{"slug": "whigs-british-political-party", "label": "Whigs (British political party)", "wikipedia": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whigs_%28British_political_party%29", "wikidata": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q108700", "qid": "Q108700", "description": "historic liberal political party in the United Kingdom (1678-1859)", "entries": 31, "years": 22, "span": [1679, 1830], "span_label": ["1679 CE", "1830 CE"], "topics": [{"title": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "count": 17}, {"title": "Religion & Belief", "count": 4}, {"title": "Culture & Society", "count": 4}, {"title": "Conflict & Security", "count": 3}, {"title": "Exploration & Expansion", "count": 1}, {"title": "Crime & Justice", "count": 1}, {"title": "Climate & Environment", "count": 1}], "also_known_as": ["British Whig Party", "Whig (British political faction)", "Whig (British political party)"], "related": [{"slug": "robert-walpole", "label": "Robert Walpole", "shared": 6}, {"slug": "pope", "label": "Pope", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "london", "label": "London", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "prime-minister-of-the-united-kingdom", "label": "Prime Minister of the United Kingdom", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "dublin", "label": "Dublin", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "parliament-of-england", "label": "Parliament of England", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "james-francis-edward-stuart", "label": "James Francis Edward Stuart", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "paris", "label": "Paris", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "united-states", "label": "United States", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "benjamin-franklin", "label": "Benjamin Franklin", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "william-iii-of-england", "label": "William III of England", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "jacobitism", "label": "Jacobitism", "shared": 1}], "items": [{"year": 1679, "year_label": "1679 CE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": "November 17", "text": "17 November – The Green Ribbon Club, a predecessor of the Whigs, organises a procession to burn an effigy of the Pope in London.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1353737517#Events", "title": "1679 in England", "revid": 1353737517, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1680, "year_label": "1680 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "October 21", "text": "21 October – Charles II's fourth parliament (the \"Exclusion Bill Parliament\", summoned in 1679) assembles. The term Whig comes to be used for those in favour of the Exclusion Bill and Tory for those who oppose it.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1353737535#Events", "title": "1680 in England", "revid": 1353737535, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1680, "year_label": "1680 CE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": "November 17", "text": "November 17 – The Green Ribbon Club, a predecessor of the British Whigs, organizes a procession to burn an effigy of the Pope in London for the second year running.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1365997201#October–December", "title": "1680", "revid": 1365997201, "section": "Events › October–December"}}, {"year": 1680, "year_label": "1680 CE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": "November 17", "text": "17 November – the Green Ribbon Club, a predecessor of the Whigs, organises a procession to burn an effigy of the Pope in London for the second year running.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1353737535#Events", "title": "1680 in England", "revid": 1353737535, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1694, "year_label": "1694 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "July 27", "text": "July 27 – The Bank of England is founded through Royal charter by the Whig-dominated Parliament of England, following a proposal by Scottish merchant William Paterson to raise capital, by offering safe and steady returns of interest guaranteed by future taxes. A total of £1.2 million is raised for the war effort against Louis XIV of France by the end of the year, to establish the first-ever government debt.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1353084901#July–September", "title": "1694", "revid": 1353084901, "section": "Events › July–September"}}, {"year": 1695, "year_label": "1695 CE", "section": "Religion & Belief", "date": "May 9", "text": "9 May – the Whig Henry Capell, Lord Capell, is appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371132767#Events", "title": "1695 in Ireland", "revid": 1371132767, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1695, "year_label": "1695 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "November", "text": "November – general election results in victory for the Whigs.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1353737755#Events", "title": "1695 in England", "revid": 1353737755, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1698, "year_label": "1698 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": null, "text": "The Whigs sponsor Captain Kidd of New York as a privateer against French shipping.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1370144847#Date_unknown", "title": "1698", "revid": 1370144847, "section": "Events › Date unknown"}}, {"year": 1701, "year_label": "1701 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "February 17", "text": "February 17 (February 6, 1700 O.S.) – The 5th Parliament of William III in England assembles. Future British Prime Minister Robert Walpole enters the House of Commons for the first time and soon makes his name as a spokesman for Whig policy.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1366683505#January–June", "title": "1701", "revid": 1366683505, "section": "Events › January–June"}}, {"year": 1701, "year_label": "1701 CE", "section": "Culture & Society", "date": "December", "text": "December — Nicholas Rowe's play Tamerlane premieres at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre in London; its pro-Whig views make it popular amongst supporters of King William and the Glorious Revolution.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1365195016#Events", "title": "1701 in England", "revid": 1365195016, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1708, "year_label": "1708 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "April 30", "text": "30 April–7 July – general election held to return members to serve in the House of Commons of the second Parliament of Great Britain, the first after the merger of the Parliaments of England and Scotland in 1707. The election results in a victory for the Whigs.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1360123116#Events", "title": "1708 in Great Britain", "revid": 1360123116, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1710, "year_label": "1710 CE", "section": "Crime & Justice", "date": "February 27", "text": "27 February–21 March – trial of Henry Sacheverell for preaching criticism of the Glorious Revolution which is considered subversive by the Whig government.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1349536510#Events", "title": "1710 in Great Britain", "revid": 1349536510, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1712, "year_label": "1712 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "November 12", "text": "12 November – A riot takes place in Dublin during a performance of Nicholas Rowe's Tamerlane a play which supports the Whig view of William III as a justified conqueror of Britain and Ireland. A prologue written by the Whiggish Samuel Garth is read, which inflames Tory and Jacobite opinion.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1247386522#Events", "title": "1712 in Ireland", "revid": 1247386522, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1713, "year_label": "1713 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Dublin election riot - A riot breaks out in Dublin during the contested election of the Dublin City constituency by the Whigs and Tories.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1247386530#Events", "title": "1713 in Ireland", "revid": 1247386530, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1713, "year_label": "1713 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "November 12", "text": "November 12 – The 1713 British general election concludes with the conservative Tories winning 358 of the 558 available seats in the House of Commons, and the liberal Whigs having 200.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1360271134#October–December", "title": "1713", "revid": 1360271134, "section": "Events › October–December"}}, {"year": 1715, "year_label": "1715 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "February", "text": "February to March – General election results in victory for the Whigs.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1275835745#Events", "title": "1715 in Great Britain", "revid": 1275835745, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1715, "year_label": "1715 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "March 27", "text": "March 27 – Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke, flees from Great Britain to France. His part in secret negotiations with France, leading to the Treaty of Utrecht, has cast suspicion on him in the eyes of the Whig government of Britain. He becomes secretary of state to the Pretender, James Edward Stuart.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1355668843#January–March", "title": "1715", "revid": 1355668843, "section": "Events › January–March"}}, {"year": 1715, "year_label": "1715 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "March 27", "text": "27 March – Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke flees to France. His part in secret negotiations with France leading to the Treaty of Utrecht has cast suspicion on him in the eyes of the Whig government. He becomes Secretary of State to the Pretender, James Edward Stuart.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1275835745#Events", "title": "1715 in Great Britain", "revid": 1275835745, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1722, "year_label": "1722 CE", "section": "Climate & Environment", "date": "May 9", "text": "9 May – General election ends, resulting in a landslide victory for the Whig government of Robert Walpole which increases its majority in the House of Commons to 220.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1363704574#Events", "title": "1722 in Great Britain", "revid": 1363704574, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1727, "year_label": "1727 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "October 17", "text": "October 17 – With voting for the British House of Commons concluding, the Whigs, led by Sir Robert Walpole, increase their supermajority, winning 415 of the 558 seats. The Tories share of Commons decreases from 169 to 128.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1360176234#October–December", "title": "1727", "revid": 1360176234, "section": "Events › October–December"}}, {"year": 1734, "year_label": "1734 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "June 6", "text": "June 6 – With the conclusion of the British general election (voting having begun in some constituencies on April 22), the Whigs, led by Prime Minister Robert Walpole, lose 85 seats but retain their majority.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1363450203#April–June", "title": "1734", "revid": 1363450203, "section": "Events › April–June"}}, {"year": 1741, "year_label": "1741 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "June 11", "text": "June 11 – 1741 British general election, begun on April 30, concludes with Prime Minister Robert Walpole's Whigs retaining their majority in the House of Commons but losing 44 seats to candidates who have defected to the new Patriot Whigs to oppose his policies.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1360183595#April–June", "title": "1741", "revid": 1360183595, "section": "Events › April–June"}}, {"year": 1741, "year_label": "1741 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "June 11", "text": "11 June – 1741 British general election, begun on 30 April, concludes with Prime Minister Robert Walpole's Whigs retaining their majority in the House of Commons but losing control of a number of rotten and pocket boroughs with 44 seats lost to candidates who have defected to the new Patriot Whigs to oppose Walpole's policies.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1275835304#Events", "title": "1741 in Great Britain", "revid": 1275835304, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1761, "year_label": "1761 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "March 25", "text": "25 March–5 May – a general election is held. The Whig party retains its majority.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1325432011#Events", "title": "1761 in Great Britain", "revid": 1325432011, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1762, "year_label": "1762 CE", "section": "Culture & Society", "date": null, "text": "Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis, leaves the Whig party.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1360295391#Events", "title": "1762 in Wales", "revid": 1360295391, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1762, "year_label": "1762 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "May", "text": "May – Thomas Pelham-Holles, 1st Duke of Newcastle-upon-Tyne resigns and is succeeded as Prime Minister by John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, the first Scottish Prime Minister of Great Britain; a large number of Newcastle's 'Old Corps Whig' followers are dismissed from public office in the following months in what is known facetiously as the \"Massacre of the Pelhamite Innocents\".", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1276244439#Events", "title": "1762 in Great Britain", "revid": 1276244439, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1765, "year_label": "1765 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "July", "text": "July – Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis, resigns from his position as Treasurer of the Household when his former party, the Whigs, are returned to power.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1275838607#Events", "title": "1765 in Wales", "revid": 1275838607, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1782, "year_label": "1782 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": "March 27", "text": "27 March – Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, becomes Prime Minister for the second time. His new Whig administration opens peace talks with the Americans, with Thomas Grenville being sent to Paris to negotiate with Benjamin Franklin.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1363776945#Events", "title": "1782 in Great Britain", "revid": 1363776945, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1808, "year_label": "1808 CE", "section": "Geopolitics & Diplomacy", "date": null, "text": "George Ponsonby becomes de facto first (whig) Leader of the Opposition in the House of Commons.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1371917174#Undated", "title": "1808 in the United Kingdom", "revid": 1371917174, "section": "Events › Undated"}}, {"year": 1826, "year_label": "1826 CE", "section": "Culture & Society", "date": "June 19", "text": "19 June – Tories under Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool win a substantial increased majority over the Whigs in the general election.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1341940675#Events", "title": "1826 in the United Kingdom", "revid": 1341940675, "section": "Events"}}, {"year": 1830, "year_label": "1830 CE", "section": "Culture & Society", "date": "September 1", "text": "September 1 - In the 1830 United Kingdom general election, Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot is elected for Glamorganshire as a Whig; he will continue to sit for a Glamorganshire constituency until his death in 1890.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1360356703#Events", "title": "1830 in Wales", "revid": 1360356703, "section": "Events"}}]}