Pitt, William

Pitt, William (1759-1806), statesman, b. Bromley, Kent, England.

William Pitt was the son of the Earl of Chatham, Prime Minister of Britain from 1766-68.

'Pitt the Younger', as he is known, became a Member of Parliament at the age of twenty-two and was Prime Minister before he was twenty-five.

He led Britain in the war against Napoleon from 1793, but resigned as Prime Minister in 1801.

Three years later Britain was in danger of being invaded by Napoleon and Pitt was asked to be Prime Minister again. He returned, but died soon after Nelson's victory in the Battle of Trafalgar.

In all he was Prime Minister for nineteen years.

See William Hague William Pitt the Younger: A Biography