Portland, William Henry Cavendish Bentinck, 3d duke of
Portland, William Henry Cavendish Bentinck, 3d duke of,
1738–1809, British statesman; great-grandson of the 1st earl of PortlandPortland, William Bentinck, 1st earl of,1649–1709, Dutch statesman in England. He was William III's most trusted personal adviser.
..... Click the link for more information. . He was lord lieutenant of Ireland (1782) and nominal head of the coalition ministry (1783) dominated by Charles James FoxFox, Charles James,
1749–1806, British statesman and orator, for many years the outstanding parliamentary proponent of liberal reform. He entered Parliament in 1768 and served as lord of the admiralty (1770–72) and as lord of the treasury (1772–74) under
..... Click the link for more information. and Lord NorthNorth, Frederick North, 8th Baron,
1732–92, British statesman, best known as Lord North. He entered Parliament in 1754 and became a junior lord of the treasury (1759), privy councilor (1766), and chancellor of the
..... Click the link for more information. . When the French Revolution shocked the British into passing severe laws against agitators, Portland, as home secretary (1794–1801) under William PittPitt, William,
1759–1806, British statesman; 2d son of William Pitt, 1st earl of Chatham. Trained as a lawyer, he entered Parliament in 1781 and in 1782 at the age of 23 became chancellor of the exchequer under Lord Shelburne.
..... Click the link for more information. , administered them. He promoted the parliamentary union (1800) of Ireland with England and was again—and uneventfully—prime minister from 1807 to 1809.