Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston

Biography

Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, born in 1784, served Britain for decades as a statesman, twice filling the office of Prime Minister and steering foreign policy as Foreign Secretary. He was known for his vigor in defending British interests overseas and his belief in the moral purpose of diplomacy, especially during the Crimean War and the upheavals on the Continent.

Palmerston also championed civil liberties at home, promoting electoral reform and the abolition of slavery, and he kept a personal touch that endeared him to many in public and private life. His passing in 1865 marked the end of a career defined by patriotic energy and a deep sense of responsibility to the public good.