Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, (20 October 1784 – 18 October 1865) was a British statesman who was twice Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century. Palmerston dominated British foreign policy during the period 1830 to 1865, when Britain stood at the height of its imperial power. He held office almost continuously from 1807 until his death in 1865. He began his parliamentary career as a Tory, defected to the Whigs in 1830, and became the first prime minister from the newly formed Liberal Party in 1859. He was highly popular with the British public. David Brown argues that "an important part of Palmerston's appeal lay in his dynamism and vigour".Henry Temple succeeded to his father's Irish peerage (which did not entitle him to a seat in the House of Lords, leaving him eligible to sit in the House of Commons) as the 3rd Viscount Palmerston in 1802. He became a Tory MP in 1807. From 1809 to 1828 he served as Secretary at War, organising the finances of the army. He first attained Cabinet rank in 1827, when George Canning became prime minister, but like other Canningites, he resigned from office one year later. He served as foreign secretary 1830–1834, 1835–1841, and 1846–1851. In this office, Palmerston responded effectively to a series of conflicts in Europe.
In 1852 Aberdeen formed a coalition government. The Peelites insisted that Lord John Russell be foreign secretary, forcing Palmerston to take the office of home secretary. As home secretary Palmerston enacted various social reforms, although he opposed electoral reform. When Aberdeen's coalition fell in 1855 over its handling of the Crimean War, Palmerston was the only man able to sustain a majority in Parliament, and he became prime minister. He had two periods in office, 1855–1858 and 1859–1865, before his death at the age of 80 years, a few months after victory in a general election in which he had achieved an increased majority. He remains the last British prime minister to die in office.
Palmerston masterfully controlled public opinion by stimulating British nationalism. Although Queen Victoria and most of the political leadership distrusted him, he received and sustained the favour of the press and the populace, from whom he received the affectionate sobriquet "Pam". Palmerston's alleged weaknesses included mishandling of personal relations, and continual disagreements with the Queen over the royal role in determining foreign policy.Historians rank Palmerston as one of the greatest foreign secretaries, due to his handling of great crises, his commitment to the balance of power (which provided Britain with decisive agency in many conflicts), his analytic skills, and his commitment to British interests. His policies in relation to India, China, Italy, Belgium and Spain had extensive long-lasting beneficial consequences for Britain. This does not mean that Palmerston is completely without controversy. Palmerston's leadership during the Opium Wars was questioned and denounced by other prominent statesmen such as William Ewart Gladstone. The consequences of the conquest of India may have, at first, seemed to benefit both Britain (in the sense of access to goods and gold) and India (by adding infrastructure and a stable justice system), but this view has been challenged by more recent scholarship. Both the burdens placed on India by enduring the rule of a nation so far away and on the British government saddled with enduring the anxiety of generations of officials on how to properly govern had ended up producing a chaotic administration with minimal coherence. The consequences of his policies toward France, the Ottoman Empire, and the United States proved more ephemeral.
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Some of their strengths
Henry John Temple has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Intelligent, Imaginative, Kind, Hardworking, Loyal, Energetic, and Passionate.
Intelligent and Inquisitive
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Henry John Temple is someone who is an intelligent, inquisitive, and imaginative person, who is practical, considerate, kind, and diplomatic in dealings with others. A person who is known for being fun and creative.
Helpful and Supportive
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Henry John Temple well know them as someone who can be accepting, supportive, and productive, like a garden.
Productive and Perseverent
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Henry John Temple as someone who is productive, persevering, deliberate, and direct.
A person who is creative, has good luck with work and money, good listening skills, good relationships with people at work, is a good teacher or counselor, and who is good at organizing groups, teams, or causes.
Stable and Creative
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Henry John Temple is someone who thrives in volatile situations, and who tends to be a source of stability and comfort for others who are experiencing challenging times .
They are also someone who is creative, expressive, and insightful, and who has a pioneering spirit with self-determination and natural artistic expression.
Justice-seeking and Peaceful
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Henry John Temple tends to be someone who loves peace and is ready to go to any costs to achieve it. Who has a taste for the good things in life, tends to be a good organizer, has a thirst for knowledge, and who tends to have the respect of friends and acquaintances.
Some of Henry John Temple's challenges
While Henry John Temple has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Henry John Temple can be Stubborn, Self-centered, Hesitant, Narcissistic, Suspicious, Hypocritical, and Possessive.
Hesitant and Narcissistic
One of Henry John Temple's key challenges is that they are someone who can be hesitant and narcissistic.
Henry John Temple must also exercise caution as they can be short-tempered and aggressive.
Possessive and Stubborn
Henry John Temple is someone who can be possessive, jealous, inflexible, and stubborn, can have a habit of being a frivolous spender, and who can feel insecure or cynical in romantic relationships and have difficulty forming productive personal and professional partnerships.
Pleasure-seeking and Indecisive
Finally, Henry John Temple also can put others first too much, and hem-and-haw too much when making a decision.
