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[[Image: Gladstone.jpg|thumb|right|220px|[[William Ewart Gladstone]], four times [[Prime Minister]] of the [[United Kingdom]]]]

[[Image: Gladstone.jpg|thumb|right|220px|William Ewart Gladstone, four times [[Prime Minister]] of the [[United Kingdom]]]]

'''William Ewart Gladstone''' (1809–1898) was a British Liberal statesman and four-time [[Prime Minister]] (1868–1874, 1880–1885, 1886 and 1892–1894). He is best known for his extensive political reforms and skilled oratory. A scholar as well as a politician, he was the primary political rival of [[Benjamin Disraeli]].

'''William Ewart Gladstone''' (1809–1898) was a British Liberal statesman and four-time [[Prime Minister]] (1868–1874, 1880–1885, 1886 and 1892–1894). He is best known for his extensive political reforms and skilled oratory. A scholar as well as a [[politician]], he was the primary political rival of [[Benjamin Disraeli]].

==Early Life and Tory Minister==

==Early Life and Tory Minister==

Born in 1809 in Liverpool, England to a well-off merchant family, Gladstone was educated at Eton and Oxford before entering Parliament in 1832 as Conservative MP for Newark. In his early career, Gladstone was regarded as a 'stern and unbending Tory' and a High Anglican. In 1839, he married Catherine Glynne, who remained together until Gladstone’s death 59 years later.

Born in 1809 in [[Liverpool, England]] to a well-off merchant family, Gladstone was educated at [[Eton College|Eton]] and [[Oxford Univerity|Oxford]] before entering [[Parliament]] in 1832 as Conservative MP for [[Newark]]. In his early career, Gladstone was regarded as a 'stern and unbending Tory' and a High Anglican. In 1839, he married [[Catherine Glynne]], who remained together until Gladstone’s death 59 years later.

Gladstone served as President of the Board of Trade (1843-44) during the second ministry of Robert Peel. He resigned in 1845 over the Maynooth Grant issue, but returned in December as Colonial Secretary. Peel’s government fell in 1846, and Gladstone followed his leader in separation from the Conservative Party. After Peel’s death in 1850, Gladstone became leader of this ‘Peelite’ faction in the House of Commons.

Gladstone served as President of the Board of Trade (1843-44) during the second ministry of [[Robert Peel]]. He resigned in 1845 over the Maynooth Grant issue, but returned in December as Colonial Secretary. Peel’s government fell in 1846, and Gladstone followed his leader in separation from the [[Conservative Party]]. After Peel’s death in 1850, Gladstone became leader of this ‘Peelite’ faction in the House of Commons.

In 1852, he became Chancellor of the Exchequer in a Whig-Peelite coalition government. The government resigned in 1855 over the Crimean War and Gladstone spent the next four years in the political wilderness, refusing to join Derby’s Conservative Ministry on the grounds that he did not want to work with Benjamin Disraeli.

In 1852, he became [[Chancellor of the Exchequer]] in a Whig-Peelite coalition government led by Lord Aberdeen. The government resigned in 1855 over the [[Crimean War]] and Gladstone spent the next four years in the political wilderness, refusing to join Derby’s Conservative Ministry on the grounds that he did not want to work with [[Benjamin Disraeli]].

==Conservative to Liberal==

==Conservative to Liberal==