George Grenville
George Grenville was a Whig politician and member of the Parliament in Great Britain.
Contents
History
Grenville first won election to the Parliament in 1741. He was a member of the Patriot Whigs and enjoyed mentorship and patronage of both Frederick and Temple.
In 1754, Pitt married Grenville's sister, Hester.
Shortly thereafter, the peace established by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle fell apart. Border skirmishes in the Ohio territory escalated into the French and Indian War. Austria entered into a new alliance with France. Frederick the Great invaded Austria to seize Saxony and Bohemia, and Hanover stood between French armies and the emerging war front. The Pelham-Holles government hoped to extend peace by signing defense agreements and subsidizing the defense of Hanover and other continental allies. Pitt went public with his disagreements, and was thus dismissed from government; Grenville followed him and resigned.
Grenville returned to government through the wartime coalition of Pitt and Pelham-Holles.
After George II died in 1760, George III succeeded the throne; power began to shift away from Pitt and towards Stuart. Grenville remained in government even past the removal of both Pitt and Pelham-Holles, though he was shuffled around to make way for Fox's ascendance.
Stuart resigned in 1763 and Grenville assumed leadership. One of his first acts was to prosecute MP John Wilkes for libel; he was one of the most vocal critics of Stuart and is credited with forcing his resignation. Wilkes fled to France to avoid arrest.
George III dismissed Grenville in 1765, replacing him with Watson-Wentworth. Grenville would continue as a prominent Whig in opposition, eventually reconciling with Pitt. His personal following was referred to as the Grenvillites.
Policies
Grenville sought to balance the budget after the costly Seven Years' War. Multiple revenue sources were explored, including domestic initiatives like the Cider Bill. He more well known for the American colonial initiatives: the Stamp Act and the Quartering Act.