William Petty, 1st Marquess of Lansdowne (2 May 1737 – 7 May 1805), known as
The Earl of Shelburne between 1761 and 1784, by which title he is generally known to history, was an
Irish-born
British Whig who was the first
Home Secretary in 1782 and then
Prime Minister 1782–1783 during the final months of the
American War of Independence. He succeeded in securing peace with America and this feat remains his most notable legacy. He was also well known as a collector of antiquities and works of art.