Biography

1804

Born on 21 December in London, he was the first son and second of five children. His parents were Isaac D'Israeli and Maria Basevi.

1817-21

Disraeli attended Higham Hall School in Walthamstow.

1821

He was articled to a company of Solicitors in Old Jewry, London.

1824

He was admitted as a student to Lincoln's Inn.

1825

The first issue of The Representative appeared. This was a daily newspaper which Disraeli and his friend John Murray established. It lasted for only a few months.

1826

Disraeli's first novel Vivien Grey was published.

1827

Disraeli's name was entered as a prospective Barrister at Lincoln's Inn.

1831

He withdrew from Lincoln's Inn in order to pursue a career in writing.

1832

Disraeli stood for parliament for the first time as an Independent Radical at a by-election in Wycombe. He failed to be elected.

1834

Disraeli met Lord Lyndhurst, the former Tory Lord Chancellor, for the first time. Lyndhurst became Disraeli's patron.
A Year at Hartlebury or The Election was published by Disraeli and his sister, Sarah, under the pseudonyms of Cherry and Fair Star

1835

Having been defeated three times in parliamentary elections, standing as an Independent Radical, Disraeli joined the Tory party. He lost the by-election at Taunton but became an official Tory candidate.
He quarrelled publicly with and challenged Daniel O'Connell to a duel. The police intervened and Disraeli was bound over to keep the peace.
He joined in the attack on the Municipal Corporations Act by writing (anonymously) fourteen leading articles in the Morning Post.
He published A Vindication of the English Constitution in a Letter to a Noble and Learned Lord by Disraeli the Younger.

1836

Disraeli wrote a series of nineteen open letters in The Times under the pseudonym "Runnymead", lampooning individual members of Melbourne's Whig government.

July 1837

Elected for the first time, Disraeli became MP for Maidstone in the General Election following the accession of Queen Victoria.

1839

July: In a debate on the Poor Law, Disraeli expressed sympathy with the Chartists.
August: He married Mary Anne Wyndham Lewis. He made no secret of the fact that he married her for her money although he knew that her income would die with her. Mary-Anne was twelve years his senior.

June 1840

Disraeli was one of only five MPs who protested at the harsh treatment of the Chartist leaders.

1841

June: Elected as MP for Shrewsbury in the General Election, things did not go well for Disraeli and legal proceedings about his alleged bribery of electors continued for several months.
August: Peel became Prime Minister. Disraeli, who was desperate for office, wrote to Peel but was not made a member of the government.

1842

A group calling itself "Young England" emerged in parliament. It comprised George Smythe, Lord John Manners, Alexander Baillie-Cochrane and Disraeli.

1844

1845

1845

February: Disraeli made his famous speech in the House of Commons in which he attacked the Prime Minister, Peel, for ignoring the wishes of the Conservative Party.
Tancred was published.

1846

January: A number of MPs establish a "protectionist" group to co-ordinate opposition to Peel. Bentinck, Disraeli and O'Brien led the attacks on Peel over the proposed repeal of the Corn Laws.
May: Disraeli launched a series of vicious attacks on Peel in the debate on the Corn Laws. Peel accused Disraeli of touting for office in 1841, which Disraeli denied - a downright lie.
Repeal of the Corn Laws.
June: Peel resigned after his defeat on the Irish Coercion Bill. Lord John Russell formed a ministry.

1847

September: In the General Election, the parties were evenly divided and Russell continued as Prime Minister. Disraeli stood for election as the Buckinghamshire county candidate after his purchase of Hughenden Manor. He took his seat on the opposition front bench with Peel.
December: Disraeli supported the government over the removal of civil disabilities for Jews.

1848

Disraeli effectively became Leader of the Opposition in parliament.

1850

Peel died following a riding accident.

1852

February: Lord John Russell resigned and the Earl of Derby (Tory) became Prime Minister. Disraeli was appointed as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the "Who? Who?" Ministry.
July: After the General Election, no party had an overall majority and Derby continued as Prime Minister.
December: Disraeli's first Budget speech lasted for five hours. Gladstone replied and this marked the beginning of the great parliamentary conflict between the two men. The government was defeated in the vote on the Budget and Derby resigned.
December: Aberdeen formed a coalition government and Gladstone succeeded Disraeli as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

1853

Disraeli began publication of his weekly newspaper The Press, which ran for five years.

1855

Aberdeen was forced to resign after a vote of No Confidence. Palmerston became Prime Minister.

1858

Derby took office as Prime Minister and Disraeli resumed his position of Chancellor of the Exchequer.

1859

February: Derby's government was defeated by a Liberal alliance over the proposed Reform Bill.
June: Palmerston became Prime Minister for the last time.

1866

Following the defeat of the Reform Bill, Lord John Russell resigned. Derby formed another ministry and Disraeli again became Chancellor of the Exchequer. He appointed Monty Corrie as his Private Secretary. Corrie remained a close friend and proved to be indispensable to Disraeli after Mary-Anne's death.

1867

The second Reform Act became law. This was a piece of Tory legislation.

1868

February: Disraeli became Prime Minister for the first time following Derby's resignation because of ill health. Disraeli's comment at the time was, "I have climbed to the top of the greasy pole".
November: The Liberals won the General Election following the completion of the new electoral register.
December: Disraeli resigned as Prime Minister without meeting parliament. He asked the Queen to give a peerage to his wife. Mary-Anne was created Viscountess Beaconsfield.
Gladstone became Prime Minister for the first time.

1870

1872

Mary-Anne died.

1874

The Conservatives won the General Election and Disraeli became Prime Minister for the second time.

1875-80

• two Trade Unions Acts
• the Public Health Act
• the Artisans' Dwelling Act
• a Factory Act
• the Sale of Food and Drugs Act

1876

June: The Bulgarian Atrocities took place but Disraeli questioned the truthfulness of the reports in the DailyNews
August: Disraeli made his last speech in the House of Commons and moved up to the House of Lords as the Earl of Beaconsfield.
September: Gladstone attacked the government's foreign policy in his pamphlet The Bulgarian Horrors and the Question of the East.

1877

The Russo-Turkish War broke out.
Queen Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India.

1878

March: the Treaty of San Stephano was signed between Russia and Turkey, which created Bulgaria.
June: The Congress of Berlin took place, attended by Disraeli and Salisbury.
July: Treaty of Berlin. Disraeli and Salisbury were invested with the Order of the Garter on their return to London.

1879

The Zulu Wars began in South Africa.

1880

In the General Election, the Liberals were returned and Gladstone formed his second ministry. Disraeli became Leader of the Opposition from the House of Lords.

19 April 1881

Disraeli died. The Queen was prevented (by protocol) from attending his funeral but she visited his grave later and had a monument to him erected in Hughenden Church.

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