Canning,George (1770–1827)

George Canning (1770–1827) is probably best remembered for his two terms as British secretary of state for foreign affairs, the first during the Napoleonic Wars, and the second between the suicide of Lord Castlereagh in 1822 and his promotion to prime minister in 1827. Canning was a self‐assured and dynamic man, and an able speaker and writer. He played a significant role in ensuring that the newly independent states of Latin America did not fall under the influence of France at Britain's expense. His efforts to maintain a balance of power in European affairs, and his readiness to use force in defense of British interests, can be considered to have influenced the foreign policy of the later foreign secretary and prime minister Lord Palmerston. Canning was also Britain's shortest‐serving prime minister, taking up that office a mere 119 days before his untimely death in 1827.