Robert Walpole

The Richt Honourable The Yerl o Orford KG KB PC
Prime Meenister o Great Breetain
In office 4 Aprile 1721 – 11 Februar 1742
Monarch	George I George II
Precedit bi	Office creatit
Succeedit bi	The Yerl o Wilmington
Chancellor o the Exchequer
In office 4 Aprile 1727 – 12 Februar 1740
Precedit bi	Sir John Pratt
Succeedit bi	Samuel Sandys
In office 12 October 1715 – 15 April 1717
Precedit bi	Sir Richard Onslow, Bt
Succeedit bi	The Viscount Stanhope
Personal details
Born	26 August 1676(1676-08-26) Houghton, Norfolk, Ingland
Dee'd	18 Mairch 1745(1745-03-18) (aged 68) St James's, Middlesex, Great Breetain
Naitionality	Inglis/Breetish
Poleetical pairty	Whig
Spoose(s)	Catherine (1700–37) Maria (1738)
Bairns	6
Alma mater	Keeng's College, Cambridge
Profession	Statesman, Scholar
Religion	Kirk o Ingland
Signatur

Robert Walpole, 1st Yerl o Orford KG KB PC (26 August 1676 – 18 Mairch 1745), kent afore 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, wis a Breetish statesman that is generally regairdit as the first Prime Meenister o Great Breetain.

Awtho the exact dates o Walpole's dominance, dubbed the "Robinocracy", are a maiter o scholarly debate, the period 1721–1742 is eften uised. He dominatit the Walpole–Townshend meenistry, as weel as the subsequent Walpole meenistry, and haulds the record as the langest-servin Breetish prime meenister in history. W. A. Speck wrat that Walpole's uninterruptit rin o 20 years as Prime Meenister "is richtly regairdit as ane o the major feats o Breetish poleetical history... Explanations are uisually offered in terms o his expert haundlin o the poleetical seestem efter 1720, an his unique blendin o the survivin pouers o the croun wi the increasin influence o the Commons".

He wis a Whig frae the gentles cless that wis first electit tae Pairlament in 1701 an held mony senior poseetions. He wis a kintra squire an leukit tae kintra gentlemen for his poleetical base. Historian Frank O'Gorman says his leadership in Pairlament reflected his "raisonable an perswasive oratory, his abeelity tae muive baith the emotions as weel as the mynds o men, an, abuin aw, his by-ordinar sel-confidence". Hoppit says Walpole's policies socht moderation: he wirkit for peace, lawer taxes an growin exports an alloued a little mair tolerance for Protestant Dissenters. He maistly avydit controversy an heich-intensity disputes as his middle wey attractit moderates frae baith the Whig an Tory camps, but his appointment tae Chancellor o the Exchequer efter the Sooth Sea Bubble stock-mercat creesis drew attention tae a perceived pertection o poleetical allies bi Walpole.

H. T. Dickinson sums up his historical role bi sayin that "Walpole wis ane o the greatest politeecians in Breetish history. He played a signeeficant role in susteenin the Whig pairty, safegairdin the Hanoverian succession, an defendin the principles o the Glorious Revolution (1688)....He established a stable poleetical supremacy for the Whig pairty an tocht succeedin meenisters hou best tae establish an effective wirkin relationship atween Croun an Pairlament". Scholarts rank him heichly amang aw Breetish prime meenisters.