Arthur Balfour

Arthur James Balfour, the first Earl of Balfour, was born on July 25, 1848.

In 1870, Arthur Balfour met his cousin May Lyttelton when she was 19 years old.

In 1874, Arthur Balfour was elected as the Conservative Member of Parliament for Hertford.

On Palm Sunday, 21 March 1875, May Lyttelton died of typhus. Balfour arranged for an emerald ring to be buried in her coffin.

In spring 1878, Arthur Balfour became private secretary to his uncle Lord Salisbury, gaining experience in international politics during the Congress of Berlin.

In 1885, Arthur Balfour was a member of Randolph Churchill’s “Fourth Party” group, which played a role in bringing down William Ewart Gladstone’s government by opposing the Home Rule for Ireland Bill.

The Mitchelstown Massacre occurred when Royal Irish Constabulary members fired at a crowd protesting against the conviction of MP William O'Brien and another man under the Crimes Act. Three individuals were killed by the gunfire, leading to criticism of the RIC and Balfour's defense of them in the Commons.

After the death of W. H. Smith in 1891, Arthur Balfour assumed the position of First Lord of the Treasury and Leader of the Commons.

After the Conservatives returned to power in 1895, Balfour resumed his role as Leader of the House of Commons. He managed parliamentary affairs and engaged in debates on various domestic and foreign issues during this period.

Balfour played a role in passing the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898, which provided improved local government for Ireland. This act aimed to address governance issues in Ireland and was part of Balfour's efforts to manage Irish affairs.

During the Second Boer War, Balfour, as a member of the cabinet, realized the need to utilize the country's full military strength after the war began disastrously. He faced controversy and criticism for his handling of the conflict, but showed leadership in mobilizing military resources.

On July 11, 1902, Arthur Balfour succeeded Lord Salisbury as Prime Minister, but faced challenges within his cabinet and strained relations with King Edward VII.

Under Balfour's leadership as Prime Minister, the final Unionist land purchase programme was implemented in 1903. The programme encouraged landlords to sell land to tenants by offering a 12% cash bonus and favorable payment terms, leading to a significant increase in land sales and ownership by peasant proprietors in Ireland.

Arthur Balfour served from the death of Lord Salisbury in August 1903 until the end of his term in December 1905. During this period, only Lord Rosebery was alive.

In December 1905, Arthur Balfour offered the government's resignation after failing to reach a compromise within the Conservative Party over protection policies. The Liberal leader Campbell-Bannerman accepted the resignation, formed a new government, and won an overwhelming victory in the subsequent elections.

Arthur Balfour lost his seat in Manchester East in 1906, which is rare for veteran prime ministers sitting in the Commons to lose seats through electoral defeat at subsequent general elections.

The 1908 London Olympics saw strenuous competition on the field of play, diplomacy off it, involving Theodore Roosevelt and Arthur Balfour, impacting transatlantic relations.

Arthur James Balfour's lecture 'Criticism and Beauty' rewritten as the Romanes Lecture for 1909 was published in Oxford in 1910.

Arthur Balfour resigned as party leader after the constitutional crisis that led to the Parliament Act 1911, limiting the power of the House of Lords.

On 7 November 1911, Arthur Balfour resigned as the Leader of the Conservative Party. His resignation came after facing increasing unpopularity and internal party conflicts.

Arthur Balfour was appointed to the Order of Merit, granting him the post-nominal letters 'OM' for life.

Balfour met Weizmann at the Foreign Office on 22 March 1917. Weizmann described the meeting as the first time they had a real business talk.

At a meeting on 19 June, Balfour asked Lord Rothschild and Weizmann to submit a formula for a declaration.

On September 3, 1917, Arthur Balfour emphasized the importance of enlisting the earnestness and enthusiasm of the strong and enthusiastic Zionist organization in the United States to assist the Allies. He highlighted the risk of a direct breach if no action was taken and the necessity of facing the situation.

The Balfour Declaration was a statement of British support for the establishment of a national home for the Jewish people in Palestine. It was made in a letter from British Foreign Secretary Arthur James Balfour to Lionel Walter Rothschild, a leader of the Anglo-Jewish community.

Arthur Balfour was elevated to the title of 1st Earl of Balfour in 1922 following his tenure as prime minister.

On 5 May 1922, Arthur Balfour was created Earl of Balfour and Viscount Traprain, of Whittingehame, in the county of Haddington.

The Balfour Declaration, which was endorsed by the principal Allied powers, was included in the British mandate over Palestine and formally approved by the League of Nations on July 24, 1922.

In 1925, Arthur Balfour returned to the Cabinet as Lord President of the Council, replacing the late Lord Curzon, until the government ended in 1929.

In 1926, Arthur Balfour was largely responsible for the negotiations that led to the Balfour Report, which defined relations between Great Britain and the dominions. This report later influenced the Statute of Westminster in 1931.

Arthur Balfour passed away in 1930 at the age of 81, having served in various senior positions in the British government throughout his life.

The First Earl of Balfour, a political enthusiast, would have enjoyed British politics since 1950. He had foreseen changes in the political landscape leading to governments with small majorities in democratic parliaments, eagerly anticipating such an experiment. Throughout his long career, he remained a dedicated student of political affairs, maintaining a balanced perspective.

Arthur Balfour was portrayed by Adrian Ropes in the 1974 Thames TV production 'Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill'.

In a recent incident, pro-Palestinian activists vandalized a portrait of Arthur Balfour at Cambridge University, reflecting the ongoing controversy and division surrounding the Balfour Declaration and its impact on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.