, resulted in the South African War (1899–1902).
Salisbury conciliated the United States at the time of the Venezuela Boundary Dispute, in the Spanish-American War, and in the Panama negotiations.
He attempted with some success to maintain the Open Door in China.
Politics
When Disraeli introduced his Reform Bill with its " fancy franchises, " the member for Stamford was prominent among its critics from the Tory point of view.
During the seven years that followed Lord Robert was always ready to defend the Church, or the higher interests of Conservatism and property; and his speeches then, not less than later, showed a caustic quality and a tendency to what became known as " blazing indiscretions. "
The defeat of 1880 greatly depressed Beaconsfield, who till then had really believed in that " hyperborean " theory upon which he had acted in 1867 -the theory that beyond and below the region of democratic storm and violence was to be found a region of peaceful conservatism and of a dislike of change.
Mr Gladstone's Unionism: return to office, and his announcement of a Bill giving Prime a separate parliament to Ireland, were quickly followed Minister, by the secession of the Unionist Liberals; the defeat of 1886.