Story Highlights
- Historical event:
- 25 July 1848
- It is interesting that Balfour immediately succeeded his own uncle Robert Cecil, Marquess of Salisbury, as the British Prime Minister.
On this day in 1848, Arthur Balfour, a politician who became British Prime Minister in the early 20th century, was born. Balfour came from a wealthy Scottish family.
At the age of 21, he inherited a large fortune, so he became one of the richest young people in Britain. To make things even better, Balfour’s uncle (mother’s brother) was British prime minister, Robert Cecil, Marquess of Salisbury.
Arthur Balfour became a member of the British Parliament in 1874 and served as a parliamentary private secretary to his uncle, the said Marquess of Salisbury. In 1887 his uncle appointed him the Chief Secretary for Ireland.
It is interesting that Balfour immediately succeeded his uncle as British Prime Minister. Namely, when Marquess of Salisbury resigned in 1902, Balfour became the Prime Minister. As Prime Minister, he became known for the so-called Balfour Declaration in which he guaranteed Lord Rothschild the approval of the allocation of Palestine to the Jews.
In 1922, the Prime Minister was created Earl of Balfour, which gave him the right to be addressed as Lord. He died in 1930 in England, at age of 81.
