George Canning

George Canning (1770–1827) was a British statesman and celebrated parliamentary orator. Educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford, he entered the House of Commons in 1793 and rose within the Tory government. Canning served as Foreign Secretary (1807–1809; 1822–1827) and as Chancellor of the Exchequer (1807–1809; 1827). He was a leading advocate of a more liberal foreign policy, supporting the independence of several Latin American states and backing Greek independence. In April 1827 he became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, but his tenure was brief: he died in office in August 1827.