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Anthony Ashley Cooper

Type Figure Region England Time 1621–1683 Also known as Earl of Shaftesbury

Anthony Ashley Cooper was an English politician and early leader of the Whig Party, serving under both Charles II and James II.…

Timeline

  1. 1672–1673London · Greater LondonIn 1672 he became Lord Keeper, participating in the domestic and foreign affairs of Charles II's later reign, including decisions related to the Third Anglo-Dutch War. In 1673 he was dismissed as his political differences with the king and the Duke of York intensified, marking his turning point from cabinet minister to parliamentary opposition.
  2. 1674–1680Westminster · Greater LondonAfter his dismissal, Shaftesbury actively organized the opposition in Parliament, concerned about the succession to the throne under the Catholic background of the Duke of York. From 1677 to 1680 he continuously promoted legislative efforts to limit royal power and exclude the succession, becoming a central figure in the embryonic Whig Party.

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