Rockingham, Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd marquess

Rockingham, Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd marquess of

(born May 13, 1730—died July 1, 1782, London, Eng.) British politician. From 1751 to 1762 he served as gentleman of the bedchamber for George II and then George III, who appointed him prime minister in 1765. He obtained repeal of the unpopular Stamp Act but agreed to the passage of the Declaratory Act. His ministry collapsed through internal dissension in 1766. He and Edmund Burke led the parliamentary opposition to the ministries in power and spoke in favour of independence for the American colonies. In his brief second ministry (1782), he began peace negotiations with the U.S. and obtained legislative independence for the Irish parliament.