ROCKINGHAM, rOk'ing-am, Charles Watson-Wentworth, MARQUIS OF, English statesman: b. 13 May 1730; d. 1 July 1782. He was educated at Westminster School and Saint John's College, Cambridge, and in 1750 was created an Irish peer under the titles of Baron and Earl of Malton, later in the same year be coming also an English peer and Marquis of Rockingham by succession. He took his seat in the House of Lords in the following year and continued in practice with his Whig sympa thies which he had inherited from his father. He took little part in politics, being a hesitat ing speaker and of mediocre talent, until 1765 when on the refusal of Pitt to take office, he became Prime Minister. His large wealth and powerful family position contributed to his ele vation, and he had the invaluable assistance of his brilliant secretary, Edmund Burke. He took a friendly attitude toward the American colonies and favored the repeal of the Stamp Act, though he affirmed the right of Parliament to tax the colonies. He gave offense to the
king for his support of the repeal principle and for refusal of allowances of the king's brothers and was superseded by Pitt, who returned to form a new ministry. His tenure lasted barely a year and his Parliamentary career was incon spicuous until March 1782 when, upon the fall of North's administration, he was called upon to form a coalition ministry in which he held the treasury. The chief events of his second term were the concession of legislative independence to Ireland and the forcing the king to treat for peace with the United States on the basis of their independence. In accomplishing these ends credit is not given to Rockingham for excep tional force and blitlis4y,j)ut rather for quiet tact and 1he' adoption oT a policy of oppor tunism. Consult Albemarle, (Memoirs of Rockingham) (1852-53) ;Walpole, 'Memoirs of George III) (1894). ,