page_title: James Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope
section_title: Emergence as First Minister
hierarchical_section_title: James Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope / Political career, 1712–1721 / Emergence as First Minister
context_page_description: James Stanhope, 1st Earl Stanhope PC was a British soldier, diplomat and statesman who effectively served as Chief Minister between 1717 and 1721.
  Born in Paris as the son of a prominent diplomat, Stanhope pursued a military career. Although he also served in Flanders and Italy, he is best remembered for his service in Portugal and Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession. He was the first British Governor of Minorca, which he captured from the Spanish in 1708.
  In 1710 he commanded the British contingent of the Allied Army which occupied Madrid having won a decisive victory at the Battle of Zaragoza. Having then evacuated the Spanish capital, Stanhope's rearguard on the retreat to Barcelona were overwhelmed and forced to surrender at Brihuega.
  Paroled, he returned to Britain and pursued a political career as a Whig. A supporter of the Hanoverian Succession he was rewarded with office by George I in 1714. As Southern Secretary he oversaw the negotiation of an Anglo-French Alliance. Emerging as the dominant figure in government after 1717 he led Britain to success in a new Spanish War and suppressed a Jacobite Rising in 1719.
context_section_description: In 1717, consequent on changes in the ministry, Stanhope was made First Lord of the Treasury, and was the last Chancellor of the Exchequer to sit in the House of Lords.  A year later he returned to his former office of secretary for the southern department. On 3 July 1717, he was created Baron Stanhope of Elvaston and Viscount Stanhope of Mahon and, on 14 April 1718, Earl Stanhope.  He was in all but name Prime Minister and is sometimes presented as the first Prime Minister of Great Britain, rather than Sir Robert Walpole who is more usually considered as that figure.
caption: 1718 portrait by Johan van Diest.
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