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Genri St. JohnStatesman, scientist, philosopher, orator
Date of Birth: 01.10.1678
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- Biography of Henry St. John
- Early Life and Education
- Political Career and Utrecht Peace
- Later Years and Exile
- Opposition and Legacy
Biography of Henry St. John
IntroductionHenry St. John, a statesman, scholar, philosopher, orator, socialite, and avid hunter, was a man of many talents and contradictions. Some saw him as a deceitful and immoral hypocrite, willing to betray others to achieve his goals. Others saw him as a brilliantly educated man with a great memory, practical and clear mind, refined taste, and capable of true and lasting friendship. St. John was born in 1678 into an aristocratic family and lived a life filled with adventure and political success.
Early Life and Education
St. John was born into a noble family in 1678. He was educated at the prestigious Eton, where he gained a reputation for numerous escapades and romantic adventures. Rumors circulated that he had a relationship with the most expensive courtesan in the British realm. At the age of 20, St. John embarked on a two-year journey through Europe, returning to England at the age of 23. He quickly entered politics and was elected to Parliament, where two rival parties, the Whigs and the Tories, vied for power. St. John joined the Tory faction led by Robert Harley, the Earl of Oxford, and quickly rose to prominence with his exceptional oratory skills.
Political Career and Utrecht Peace
In 1701, St. John played a key role in drafting a document aimed at preventing the return of the Stuart dynasty to the English throne. The Stuarts were the direct descendants of Charles I, who was executed in 1649, and James II, who was overthrown in the Glorious Revolution of 1688-1689. St. John's career flourished, thanks in large part to his persuasive oratory skills and his disdain for hypocrisy. His early marriage increased his wealth but did not alter his character. He gained the favor of John Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough, a renowned English military leader and statesman. In 1703, St. John became the Secretary at War, thanks in part to Churchill's support. However, he later initiated a parliamentary investigation that accused Churchill of misappropriating funds intended for military supplies.
St. John's political career was heavily influenced by attitudes towards the war. While the Tories, concerned about rising taxes, began advocating for peace with France as early as 1706, the Whigs, benefiting from loans and military contracts, strongly supported continuing the war. In 1708, the Whigs gained power, and St. John resigned along with Harley. However, four years later, the Tories returned to power amid widespread dissatisfaction with the prolonged war. These were the final years of Queen Anne's reign, a period that had favored the Tories. As the Secretary of State, St. John's main focus was to negotiate a peace treaty. The Treaty of Utrecht (1713), which was largely influenced by Viscount Bolingbroke (the title bestowed upon St. John in 1712), was highly advantageous for England. The treaty secured Gibraltar, part of Minorca, and the asiento (the exclusive right to import African slaves) from Spain, as well as several lands in North America from France. However, Bolingbroke's involvement in Utrecht and subsequent accusations of betraying national interests would haunt him.
Later Years and Exile
With Queen Anne's health declining, the race for the throne began between Jacobite Catholic James Stuart and Protestant George of Hanover. The Whigs wholeheartedly supported the Hanoverian dynasty, while the Tories had divided opinions. Bolingbroke may not have sympathized with the Jacobites, but he aimed to weaken the Whigs' influence. Unfortunately, his efforts came too late. Bolingbroke wrote to Jonathan Swift, "The Earl of Oxford was dismissed on a Tuesday, the queen died on a Sunday. What a world and how fortune laughs at us!" With the queen's passing, George I ascended the throne, and the Whigs won the 1715 parliamentary elections. Bolingbroke fled to France in March of that year. This allowed his opponents, particularly the Whig leader Robert Walpole, to accuse him of treason, including alleged misconduct during his time as Secretary at War.
Bolingbroke was convicted in absentia, stripped of his property and titles, and faced severe accusations of betrayal and corruption. Despite claiming that he never engaged in negotiations with Stuart, Bolingbroke hastily left the country because he feared persecution by the Whigs. He later became Secretary of State for the exiled James Stuart. This decision, which Bolingbroke deeply regretted, effectively ended his political career. He spent several years in exile, during which he enjoyed intellectual discussions with the elite of France, including Voltaire and Montesquieu. In 1725, he finally obtained permission to return to England, regain his confiscated lands and titles, but was barred from holding any official positions or participating in parliamentary sessions.
Opposition and Legacy
Unable to remain idle, Bolingbroke led a behind-the-scenes opposition to Walpole's government. Despite being unable to speak in Parliament, he wrote speeches for his friends. His estate at Dawley became a meeting place for the country's most enlightened minds, including Swift, Arbuthnot, Gay, and Pope. In 1727, Bolingbroke founded the opposition journal, The Craftsman, which published his major political works, "Remarks on the History of England" (1730-1731) and "The Dissertation on Parties" (1733-1734), establishing his reputation as a philosopher.
However, Bolingbroke's efforts to overthrow the powerful Walpole were unsuccessful. In 1734, he famously ridiculed Walpole as an "anti-minister" in a scathing speech to Parliament. Disillusioned, Bolingbroke left England once again in 1735, declaring his permanent retirement from politics and dedicating himself entirely to science. Although he believed he could save the English people, Bolingbroke returned to the realization that his dream of a unified national party was futile. Despite the fall of Walpole in 1742, no coalition government was formed. Bolingbroke wrote to his friends, "Those who leaned on me as a crutch during my lameness have cast me off now as an unnecessary instrument." The years of exile marked the end of Bolingbroke's political career, leaving him to be remembered as a leader of the opposition. He was accused of lacking principles, but his commitment to many of the ideals of his youth remained unwavering.
Bolingbroke firmly believed that "landowners are the true masters of our political ship, and financiers are nothing more than passengers." He idealized a constitutional monarchy where the ruler respected the rights and privileges of all classes and governed through love and persuasion. He condemned the corruption and bribery that plagued elections and Parliament.
In 1751, Bolingbroke passed away at the age of 73. His life was filled with irony and adversity. As an opponent of factionalism and an advocate for national unity, he spent many years as an opposition leader. Vain and ambitious, he was deprived of power for several decades. Constantly accused of lacking principles, Bolingbroke remained committed to many of the ideals of his youth.
