1749-1806. English Whig politician, son of
the 1st baron Holland. He entered Parliament
1769 as a supporter of the court, but went
over to the opposition 1774. As secretary of
state 1782, leader of the opposition to Pitt,
and foreign secretary 1806, he welcomed the
French Revolution and brought about the
abolition of the slave trade. In 1782 he
became secretary of state in Rockingham's
government, but resigned when Shelburne
succeeded Rockingham. He allied with North
1783 to overthrow Shelburne, and formed a
coalition ministry with himself as secretary
of state. When the Lords threw out Fox's bill
to reform the government of India, George III
dismissed the ministry, and in their place
installed Pitt. Fox now became leader of the
opposition, although cooperating with Pitt in
the impeachment of Warren Hastings, the
governor general of India. The `Old Whigs'
deserted to the government 1792 over the
French Revolution, leaving Fox and a small
group of `New Whigs' to oppose Pitt's war of
intervention and his persecution of the
reformers. On Pitt's death 1806 a ministry
was formed with Fox as foreign secretary,
which at Fox's insistence abolished the slave
trade. He opened peace negotiations with
France, but died before their completion, and
was buried in Westminster Abbey, London.