# List of English chief ministers

Chief minister is a term used retroactively by historians to describe servants of the English monarch who presided over the government of England, and after 1707, Great Britain, before 1721. Chief ministers were usually one of the great officers of state, but it was not unusual for there to be no chief minister.
Under the Norman and Angevin kings, the justiciar was often chief minister. When kings left England to oversee other parts of the Angevin Empire, the justiciar functioned as his viceroy or regent. In the 13th century, after the loss of the Angevin territories in France, the justiciar's power declined as monarchs resided permanently in England.
For the next three centuries, the Lord Chancellor was most often chief minister. The chancellor served as Keeper of the Great Seal, presided over the Privy Council and Parliament, and led the High Court of Chancery. After the English Reformation, the chancellor's power shifted to the Lord High Treasurer. After 1721, the office of prime minister became the head of British governments.
This list of chief ministers is organised by royal dynasty. For a list of particular governments of the Kingdom of England, see List of English ministries.

## Anglo-Saxons

| Minister | Birth | Death | Formal office(s) | Monarch |
| Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury 946–955 | c. 920, near Glastonbury Son of Thegn Heorstan and Cynethryth | 19 May 988 | TreasurerChancellor | Eadred (946–955) |
| No informal holder; personal rule of King Eadwig (955–959) |||||
| Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury 959–978 | c. 920, near Glastonbury Son of Thegn Heorstan and Cynethryth | 19 May 988 | Chancellor | Edgar (959–975) |
| No informal holder (978–1021) |||||
| Godwin, Earl of Wessex 1022–1053 | c. 988, England Son of Wulfnoth Cild | 15 April 1053 | JusticiarTreasurer | Cnut (1016–1035) Harold I (1035–1040) Harthacnut (1040–1042) Edward the Confessor(1042–1066) |
| Harold, Earl of Wessex 1053–1066 | c. 1022, England Son of Godwin, Earl of Wessex and Gytha Thorkelsdóttir | 14 October 1066 | — | Cnut (1016–1035) Harold I (1035–1040) Harthacnut (1040–1042) Edward the Confessor(1042–1066) |

## Normans

| Minister | Birth | Death | Formal office(s) | Monarch |
| No informal holder; personal rule of King William I (1066–1087) |||||
| Ranulf Flambard, Bishop of Durham 1089–1100 | c. 1060, near Bayeux Son of Thurstin | 5 September 1128, Durham | TreasurerJusticiarKeeper of the Great Seal | William II (1087–1100) |
| Roger, Bishop of Salisbury 1100–1135 | c. 1070-1080, Normandy | 11 December 1139, Salisbury | Lord ChancellorJusticiar | Henry I (1100–1135) |

## Plantagenets

| Minister | Birth | Death | Formal office(s) | Monarch |
| Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury 1155–1162 | 21 December 1118, London Son of Gilbert and Matilda Beket | 29 December 1170, Canterbury | Lord Chancellor | Henry II (1154–1189) |
| Henry II (1154–1189) ||||
| William de Longchamp, Bishop of Ely 1190–1191 | Normandy Son of Hugh de Longchamp and Eve de Lacy | January 1197 Poitiers | Justiciar Lord Chancellor | Richard I (1189–1199) |
| Walter de Coutances, Archbishop of Rouen 1191–1194 | Cornwall Son of Reinfrid and Gonilla | 16 November 1207 | Justiciar | Richard I (1189–1199) |
| Richard I (1189–1199) ||||
| William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke 1213–1216 | c. 1145, Wiltshire Son of John Marshall and Sybilla of Salisbury | 14 May 1219, Caversham | Lord Marshal | John (1199–1216) |
| William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke 1216–1219 | c. 1145 Wiltshire Son of John Marshall and Sybilla of Salisbury | 14 May 1219, Caversham | Regent Lord Marshal | Henry III (1216–1272) |
| Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent 1219–1232 | c. 1175, Norfolk Son of Sir Reyner de Burgh | c. 5 May 1243, Banstead | Regent (1219–1227) Justiciar | Henry III (1216–1272) |
| Peter des Roches, Bishop of Winchester 1232–1234 | — | 9 June 1238 | — | Henry III (1216–1272) |
| Henry III (1216–1272) ||||
| Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester 1264–1265 | c. 1208, Montfort-l'Amaury Son of Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester and Alix de Montmorency | 4 August 1265, Evesham | Lord High Steward Protector of the Realm | Henry III (1216–1272) |
| Henry III (1216–1272) ||||
| Regents: Walter Giffard, Roger Mortimer, and Robert Burnell (1272–1274) | Regents: Walter Giffard, Roger Mortimer, and Robert Burnell (1272–1274) | Regents: Walter Giffard, Roger Mortimer, and Robert Burnell (1272–1274) | Regents: Walter Giffard, Roger Mortimer, and Robert Burnell (1272–1274) | Edward I (1272–1307) |
| Robert Burnell, Bishop of Bath and Wells 1274–1292 | c. 1235, Acton Burnell Son of Robert Burnell | 25 October 1292, Berwick-upon-Tweed | Lord Chancellor | Edward I (1272–1307) |
* 1330–1340: John de Stratford, Archbishop of Canterbury
* 1367–1371: William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester
* 1389–1391: William of Wykeham, Bishop of Winchester

### House of Lancaster

* 1413–1417: Henry Beaufort, Cardinal, Bishop of Winchester
* 1422–1435: John, Duke of Bedford, Regent, died 14 September 1435
* 1422–1437: Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, Regent, died 23 February 1447
* 1424–1427: Henry Beaufort, Cardinal, Bishop of Winchester
* 1432–1447: Henry Beaufort, Cardinal, Bishop of Winchester
* 1447–1450: William de la Pole, 1st Duke of Suffolk
* 3 April 1454 – February 1455: Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York
* 19 November 1455 – 25 February 1456: Richard Plantagenet, 3rd Duke of York, Protector (Regent) for King Henry VI
* 1470–1471: Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick †; known as Warwick the Kingmaker; killed at the Battle of Barnet

### House of York

* 1461–1467: Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick; known as Warwick the Kingmaker
* 1475–1483: Thomas Rotherham, Archbishop of York
* 30 April – 26 June 1483: Richard Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester, was Lord Protector of the Realm during the nominal reign of 12-year-old King Edward V (one of the "Princes in the Tower"), before claiming the throne for himself as King Richard III

## House of Tudor

| Minister | Minister | Birth | Death | Formal office(s) | Monarch |
| Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby 1485–1504 | | 1435, England Son of Thomas Stanley, 1st Baron Stanley and Joan Goushill | 29 July 1504, Lancashire Aged 68–69 | Lord High Constable | Henry VII (1485–1509) |
| Sir Richard Empson & Edmund Dudley 1505–1509 | | 1450, England Son of Peter Empson and Elizabeth Joseph1462 or 1471, England Son of Sir John Dudley and Elizabeth Bramshot | 17 August 1510, Tower Hill Executed for treason Aged 59–60 and 39–47 (respectively) | Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (Empson) & President of the King's Council (Dudley) | Henry VII (1485–1509) |
| No informal holder; personal rule of king Henry VIII (1509–1514) | No informal holder; personal rule of king Henry VIII (1509–1514) | No informal holder; personal rule of king Henry VIII (1509–1514) | No informal holder; personal rule of king Henry VIII (1509–1514) | No informal holder; personal rule of king Henry VIII (1509–1514) | Henry VIII (1509–1547) |
| Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, Archbishop of York 1514–1529 | | March 1473, Ipswich Son of Robert Wolsey and Joan Daundy | 29 November 1530, Leicester Aged 57 | Lord Chancellor | Henry VIII (1509–1547) |
| Sir Thomas More 1529–1532 | | 7 February 1478, London Son of Sir John More and Agnes Graunger | 6 July 1535, Tower Hill Executed for treason Aged 57 | Lord Chancellor | Henry VIII (1509–1547) |
| Thomas Cromwell, 1st Earl of Essex (1540) 1532–1540 | | 1485, Putney Son of Walter Cromwell and Katherine Williams | 28 July 1540, Tower Hill Executed for treason Aged 54–55 | Chancellor of the ExchequerLord Privy SealSecretary of StateMaster of the Rolls | Henry VIII (1509–1547) |
| Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk 1540–1546 | | 1473, England Son of Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk and Elizabeth Tilney, Countess of Surrey | 25 August 1554, Kenninghall Aged 80–81 | Lord High TreasurerEarl Marshal | Henry VIII (1509–1547) |
| Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset 1547–1549 | | 1500, England Son of Sir John Seymour and Margery Wentworth | 22 January 1552, Tower Hill Executed for treason Aged 50–51 | Lord Protector of the RealmLord High TreasurerEarl Marshal | Edward VI (1547–1553) and Jane (1553) |
| John Dudley, 1st Earl of Warwick then (1551) 1st Duke of Northumberland 1549–1553 | | 1504, London Son of Edmund Dudley and Elizabeth Grey | 22 August 1553, Tower Hill Executed for treason Aged 48–49 | Lord Great ChamberlainLord President of the CouncilLord Steward | Edward VI (1547–1553) and Jane (1553) |
| Stephen Gardiner, Bishop of Winchester 1553–1555 | | 1483, Bury St Edmunds Son of Jonh or Wyllyam Gardiner and Helen Tudor | 12 November 1555, London Aged 71–72 | Lord Chancellor | Mary I (1553–1558) |
| Cardinal Reginald Pole, Archbishop of Canterbury 1555–1558 | | 3 March 1500, Stourton Son of Sir Richard Pole and Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury | 17 November 1558, London Aged 58 | — | Mary I (1553–1558) |
| William Paulet, 1st Marquess of Winchester 1558–1572 | | 1483/85, Fisherton Delamere Son of Sir John Paulet and Alice Paulet | 10 March 1572, Old Basing Aged 88–89 | Lord High Treasurer | Elizabeth I (1558–1603) |
| William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley 1572–1598 | | 13 September 1520, Bourne Son of Sir Richard Cecil and Jane Heckington | 4 August 1598, Westminster Aged 77 | Lord High TreasurerLord Privy Seal | Elizabeth I (1558–1603) |
| Thomas Sackville, 1st Baron Buckhurst 1599–1603 | | 1536, Withyham Son of Sir Richard Sackville and Winifred Brydges | 19 April 1608, Westminster Aged 71–72 | Lord High Treasurer | Elizabeth I (1558–1603) |

## House of Stuart

| Minister | Birth | Death | Formal office(s) | Monarch |
| Robert Cecil, Baron Cecil then (1605) 1st Earl of Salisbury 1603 – 1612 | 1 June 1563, Westminster Son of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley and Mildred Cooke | 24 May 1612, Marlborough Aged 48 | Lord High TreasurerLord Privy Seal | James I (1603–1625) |
| Henry Howard, 1st Earl of Northampton 1612 – 1614 | 25 February 1540, Shotesham Son of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey and Frances de Vere | 15 June 1614, Westminster Aged 74 | First Lord of the TreasuryLord Privy Seal | James I (1603–1625) |
| Robert Carr, 1st Earl of Somerset 1614 – 1615 | c. 1587, Wrington Son of Sir Thomas Kerr (Carr) and Janet Scott | 17 July 1645, Dorset Aged 57–58 | Lord Warden of the Cinque PortsLord ChamberlainLord Privy Seal | James I (1603–1625) |
| James I (1603–1625) |||||
| Francis Bacon, Baron Verulam (1618) 1617 – 1621 | 22 January 1561, Strand, London Son of Sir Nicholas Bacon and Anne Cooke | 9 April 1626, Highgate Aged 65 | Lord Chancellor | James I (1603–1625) |
| George Villiers, ennobled (1623) 1st Duke of Buckingham 1623 – 1628 | 28 August 1592, Brooksby Son of Sir George Villiers and Mary Beaumont | 23 August 1628, Portsmouth Assassinated by John Felton Aged 35 | Lord Warden of the Cinque PortsLord High AdmiralMaster of the Horse | James I (1603–1625) |
| George Villiers, ennobled (1623) 1st Duke of Buckingham 1623 – 1628 | 28 August 1592, Brooksby Son of Sir George Villiers and Mary Beaumont | 23 August 1628, Portsmouth Assassinated by John Felton Aged 35 | Lord Warden of the Cinque PortsLord High AdmiralMaster of the Horse | Charles I (1625–1649) Since 1642 in status of civil war |
| Richard Weston, Baron Weston then (1633) 1st Earl of Portland 1628 – 1634/35 | 1 March 1577, Essex Son of Sir Jerome Weston and Mary Cave | 13 March 1634/35, prob. Westminster Aged 57/58 | Lord High TreasurerFirst Lord of the Admiralty | Charles I (1625–1649) Since 1642 in status of civil war |
| Charles I (1625–1649) Since 1642 in status of civil war |||||
| Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford 1640 – 1641 | 13 April 1593, London Son of Sir William Wentworth and Anne Atkins | 12 May 1641, Tower Hill Executed for conspiracy Aged 48 | Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | Charles I (1625–1649) Since 1642 in status of civil war |
| Robert Bertie, 1st Earl of Lindsey 1641 – 1642 | 16 December 1582, England Son of Sir Peregrine Bertie and Mary de Vere | 24 October 1642, Edge Hill Aged 59 | Lord Great Chamberlain | Charles I (1625–1649) Since 1642 in status of civil war |
| Prince Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhine 1642 – 1646 | 17 December 1619, Prague Son of Frederick V, Elector Palatine and Elizabeth Stuart | 29 November 1682, Westminster Aged 62 | — | Charles I (1625–1649) Since 1642 in status of civil war |
| Charles I (1625–1649) Since 1642 in status of civil war |||||

## Stuart Restoration

   This is very true: for my words are my own, and my actions are my ministers.
In 1660, the leadership of the Commonwealth recalled Charles II and the chief minister became responsible to some extent to Parliament as leader of a ministry, although much of the time King Charles was in effect his own chief minister. The Glorious Revolution of 1688–89 furthered this process and by the time of Queen Anne in 1702, monarchs had little choice as to who their ministers would be.

### Charles II and James II

| Portrait | Minister(s) (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Ministerial offices | Party | Election | Ministry |
| | 1st Earl of Clarendon (1609–1674) | 1660 | 1667 | First Lord of the Treasury (1660) Chancellor of the Exchequer (1660–61) Lord Chancellor | — | 1661 | Clarendon |
| Buckingham | The C.A.B.A.L.1st Baron Clifford of Chudleigh (1630–1673)1st Earl of Arlington (1618–1685)2nd Duke of Buckingham (1628–1687)Lord Ashley (1621–1683)1st Duke of Lauderdale (1621–1683) | 1667 | 1674 | (See Cabal ministry for details.) | — | — | Cabal |
| | 1st Earl of Danby (1632–1712) | 1674 | March 1679 | Lord High Treasurer | Tory | — | Danby I |
| Temple | The Privy Council chaired by Sir William Temple (1628–1699) | April 1679 | November 1679 | (See Privy Council ministry for details.) | — | — | Privy Council |
| Rochester Godolphin Sunderland | 1st Earl of Rochester (1642–1711) & 1st Earl of Godolphin (1645–1712) & 2nd Earl of Sunderland (1641–1702) | November 1679 | 1687 | (Rochester:) First Lord of the Treasury (1679–84) (Godolphin:) First Lord of the Treasury (1684–85) (Sunderland:) Northern Secretary (1679–80 & 1683–84) (Godolphin:) Northern Secretary (1684) (Sunderland:) Southern Secretary (1680–81 & 1684–88) (Rochester:) Lord High Treasurer (1685–87) | Tory | 1681 | The Chits |
| Rochester Godolphin Sunderland | 1st Earl of Rochester (1642–1711) & 1st Earl of Godolphin (1645–1712) & 2nd Earl of Sunderland (1641–1702) | November 1679 | 1687 | (Rochester:) First Lord of the Treasury (1679–84) (Godolphin:) First Lord of the Treasury (1684–85) (Sunderland:) Northern Secretary (1679–80 & 1683–84) (Godolphin:) Northern Secretary (1684) (Sunderland:) Southern Secretary (1680–81 & 1684–88) (Rochester:) Lord High Treasurer (1685–87) | Tory | 1685 | The Chits |

### William III and Mary II

| Portrait | Portrait | Minister(s) (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Ministerial offices | Party | Election | Ministry |
| | Carmarthen Halifax | 1st Marquess of Carmarthen (1632–1712) & 1st Marquess of Halifax (1633–1695) | 1689 | 8 February 1690 | (Carmarthen:) Lord President of the Council (Halifax:) Lord Privy Seal | — | 1689 | Carmarthen–Halifax |
| | | 1st Marquess of Carmarthen (1632–1712) | February 1690 | 1695 | Lord President of the Council | Tory | 1690 | Carmarthen |
From 1693 and during the sole reign of William III, the government was increasingly dominated by the Whig Junto.

### Anne

The Kingdoms of England and Scotland united to form the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707.
| Portrait | Minister(s) (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Ministerial offices | Party | Election | Ministry |
| Godolphin Marlborough | 1st Earl of Godolphin (1645–1712) & 1st Duke of Marlborough (1650–1722) | 1702 | 1710 | (Godolphin:) Lord High Treasurer (Marlborough:) Master-General of the Ordnance | Tory | 1702 | Godolphin–Marlborough |
| Godolphin Marlborough | 1st Earl of Godolphin (1645–1712) & 1st Duke of Marlborough (1650–1722) | 1702 | 1710 | (Godolphin:) Lord High Treasurer (Marlborough:) Master-General of the Ordnance | Tory | 1705 | Godolphin–Marlborough |
| Godolphin Marlborough | 1st Earl of Godolphin (1645–1712) & 1st Duke of Marlborough (1650–1722) | 1702 | 1710 | (Godolphin:) Lord High Treasurer (Marlborough:) Master-General of the Ordnance | Tory | 1708 | Godolphin–Marlborough |
| | Robert Harley (1661–1724) | 1710 | 30 July 1714 | Chancellor of the Exchequer (1710–11) Lord High Treasurer (1711–14) | Tory (formerly Whig) | 1710 | Harley |
| | Robert Harley (1661–1724) | 1710 | 30 July 1714 | Chancellor of the Exchequer (1710–11) Lord High Treasurer (1711–14) | Tory (formerly Whig) | 1713 | Harley |
| | 1st Duke of Shrewsbury (1660–1718) | 30 July 1714 | 13 October 1714 | Lord High Treasurer | Tory | — | — |

## Hanoverian Succession

In the immediate aftermath of the death of Queen Anne in 1714, the monarchy was unable to function as the new King was in his domains in Hanover and did not know of his accession. As a stopgap, Parliament elected Thomas Parker, 1st Earl of Macclesfield Regent, or "acting king" until the new monarch arrived to take his crown. Later, George, Prince of Wales reigned as regent for six months from July 1716 to January 1717 when the King went to Hanover.
In the early part of the reign of George I, who could not speak English, the cabinet began meeting without the monarch present.
Following the succession of George I and the resignation of the Duke of Shrewsbury in 1714, the office of Lord High Treasurer went into permanent commission, its function undertaken by a commission of Lords of the Treasury, chaired by the First Lord of the Treasury, rather than by an individual Lord High Treasurer. From 1714 to 1717 the ministry was led by Viscount Townshend, who was nominally Northern Secretary; the Earl of Halifax, the Earl of Carlisle and Sir Robert Walpole successively served alongside Townshend as nominal First Lord of the Treasury. From 1717 to 1721 Lords Stanhope (First Lord 1717–18) and Sunderland (First Lord 1718–21) led the administration jointly, with Stanhope managing foreign affairs and Sunderland managing home affairs. Stanhope died in February 1721 and Sunderland resigned in April 1721; Townshend and Walpole returned to office.
Thus the First Lord of the Treasury came to be the most powerful minister and the prototype of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and its dominions.

### George I

| Portrait | Minister(s) (Birth–Death) | Term of office | Term of office | Ministerial offices | Party | Election | Ministry |
| | 2nd Viscount Townshend (1674–1738) | 13 October 1714 | 1716 | Northern Secretary | Whig | 1715 | Townshend |
| Stanhope Sunderland | 1st Viscount Stanhope (c. 1673–1721) & 3rd Earl of Sunderland (1675–1722) | 12 April 1717 | 21 March 1718 | (Stanhope:) First Lord of the Treasury Chancellor of the Exchequer (Sunderland:) Northern Secretary | Whig | — | Stanhope–Sunderland I |
| Stanhope Sunderland | 1st Viscount Stanhope (c. 1673–1721) & 3rd Earl of Sunderland (1675–1722) | 21 March 1718 | 4 April 1721 | (Sunderland:) First Lord of the Treasury (Stanhope:) Northern Secretary | Whig | — | Stanhope–Sunderland II |