Francis Osborne, 5th Duke of Leeds facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Duke of Leeds
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Portrait by Benjamin West, circa 1769
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| Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 23 December 1783 – May 1791 |
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| Monarch | George III |
| Prime Minister | The Right Hon. William Pitt |
| Preceded by | The Earl Temple |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Grenville |
| Leader of the House of Lords | |
| In office 1789–1790 |
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| Preceded by | The Lord Sydney |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Grenville |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 January 1751 |
| Died | 31 January 1799 (aged 48) London, England, Great Britain |
| Resting place | All Hallows Church, Harthill, South Yorkshire |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Tory |
| Spouses | |
| Children |
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| Parents | Thomas Osborne, 4th Duke of Leeds Lady Mary Godolphin |
| Alma mater | Christ Church, Oxford |
Francis Godolphin Osborne (born January 29, 1751 – died January 31, 1799) was a British politician. He was known as the Marquess of Carmarthen until 1789. Later, he became the 5th Duke of Leeds. His most important job was being the Foreign Secretary. He worked for William Pitt the Younger from 1783 to 1791. He was also the Governor of Scilly. In 1790, he received a special honor, becoming a Knight of the Order of the Garter.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Francis Godolphin Osborne was the only son of Thomas Osborne, 4th Duke of Leeds. His mother was Lady Mary. She was the daughter of Francis Godolphin, 2nd Earl of Godolphin. Francis went to school at Westminster School. He later studied at Christ Church, Oxford University.
Political Journey
Francis began his political career in 1774. He became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Eye. Then, from 1774 to 1775, he was an MP for Helston. In 1776, he joined the House of Lords. This is the upper house of the British Parliament. He was given the title of Baron Osborne.
In 1777, he became the Lord Chamberlain for Queen Charlotte. He also became the Captain of Deal Castle. In the House of Lords, he strongly opposed the prime minister, Lord North. Because of this, he lost his job as Lord Lieutenant of the East Riding of Yorkshire in 1780. However, he got this position back two years later.
Foreign Secretary Role
In 1783, Francis was chosen to be the ambassador to France. But he did not take this job. Instead, in December 1783, he became the Foreign Secretary. He served under William Pitt the Younger.
Historians say that his work as Foreign Secretary was not very successful. He became the Duke of Leeds in 1789 after his father passed away. He did not like France. However, he did not create a strong foreign policy. King George III often made the main foreign policy decisions himself.
The Duke of Leeds wanted a policy against Russia. But Prime Minister Pitt disagreed with him. This disagreement led him to leave his job in April 1791.
Relations with the United States
The Duke of Leeds did not try to build good relationships with the newly independent United States. Two future US Presidents, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, were envoys from the US. They both complained that he was difficult to work with. They felt he did not want to deal with them.
John Adams was generally friendly towards Britain. He was ready to move past these issues. However, Thomas Jefferson was not. Some people believe that the Duke of Leeds' actions caused Jefferson to dislike Great Britain. This dislike continued when Jefferson became President.
After leaving his main role, the Duke of Leeds was less involved in politics. In 1792, he heard rumors of a new political group. He offered to lead it, but both Pitt and the King refused his offer.
Family Life
The Duke of Leeds married Lady Amelia Darcy in 1773. She was the daughter of Robert Darcy, 4th Earl of Holderness. They got divorced in 1779. They had three children together:
- George William Frederick Osborne, born in 1775. He later became the 6th Duke of Leeds.
- Lady Mary Henrietta Juliana Osborne, born in 1776. She married Thomas Pelham, 2nd Earl of Chichester.
- Lord Francis Osborne, born in 1777. He later became the 1st Baron Godolphin.
He married a second time in 1788 to Catherine Anguish. They had two more children:
- Lord Sidney Godolphin Osborne, born in 1789.
- Lady Catherine Anne Sarah Osborne, born in 1791.
The Duke of Leeds passed away in London in January 1799. He was 48 years old. He was buried in his family's chapel. His oldest son, George, became the next Duke of Leeds. His second son, Francis, received the title of Baron Godolphin in 1832.
