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Member of the House of Commons | |
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County Commissioner of Derbyshire | |
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Member of the Commonwealth State Council | |
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4th Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland | |
| Predecessor | James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth |
| Successor | Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend |
| Born | 1672 Hardwick, Derbyshire, England |
| Died | 4 June 1729 (aged 57) London, England |
| Spouse | Rachel Russell (née Lady Rachel Wriothesley 1674–1725, married 21 June 1688) |
| Political Party | Whig -> Whig Junto |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Profession | Politician |
William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire (1672 – 4 June 1729) was a British nobleman and politician and 4th Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland (1718-1729, 69th to 80th Year of the Commonwealth).
Life and Politics
He was the eldest son of William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire and Lady Mary Butler. Married The Hon. Rachel Russell (1674–1725), daughter of William Russell, Lord Russell on 21 June 1688.
William Cavendish was Prominent Whig and later member of the Whig Junto. He was member of the House of Commons (1692 to 1718), County Commissioner of Derbyshire (1707-1710 and 1714-1718) and Member of the Commonwealth State Council (1703 to 1709 and 1712 to 1718).
Lord Protectorship
Under his Lord Protector the British Commonwealth enjoyed a short rapprochement with the Kingdom of France after the death of Louis XIV. Most of Cavendish's foreign affairs efforts were absorbed in arbitrating the territorial disputes between the Dutch Republic and Duchy of Flanders. He also cultivated an alliance with the Grand-Duchess of Flanders Maria Elisabeth of Austria.
As a member of the Whig Junto he started the trend of some Lord Protectors to restricted their office to the functions of foreign affairs, armed forces and patronage leaving most of the home and financial affairs in the Lord President and Council of State.
As a counterbalance to the ways of the previous Lord Protector Scott, Cavendish named the State Council with members of the majority in the House of Commons and assured a limited number and offices to the main opposition party. However after tumultuous council leadership of Penn the Younger the Dissident Whigs were excluded from the Council and of most of the government Boards and departments.
Lords Presidents of the Council of State under William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire
Lords Presidents of the Commonwealth State Council under William Cavendish. All named by the Lord Protector.
| Name | Mandate (Start-End) |
Political affinity/faction/party |
Commonwealth Parliament Legislature |
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| Charles Talbot, 1st Duke of Shrewsbury (1660 - 1730) |
1712-1722 | Whig Junto | 16th (1712-1717), 17th (1717-1722) |
| Sir William Wyndham, 3rd Baronet (1688–1740) |
1722-1724 | Tory | 18th (1722-1727) |
| James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde (1665–1745) |
1724-1730 | Irish Whig | 18th (1722-1727), 19th (1727-1732) |
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