James Harris, 3rd Earl of Malmesbury facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Right Honourable The Earl of Malmesbury GCB PC
The 3rd Earl of Malmesbury, c. 1867
Leader of the House of Lords
In office 27 February 1868 – 1 December 1868
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	Benjamin Disraeli
Preceded by	The Earl of Derby
Succeeded by	The Earl Granville
Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal
In office 21 February 1874 – 12 August 1876
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	Benjamin Disraeli
Preceded by	The Viscount Halifax
Succeeded by	The Earl of Beaconsfield
In office 6 July 1866 – 1 December 1868
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	The Earl of Derby Benjamin Disraeli
Preceded by	The Duke of Argyll
Succeeded by	The Earl of Kimberley
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
In office 26 February 1858 – 18 June 1859
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	The Earl of Derby
Preceded by	The Earl of Clarendon
Succeeded by	Lord John Russell
In office 27 February 1852 – 28 December 1852
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	The Earl of Derby
Preceded by	The Earl Granville
Succeeded by	Lord John Russell
Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal
In office 11 September 1841 – 17 May 1889 Hereditary Peerage
Preceded by	The 2nd Earl of Malmesbury
Succeeded by	The 4th Earl of Malmesbury
Member of Parliament for Wilton
In office 22 July 1841 – 10 September 1841
Preceded by	Edward Baker
Succeeded by	James Agar
Personal details
Born	25 March 1807 (2025-06-19UTC19:34:51)
Died	17 May 1889 (1889-05-18) (aged 82)
Nationality	British
Political party	Conservative
Spouses	1 Lady Corisande Emma Bennet (d. 1876) (2) Susan Hamilton (d. 1935)
Alma mater	Oriel College, Oxford

James Howard Harris, the 3rd Earl of Malmesbury (born March 25, 1807 – died May 17, 1889), was an important British politician during the Victorian era. He was known as Viscount FitzHarris from 1820 until 1841.

Early Life and Education

James Howard Harris was born in London on March 25, 1807. He was the oldest son of James Harris, the 2nd Earl of Malmesbury, and his wife, Harriet Susan Dashwood.

He was taught at home before attending Eton College, a famous public school. Later, he went to Oriel College, Oxford, and finished his studies in 1828. After college, he traveled around Europe. During his travels, he met many important people, including Prince Louis Napoleon, who later became Emperor Napoleon III of France.

Family Life

James Harris married his first wife, Lady Corisande Emma Bennet, on May 13, 1876. She was the daughter of Charles Augustus Bennet, the 5th Earl of Tankerville. Lady Corisande passed away in 1876.

After her death, Lord Malmesbury married a second time on November 1, 1880. His second wife was Susan Hamilton, daughter of John Hamilton.

Political Career and Roles

Caricature of James Harris, 3rd Earl of Malmesbury, by Carlo Pellegrini, c. 1874

In 1841, James Harris was elected to the House of Commons for the area of Wilton. He was a member of the Conservative Party. Soon after his election, his father died, and James inherited his father's title, becoming the Earl of Malmesbury. This meant he moved from the House of Commons to the House of Lords.

He held several important government jobs:

• Foreign Secretary: He was in charge of Britain's relationships with other countries twice. First, in 1852, and again from 1858 to 1859.
• Lord Privy Seal: This was another high-ranking position. He held it from 1866 to 1868 and again from 1874 to 1876.

In 1852, he became a member of the Privy Council. This is a group of advisors to the British monarch. He was seen as an important traditional Conservative politician in the House of Lords.

Foreign Policy Views

During his time as Foreign Secretary, Lord Malmesbury followed a careful and traditional foreign policy. His friendship with Louis Napoleon helped Britain quickly accept Napoleon's decision to become Emperor of France in 1852.

However, he was more sympathetic to Austria during the events leading up to the Italian War of 1859. He was particularly upset by the actions of Cavour, a leader from Piedmont (a small Italian state). Malmesbury worried that a small country could easily threaten peace in Europe.

Later Life and Writings

Lord Malmesbury lived a long life. In 1884, he published his book, Memoirs of an Ex-Minister. This book is full of interesting stories and details about the history of his time. It is still considered his most important work.

He also edited his grandfather's Diaries and Correspondence in 1844. In 1870, he published another book called The First Lord Malmesbury and His Friends.

Later Years and Legacy

Lord Malmesbury passed away in May 1889 at the age of 82. He did not have any children. His nephew, Edward Harris, inherited his title and became the 4th Earl of Malmesbury.