John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Earl of Bute
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Portrait by Joshua Reynolds, 1773
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| Prime Minister of Great Britain | |
| In office 26 May 1762 – 8 April 1763 |
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| Monarch | George III |
| Preceded by | The Duke of Newcastle |
| Succeeded by | George Grenville |
| Leader of the House of Lords | |
| In office 26 May 1762 – 8 April 1763 |
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| Monarch | George III |
| Prime Minister | himself |
| Preceded by | The Duke of Newcastle |
| Succeeded by | unknown |
| Secretary of State for the Northern Department | |
| In office 25 March 1761 – 27 May 1762 |
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| Monarch | George III |
| Prime Minister | The Duke of Newcastle |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Holdernesse |
| Succeeded by | George Grenville |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Stuart
25 May 1713 Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Died | 10 March 1792 (aged 78) Westminster, England |
| Resting place | St Mary's Chapel, Rothesay, Isle of Bute, Scotland |
| Nationality | Scottish and British |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 11; including John
, James , Charles , William and Louisa |
| Parents | James Stuart, 2nd Earl of Bute Lady Anne Campbell |
| Alma mater | Leiden University Eton College |
John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute (born May 25, 1713 – died March 10, 1792), was an important British nobleman. He served as the 7th Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1762 to 1763. He worked under King George III.
He was the first prime minister from Scotland after Scotland and England joined together in 1707. He was also the first president of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, which started in 1780.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Education
John Stuart was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on May 25, 1713. His father was James Stuart, 2nd Earl of Bute. John went to Eton College from 1724 to 1730. After that, he studied civil law at universities in the Netherlands. He attended the University of Groningen and Leiden University.
When his father died in 1723, John became the Earl of Bute. This title was named after the Isle of Bute. His mother's uncles helped raise him. In 1735, he married Mary Wortley Montagu.
Political Beginnings
In 1737, John Stuart was chosen as a Scottish representative peer. This meant he could represent Scotland in the House of Lords in London. However, he did not participate much in the discussions. He was not re-elected in 1741.
For several years, he lived on his estates in Scotland. He spent his time managing his land and studying botany, which is the study of plants.
In 1745, Bute moved to Westminster, London. He met Frederick, Prince of Wales, in 1747. They became very close friends.
After the Prince died in 1751, Bute became the tutor for Prince George. Prince George later became King George III. Bute arranged for Prince George to learn about natural philosophy, which is an old term for science. This helped spark George III's interest in scientific instruments.
In 1780, Bute was elected as the first President of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. This shows his interest in history and culture.
Becoming Prime Minister
When George became King in 1760, Bute expected to gain political power quickly. However, he had to wait. First, he needed to replace the current prime minister, the Duke of Newcastle. He also needed to replace William Pitt the Elder.
Bute worked with the King to gain power. He first joined with Newcastle against Pitt. Pitt wanted to declare war on Spain, but Bute and Newcastle disagreed. Pitt then resigned from his government role. Next, Bute caused Newcastle to resign as prime minister. This happened when Newcastle had little support for his plans for the Seven Years' War.
Bute became the de facto prime minister after Pitt and Newcastle resigned. This ended a long period where the Whig party was in charge.
Key Decisions as Prime Minister
One of Bute's most important actions as prime minister was negotiating the Treaty of Paris (1763). This treaty officially ended the Seven Years' War. To make peace, Bute agreed to return important fishing areas in Newfoundland to France.
After the war, Bute and the King decided that Britain should not spend too much on its military. However, they felt a large military presence was needed in America. This was to protect against French and Spanish threats. To pay for this, they charged the American colonists more taxes. This decision helped start the resistance to taxes that led to the American Revolution. Bute also introduced a tax on cider in 1763 to help pay for the war.
The journalist John Wilkes published a newspaper called The North Briton. This paper made fun of Bute and the King's mother. Bute resigned as prime minister shortly after this. He continued to be a Scottish representative peer in the House of Lords until 1780.
Life After Politics
After leaving his role as prime minister, Bute lived at his estate in Hampshire. There, he built a large house called High Cliff. He continued to study botany and became a major supporter of writers and artists. He helped people like Samuel Johnson and Robert Adam. He also gave money to Scottish universities.
His work in botany led to him publishing Botanical Tables Containing the Families of British Plants in 1785. Even after he retired, many Americans blamed Bute for problems in the British government. This was especially true in the years leading up to the American Revolutionary War.
He passed away at his home in Westminster on March 10, 1792. He was buried at Rothesay on the Isle of Bute.
Legacy
Several plants are named after him. These include the flowering plant groups Butea, Stewartia, and Stuartia.
In 1761, King George III appointed Bute as the Ranger of Richmond Park. He held this position until his death. Bute Avenue in Petersham, near the park, is named after him.
Some historians say that the 18th-century phrase "Jack Boot" for a stupid person came from people making fun of Bute's time as prime minister.
Luton Hoo Estate
In 1763, Bute bought a large estate called Luton Hoo for £94,700. He felt the existing buildings were not good enough. So, he hired the architect Robert Adam to redesign the main house.
The first designs were not quite right. After Bute sold another property, Adam created new plans for a bigger house. Bute added his own changes, including five rooms for books and seven bathrooms. The house also held a large art collection. This collection included many paintings from Dutch and Flemish artists. A fire in March 1771 caused "considerable damage" to the house. The project was finished by 1773, but not all parts of the original plan were completed.
Family
In 1736, John Stuart married Mary Wortley Montagu. They had at least eleven children:
- Lady Mary Stuart (born around 1741)
- John Stuart, Lord Mount Stuart (1744–1814), who became the 4th Earl of Bute
- Lady Anne Stuart (born around 1745)
- The Hon. James Archibald Stuart (1747–1818), a politician and writer
- Lady Augusta Stuart (born around 1748)
- Lady Jane Stuart (born around 1748)
- The Hon. Frederick Stuart (1751–1802), a politician
- The Hon. Charles Stuart (1753–1801), a soldier and politician
- The Hon. William Stuart (1755–1822), who became the Archbishop of Armagh
- Lady Caroline Stuart (born before 1763)
- Lady Louisa Stuart (1757–1851), a writer who never married
Images for kids
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The north and south fronts of Luton Hoo as designed by Robert Adam
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The three sons of the Earl of Bute
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The three daughters of the Earl of Bute
