John Stuart
(3rd Earl of Bute)

1713 - 1792

John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute
©2010 Gazetteer for Scotland

British prime minister. Born in Edinburgh and educated at Eton, he succeeded his father to the Earldom of Bute in 1723. He became closely associated with the royal family and, under King George III, Stuart rose to be Secretary of State (1761) and First Lord of the Treasury (1762), which was the 'prime minister' of the time. During his premiership he was much maligned because he was 'a Scotsman, friend of the King and an honest man', yet he managed to negotiate the treaty ending the Seven Year's War (1756-63). However, an unpopular Cider Tax was one of several events which brought about his resignation in 1763. Stuart became renowned as a patron of the arts, supporting the artists Reynolds, Gainsborough and Allan Ramsay (1713 - 84), literature including Dr Samuel Johnston (1709 - 84) and as a botanist.

He was buried at Rothesay.

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