Coventry, Sir William

Coventry, Sir William

▪ English statesman
born c. 1628
died June 23, 1686, near Tunbridge Wells, Kent, Eng.

      English statesman, one of the ablest and most respected figures of Charles II's reign.

      Coventry entered Queen's College, Oxford, in 1642 but soon left to join the Royalist army and later followed the court into exile. He returned to England in 1652 but, by refraining from Royalist activities, survived unmolested to assist in the Restoration of Charles II. James, Duke of York, made him his secretary in 1660, and he was elected member of Parliament in 1661. He became commissioner of the navy in 1662 and a member of the treasury commission in 1667. In this post and as an outstanding speaker in the House of Commons, he led a determined drive for administrative efficiency. Regarding the Earl of Clarendon as an obstacle to this, he resigned from the Duke of York's service in September 1667, but he did not join in Clarendon's impeachment. Economies in expenditure became his principal concern during 1668, and the king's resentment at the restraints that these imposed made it easier for the Duke of Buckingham to secure Coventry's disgrace in 1669. Coventry was released after a short confinement in the Tower of London, utterly disillusioned with public service and determined never to take office again. Although he remained in Parliament until 1679, he retired thereafter to his country house.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Sir William Lyons — (* 4. September 1901 in Blackpool; † 8. Februar 1985 in Warwickshire) war der Gründer der Marke Jaguar. Er wurde als zweites Kind von William und Minnie Lyons in Blackpool geboren und besuchte die Arnold School mit durchschnittlichen Noten bis zu …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Coventry, Sir John — ▪ English politician died 1682       English politician, remembered for his connection with the Coventry Act of 1671.       Coventry was the son of Sir John Coventry (d. 1652), a Royalist and member of the Long Parliament, and the grandson of… …   Universalium

  • Stanley, Sir William — (d. 1495)    By his timely intervention during the Battle of BOSWORTH FIELD in 1485, Sir William Stanley ensured the overthrow of RICHARD III and the accession to the English throne of HENRY VII and the house of TUDOR. In September 1459, Stanley… …   Encyclopedia of the Wars of the Roses

  • Dugdale, Sir William — (1605 1686)    Herald and antiquary, was b. at Coleshill, Warwickshire, and ed. at Coventry School. From early youth he showed a strong bent towards heraldic and antiquarian studies, which led to his appointment, in 1638, as a Pursuivant… …   Short biographical dictionary of English literature

  • William Coventry — Sir William Coventry (c. 1628 23 June 1686), was an English statesman.He was the son of the lord keeper Thomas Coventry, 1st Baron Coventry, by his second wife Elizabeth Aldersley. Coventry matriculated at Queens College, Oxford, at the age of… …   Wikipedia

  • Coventry University — Established 1992 – gained University Status 1987 – Coventry Polytechnic 1970 – Lanchester Polytechnic 1843 – Coventry College of Design Type Post 1992 Endowment …   Wikipedia

  • William Petre, 4th Baron Petre — (1626 – 5 January 1684), was an English peer, a victim of the Popish Plot.Petre was the eldest son of Robert Petre, third Baron Petre (1599–1638), and Mary (1603–1685), daughter of Anthony Maria Browne, second Viscount Montagu, who had been… …   Wikipedia

  • William Reid Dick — Sir William Reid Dick (* 1879 in Glasgow; † 1961 in London) war ein schottischer Bildhauer, der für die innovative Stilisierung der Form bei seinen Denkmälern und die Einfachheit seiner Porträts bekannt war. Er wurde 1921 assoziiertes Mitglied… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Sir Roger Gresley, 8th Baronet — (27 December 1799 – 12 October 1837) was an English Tory politician who represented the constituency of South Derbyshire.Gresley was the son of Sir Nigel Bowyer Gresley, 7th Baronet and his second wife Maria Eliza Garway, daughter of Caleb Garway …   Wikipedia

  • William Lyons — Sir William Lyons (* 4. September 1901 in Blackpool; † 8. Februar 1985 in Warwickshire) war der Gründer der Marke Jaguar. Er wurde als zweites Kind von William und Minnie Lyons in Blackpool geboren und besuchte die Arnold School mit… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”