Henry Fox
Henry Fox was a Whig politician and member of the Parliament in Great Britain.
History
Fox first won election to the House of Commons in 1735.
He was first appointed to government in 1737 and quickly gained the confidence of William, duke of Cumberland.
Following the death of Pelham, Pelham-Holles became the nominal head of government. In actuality he became the king-maker for the next head. Fox and Pitt were politically ascendant and the obvious choices, but he chose neither to ensure the next government was not too centralized. Fox resigned in protest.
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. England was not prepared for the Seven Years' War, and suffered a devastating loss in Menorca. There were calls to execute members of the government, up to and including Pelham-Holles. A court marshal against MP and Admiral John Byng was offered up as a scapegoat. Fox and Pelham-Holles both resigned in late 1756 while Byng was executed in early 1757.
Within a year, Pitt and Pelham-Holles formed a coalition and regained control over government. Fox served as paymaster of the forces but was excluded from the cabinet.
After George II died in 1760, George III succeeded and slowly pushed changes to the government's composition. Stuart appointed Fox to both Southern secretary and leader in the Commons in 1762. He held the latter for only a year, as he was then raised to baron Holland of Foxley.
He was forced to resign in 1765 amid accusations of embezzlement; any formal court proceedings were halted by royal warrant.