Arthur Langston
Arthur Langston, 1st Duke of Eston | |
|---|---|
 1852 Portrait | |
| Prime Minister | |
| In office 4 August 1874 – 28 May 1879 | |
| Monarch | Stephen IV |
| Deputy | Harley Calder |
| Preceded by | Ernest Harvey-Newmont |
| Succeeded by | Benjamin Lottway |
| Constituency | Beglesy constituency |
| In office 1 June 1881 – 24 April 1887 | |
| Monarch | Anne III |
| Deputy | Maxwell Leighton |
| Preceded by | Benjamin Lottway |
| Succeeded by | Benjamin Lottway |
| Constituency | Beglesey constituency |
| In office 1 January 1888 – 29 September 1895 | |
| Monarch | Anne III |
| Deputy | Lewis Wilson-Westwood |
| Preceded by | Benjamin Lottway |
| Succeeded by | Anthony Smith |
| Constituency | Beglesey constituency |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 19 August 1816 Lucent, Brototh |
| Died | 5 February 1907 (aged 90) Maiteaux, Chatsland |
| 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 |
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| 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 Spereidian statesman, sailor, and Conservative politician who was a key figure in the kingdom's history, leading the Koelasian Fleet to victory in several military campaigns during the Continental War. As the son of an Earl, he received a good education which facilitated his rise to Admiralty. He took part in fighting against Islonia, Luderreich, and Carinansia. 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 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 Islonia 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 Aztopiand, 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 Lucent 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 Spereidian-Islonian War in the battles of the Centaral Sea. He was briefly captured in 1837 after being taken at port by Islonian 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 Islonia, later on involved as part of a battle between the Spereidian Imperial Fleet and the Islonian 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 Carinansia to establish Spereidian naval dominance and a degree of suzerainty in the Spereidian-Carinansian Wars. This ultimately resulted in the annexation of Kostona in the 1859 Treaty of Lucent, a former Imperial Territory, and exclusive Spereidian trading rights in Maharlika.
As Fleet Admiral he also oversaw the reinitiation of hostilities with Luderreich 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 Delhinmar, Stephen IV received the county, which Anne III would later grant him. In 1866 he commanded a fleet to initiate a blockade of the Chatslander 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 1879during a Conservative Party leadership election, he received the most votes and became the new Leader of the Opposition, from 1879 to 1888.