Edward Law, 1st Earl of Ellenborough
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The Right Honourable The Earl of Ellenborough GCB PC |
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| Governor-General of India | |
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In office 28 February 1842 – June 1844 |
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| Monarch | Victoria |
| Prime Minister | Sir Robert Peel, Bt |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Auckland |
| Succeeded by |
William Wilberforce Bird As Acting Governor-General |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 September 1790 |
| Died | 22 December 1871 (aged 81) Southam House, Gloucestershire |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Tory |
| Spouse(s) | (1) Lady Octavia Stewart (died 1819) (2) Jane Digby (1807–1881; divorced 1830) |
| Alma mater | St John's College, Cambridge |
Edward Law, 1st Earl of Ellenborough GCB PC (8 September 1790 – 22 December 1871) was a British Tory politician. He was four times President of the Board of Control and also served as Governor-General of India between 1842 and 1844.
Ellenborough was the eldest son of Edward Law, 1st Baron Ellenborough, and Anne, daughter of George Towry. He was educated at Eton College and St John's College, Cambridge.
Ellenborough represented the subsequently disfranchised rotten borough of St Michael's, Cornwall, in the House of Commons, until the death of his father in 1818 gave him a seat in the House of Lords. In the Duke of Wellington's government of 1828, Ellenborough was made Lord Privy Seal; he also took part in the business of the foreign office, as an unofficial assistant to Wellington, who recognised his talents. He hoped to be Foreign Secretary, but had to be content with the presidency of the Board of Control, which he retained until the fall of the ministry in 1830. Ellenborough was an active administrator, and took a lively interest in questions of Indian policy. The revision of the East India Company's charter was approaching, and he held that the government of India should be transferred directly to the crown. He was impressed with the growing importance of a knowledge of central Asia, in the event of a Russian advance towards the Indian frontier, and despatched Alexander Burnes to explore the district.
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