page_title: William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham
section_title: Later life
hierarchical_section_title: William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham / Later life
caption_attribution_description: English: An illustration of the coat of arms of the Pitt family, members of which included William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, and his son William Pitt the Younger.
context_page_description: William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, PC, FRS was a British statesman of the Whig group who served as Prime Minister of Great Britain in the middle of the 18th century. Historians call him Pitt of Chatham, or William Pitt the Elder, to distinguish him from his son, William Pitt the Younger, who also was a prime minister. Pitt was also known as the Great Commoner, because of his long-standing refusal to accept a title until 1766.
  Pitt was a member of the British cabinet and its informal leader from 1756 to 1761, during the Seven Years' War. He again led the ministry, holding the official title of Lord Privy Seal, between 1766 and 1768. Much of his power came from his brilliant oratory. He was out of power for most of his career and became well known for his attacks on the government, such as those on Walpole's corruption in the 1730s, Hanoverian subsidies in the 1740s, peace with France in the 1760s, and the uncompromising policy towards the American colonies in the 1770s.
context_section_description: Soon after his resignation a renewed attack of gout freed Chatham from the mental disease under which he had so long suffered. He had been nearly two years and a half in seclusion when, in July 1769, he again appeared in public at a royal levee. It was not, however, until 1770 that he resumed his seat in the House of Lords.
caption: Coat of arms of William Pitt.
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