Benjamin Disraeli

The Right Honourable The Earl of Beaconsfield KG PC FRS
Disraeli, photographed by Cornelius Jabez Hughes in 1878
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office 20 February 1874 – 21 April 1880
Monarch	Victoria
Preceded by	William Ewart Gladstone
Succeeded by	William Ewart Gladstone
In office 27 February 1868 – 1 December 1868
Monarch	Victoria
Preceded by	The Earl of Derby
Succeeded by	William Ewart Gladstone
Leader of the Opposition
In office 21 April 1880 – 19 April 1881
Monarch	Victoria
Preceded by	The Marquess of Hartington
Succeeded by	William Ewart Gladstone
In office 1 December 1868 – 17 February 1874
Monarch	Victoria
Preceded by	William Ewart Gladstone
Succeeded by	William Ewart Gladstone
Chancellor of the Exchequer
In office 6 July 1866 – 29 February 1868
Preceded by	William Ewart Gladstone
Succeeded by	George Ward Hunt
In office 26 February 1858 – 11 June 1859
Preceded by	Sir George Cornewall Lewis
Succeeded by	William Ewart Gladstone
In office 27 February 1852 – 17 December 1852
Preceded by	Charles Wood
Succeeded by	William Ewart Gladstone
Personal details
Born	(1804-12-21)21 December 1804 Bloomsbury, London, England
Died	19 April 1881(1881-04-19) (aged 76) London, England
Political party	Conservative
Spouse(s)	Mary Anne Lewis (m. 1839; d. 1872)
Religion	Judaism (to age 12) Christianity (Anglicanism)
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Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, KG, PC, FRS (21 December 1804 – 19 April 1881) was a British politician and writer who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He played a central role in the creation of the modern Conservative Party, defining its policies and its broad outreach. Disraeli is remembered for his influential voice in world affairs, his political battles with the Liberal Party leader William Ewart Gladstone, and his one-nation conservatism or "Tory democracy". He made the Conservatives the party most identified with the glory and power of the British Empire. He is the only British Prime Minister of Jewish birth.

Disraeli was born in London. His father left Judaism after a dispute at his synagogue; young Benjamin became an Anglican at the age of 12. After several unsuccessful attempts, Disraeli entered the House of Commons in 1837. In 1846 the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel split the party over his proposal to repeal the Corn Laws, which involved ending the tariff on imported grain. Disraeli clashed with Peel in the Commons. Disraeli became a major figure in the party. When Lord Derby, the party leader, thrice formed governments in the 1850s and 1860s, Disraeli served as Chancellor of the Exchequer and Leader of the House of Commons. He also forged a bitter rivalry with Gladstone of the Liberal Party.