Arthur Langston

Arthur Langston, 1st Duke of Eston
1852 Portrait
Prime Minister of Veldaria
In office January 1, 1888 – September 29, 1895
Monarch	Stephen IV
Deputy	Harley Calder
Preceded by	Benjamin Lottway
Succeeded by	Ernest Harvey-Newmont
Constituency	Beglesy
In office June 1, 1881 – April 24, 1884
Monarch	Anne III
Deputy	Maxwell Leighton
Preceded by	Benjamin Lottway
Succeeded by	Benjamin Lottway
Constituency	Beglesey
In office August 4, 1878 – May 28, 1879
Monarch	Anne III
Deputy	Lewis Wilson-Westwood
Preceded by	Anthony Smith
Succeeded by	Benjamin Lottway
Constituency	Beglesey
Personal details
Born	(1816-08-19)19 August 1816 Westview, Erania, Veldaria
Died	5 February 1907(1907-02-05) (aged 90) Maiteaux, Arlithia, Veldaria
Resting place	St. John Military Cemetery
Citizenship	Spereidian
Political party	Conservative Party (after 1845)
Other political affiliations	Liberal Party (until 1845)
Height	178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Spouse	Elizabeth Langston
Children	Duke Arthur Langston Lady Alice Covington-Langston Lord Valentine Langston Lord Xavier Langston Caroline Smith
Parents	Arthur Langston (father) Catherine Langston (mother)
Residence(s)	Wulorth Estate 13 Bard Street (as Lord Speaker)
Military service
Allegiance	Spereid
Branch/service	Imperial Navy
Years of service	1834 to 1870
Rank	Admiral
Commands	Central Sea Fleet
Battles/wars	Battle of Ambrun Strait Battle of Vilden Gulf Battle of Ebberode Point Battle of Kalysa Reef
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Admiral Arthur Langston, 1st Duke of Eston, 1st Count of Aldburg (19 August 1816 - 5 February 1907) was a Veldarian statesman, sailor, and Conservative politician who was a key figure in the kingdom's history, leading the Vernorkan Fleet to victory in several military campaigns during the Continental War. In a political career lasting 24 years, he quickly rose to parliamentary prominence following his assumption of the leadership of the Conservative party in 1878, remaining in that capacity until his resignation following the end of his third government in 1895. He also served as the Lord Steward of the Treasury three times, and is considered a key figure in the formation of Classical Veldarian Realism.

As the son of an Earl, he received a good education which facilitated his rise to Admiralty. He took part in fighting against Belessa, Dashana, and Almerreich. After receiving promotions over 22 years with 'exemplary service and discipline', he attained the Imperial Navy's highest position of Fleet Admiral. Overseeing the Continental War, he pursued a career in politics after retiring from the military. Elected as an MP in the House of Commons representing the Beglesey constituency, he quickly gained prominence in the conservative party and was elected their leader shortly before a general election, seeing massive gains for his party. In his first premiership, he was responsible for easing of relations with Belessa and investments in education. After losing the position following an election spontaneously called, he became the Leader of the Opposition. In 1881, he forced new elections and regained the government.

Early Life

Family

Arthur Langston was born into the Amendist Supremacy of Erenia, as the son of Arthur, Earl of Waterrey, and Diane, Viscountess of Villaduacan. As the fifth son of his family, he was first referred to as the Right Honourable. His father was the third son of John Langston, Marquess of Carford, an early Prime Minister who held office for three years. The Earl of Waterrey was a notable MP who was a Conservative Prime Minister from 1814 to 1817 and 1819 to 1825, the Leader of the Opposition against the first Solist Governments led by Lovell from 1811 to 1814 and 1817 to 1819, and the Leader of the Conservative Party from 1811 to 1825 until he was shot in an assassination attempt and forced to retire. He abdicated his position so his firstborn son John Langston would become Earl, grooming him to become a future statesman.

Youth

It is known that Langston spent some of his early years in the Waterrey Estate where he was born, and his teenage years at the Dracester Naval Academy, after being caught consuming cannabis and opium by his retired father, who decided to send him to military school. He attended the institution from 1829 to 1834. Upon graduating, he became a midshipman aboard the HMS Eminence, partaking in the 1835-1838 Shalish-Belessan War in the battles of the Central Sea. He was briefly captured in 1837 after being taken at port by Belessan soldiers, but he managed to escape in the middle of the night with twenty other prisoners of war.

Military Career

In 1843 he became the captain of the HMS John II and he took part in the 1844 Battle of Auerbog in the Holt Plan. In 1849 he became a Commodore, and he participated in a series of anti-piracy campaigns orchestrated by Dashana, later on involved as part of a battle between the Veldarian Imperial Fleet and the Dashanian Grand Fleet. He remained in the position until 1853 when he became a Vice Admiral. In 1856 he became the Fleet Admiral following the death of Lord Allencourt, initiating a series of conflicts against Belessa to establish Veldarian naval dominance and a degree of suzerainty in the Belessan-Veldarian Wars. This ultimately resulted in the Treaty of Lechester, which saw the establishment of a Veldarian monopoly over Belessan mineral rights.

As Fleet Admiral he also oversaw the reinitiation of hostilities with Almerreich and in 1863 had to repel the Reich Armada, composed of over 500 ships. Successful at the Battle of Igalb, he launched a counterattack and landed a force of ten thousand soldiers to occupy the island of Aldburg. In the 1864 Treaty of Épissonne-sur-Turac, Stephen IV received the county, which Anne III would later grant him. In 1866 he commanded a fleet to initiate a blockade of the Betlander city of Keld, which had revolted, later capturing the area and arresting those responsible.

Political Career

By 1870, he had become a famous figure nationally. He retired from the Imperial Navy and was elected as an MP of Beglesey in an 1872 election. In an 1878 during a Conservative Party leadership election, he received the most votes and became the new Prime Minister, from August 1878 to May 1879, losing a vote of no confidence following a Veldarian loss at the Battle of Dingelmölsen.