Henry Grenville facts for kids
Henry Grenville (born September 11, 1717 – died April 22, 1784) was an important British diplomat and politician. He served his country in different roles, both at home in Britain and in faraway lands.
Contents
Early Life and Political Family
Henry Grenville was born into a very powerful political family. His father, Sir Richard Grenville, was a Member of Parliament (MP). An MP is a person elected to represent a group of people in the country's government.
Many of Henry's brothers also became famous politicians:
- One elder brother, Earl Temple, was a government minister. This means he held a high position in the government.
- Another brother, Thomas, was also an MP.
- His brother James worked in important government offices.
- His brother George Grenville became a very important figure. He served as Chancellor of the Exchequer, which is like the country's chief money manager. Later, George even became the Prime Minister of Britain from 1763 to 1765.
Political Career in Britain
Henry Grenville followed in his family's footsteps and became an MP himself.
- From 1759 to 1761, he represented the area of Bishop's Castle in Parliament.
- In the general election of 1768, he was elected to represent Buckingham. He was part of his brother George Grenville's political group.
Diplomatic Missions
Henry Grenville also had important jobs outside of Britain.
- In 1746, he became the Governor of Barbados. A governor is a leader who manages a colony or territory for their home country. Barbados was a British colony at that time.
- Later, on May 1, 1761, he was chosen to be the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. An ambassador is a country's main representative in another country. Henry went to Constantinople, which was the capital of the Ottoman Empire (today it's Istanbul, Turkey).
- He arrived in Constantinople on February 21, 1762. He served there for about three years, during the time of Sultan Mustafa III. He was called back to England on May 31, 1765.
Later Life
After his time as an ambassador, Henry Grenville returned to England on October 13, 1765. He worked as a Commissioner of Customs, which meant he helped manage taxes on goods coming into the country. He later retired to Bath, a city in England, where he passed away in 1784.
Family Life
Henry Grenville was married to Margaret Eleanor Banks. They had a daughter named Louisa. She later married Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl Stanhope, who was a well-known statesman and scientist.
