Edward Law, 1st Earl of Ellenborough facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Ellenborough
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Portrait by Frederick Richard Say
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| Governor-General of India | |
| In office 28 February 1842 – June 1844 |
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| Monarch | Victoria |
| Prime Minister | Sir Robert Peel |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Auckland |
| Succeeded by | William Wilberforce Bird (Acting Governor-General) |
| Member of the House of Lords | |
| In office 1818 – 22 December 1871 Hereditary peerage |
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| Preceded by | The 1st Baron Ellenborough |
| Succeeded by | The 3rd Baron Ellenborough |
| Member of Parliament for Mitchell |
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| In office 1813–1818 |
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| Preceded by | George Hobart |
| Succeeded by | Sir George Staunton |
| President of the Board of Control | |
| In office 6 March 1858 – 5 June 1858 |
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| Preceded by | The Lord Lyvedon |
| Succeeded by | Lord Stanley |
| In office 4 September 1841 – 23 October 1841 |
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| Preceded by | Sir John Jobhouse |
| Succeeded by | The Lord FitzGerald and Vesey |
| In office 18 September 1834 – 23 April 1835 |
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| Preceded by | The Lord Glenelg |
| Succeeded by | Sir John Jobhouse |
| In office 17 September 1828 – 1 December 1830 |
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| Preceded by | The Viscount Melville |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Glenelg |
| First Lord of the Admiralty | |
| In office 1846–1846 |
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| Preceded by | The Earl of Haddington |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Auckland |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 September 1790 |
| Died | 22 December 1871 (aged 81) Southam House, Gloucestershire |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Tory Conservative |
| Spouses |
Lady Octavia Stewart
(m. 1813; died 1819)Jane Digby
(m. 1824; div. 1830) |
| Parents |
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| Alma mater | St John's College, Cambridge |
Edward Law, 1st Earl of Ellenborough (born September 8, 1790 – died December 22, 1871) was an important British politician. He was a member of the Tory and later Conservative parties. He served four times as the President of the Board of Control, which was a government department that oversaw the East India Company's rule in India. He also held the powerful position of Governor-General of India from 1842 to 1844.
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Who Was Edward Law?
Edward Law was the oldest son of Edward Law, 1st Baron Ellenborough, who was a well-known judge. Edward went to Eton College and then to St John's College, Cambridge for his education.
In 1812, he got a high-paying job as the Chief Clerk of the Court of King's Bench. This job paid him a lot of money without much work. Later, in 1838, this job was changed to a lifelong pension.
Early Political Life
Edward Law started his political career in 1813. He became a Member of Parliament for a place called St Michael's in Cornwall. This area was known as a "rotten borough" because it had very few voters but still had a representative in Parliament.
When his father passed away in 1818, Edward inherited his father's title and became a member of the House of Lords. This is the upper house of the British Parliament.
In 1828, he joined the government led by the Duke of Wellington. He became Lord Privy Seal, a senior government role. He also helped the Duke of Wellington with foreign affairs. He really wanted to be the Foreign Secretary, but instead, he became the President of the Board of Control. This was a very important job because it meant he was in charge of British affairs in India.
Edward was very active in this role. He was especially interested in how India was governed. He believed that the British government, not the East India Company, should directly control India. He also understood the importance of knowing about Central Asia, especially if Russia tried to expand towards India. Because of this, he sent Alexander Burnes to explore the region.
He served as President of the Board of Control two more times under Robert Peel's governments. After his third time in this role, he was chosen to become the Governor-General of India.
Governor-General of India (1842-1844)
Edward Law's time as Governor-General of India lasted two and a half years. This was shorter than the usual term. His time in India was often criticized, but his own letters show his decisions.
When he arrived in India, he heard bad news about a massacre in Kabul and sieges in other cities. He wanted to "restore peace to Asia." He believed it was important to strike a strong blow against the Afghans first. Then, he wanted to let them govern themselves.
However, he later ordered his generals, George Pollock and William Nott, to retreat. Luckily, the army ignored this order and continued their advance. They rescued British captives and burned down the place where Sir Alexander Burnes had been killed in Kabul.
The Gates of Somnath
After the conflict, Dost Mahommed Khan was released from prison and returned to his throne in Kabul. Edward Law then organized a huge military parade. He decided to bring back the famous sandalwood gates from the Hindu temple of Somnath. These gates had been taken by Mahmud of Ghazni in 1024.
Even though experts like Major Rawlinson said the gates were not the originals, Edward Law insisted. He wanted to make a grand public statement. The gates were carried on a triumphal car to Agra. It turned out they were made of ordinary wood, not sandalwood. This event, especially his public statement about it, caused a lot of controversy and was one reason he was later recalled.
Conquest of Sind
Soon after, Edward Law found himself in another war, this time with the rulers of Sind. The local rulers, called amirs, had mostly been loyal. However, some opposition was reported. Edward Law sent Sir Charles Napier to investigate, giving him full military and political power.
Events quickly got out of control. Sir Charles Napier himself admitted that taking Sind was wrong, but he believed it would be useful. The battles of Meeanee and Hyderabad followed. As a result, the Indus River region became part of British India.
Gwalior Campaign
While in Agra, new problems arose. To the north, the Sikhs were causing trouble. To the south, in Gwalior, there was a large rebellious army. The state was on the edge of civil war.
Edward Law ordered Sir Hugh Gough to advance. This led to the battles of Maharajpur and Punniar, which happened on the same day. The peace treaty that followed was considered fair and wise. This helped bring peace to the region for a while.
However, by this time, the directors of the East India Company were very unhappy with Edward Law. They felt he was acting without their control and his messages to them were disrespectful. In June 1844, they used their power to recall him from India.
Later Political Career (1844-1858)
When Edward Law returned to England, he was given the title of Earl of Ellenborough. He also received an honor called Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath and thanks from Parliament.
However, his time in India was debated in Parliament. Even though his actions were defended by important figures like Robert Peel and the Duke of Wellington, he faced criticism.
In 1846, he became First Lord of the Admiralty, a role in charge of the British Navy. In 1858, he again became President of the Board of Control. This was his fourth time in this role. He was tasked with creating a new plan for how India should be governed, especially after the Indian Rebellion of 1857.
But he made a mistake. He wrote a strong message criticizing Lord Canning (the Governor-General of India at the time) and allowed it to be published without telling his colleagues. This caused a lot of anger, and to protect the government, Edward Law resigned.
Despite this, he had a big impact on how India was governed. He believed the East India Company should no longer rule India. He suggested that the British Crown (the Queen) should take direct control. He also proposed that a council should advise the minister in charge of India. These ideas were put into action in 1858 by his successor, Lord Stanley. So, Edward Law is seen as the person who shaped the direct British rule of India.
Even though he was known as a great speaker in the House of Lords, he never held a government office again after 1858.
Family Life
Lord Ellenborough was married twice. His first wife was Lady Octavia Catherine. They married in 1813 but had no children. She sadly passed away in 1819.
His second wife was Jane Digby. They married in 1824 and had one child, Arthur Dudley Law, who died very young. Lord and Lady Ellenborough later divorced in 1830.
Death
Edward Law, 1st Earl of Ellenborough, passed away at his home, Southam House, in December 1871. He was 81 years old. After his death, his titles of viscount and earl ended. His nephew, Charles Towry-Law, 3rd Baron Ellenborough, inherited the barony. He was buried in the family tomb at Oxenton Church.
