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The Right Honourable The Earl Russell KG GCMG PC
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
In office 29 October 1865 – 28 June 1866
Monarch	Victoria
Preceded by	The Viscount Palmerston
Succeeded by	The Earl of Derby
In office 30 June 1846 – 23 February 1852
Monarch	Victoria
Preceded by	Sir Robert Peel, Bt
Succeeded by	The Earl of Derby
Leader of the Opposition
In office 28 June 1866 – 3 December 1868
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	The Earl of Derby Benjamin Disraeli
Preceded by	The Earl of Derby
Succeeded by	Benjamin Disraeli
In office 23 February 1852 – 19 December 1852
Monarch	Victoria
Prime Minister	The Earl of Derby
Preceded by	The Earl of Derby
Succeeded by	The Earl of Derby
Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
In office 18 June 1859 – 3 November 1865
Prime Minister	The Viscount Palmerston Himself
Preceded by	The Earl of Malmesbury
Succeeded by	The Earl of Clarendon
In office 28 December 1852 – 21 February 1853
Prime Minister	The Earl of Aberdeen
Preceded by	The Earl of Malmesbury
Succeeded by	The Earl of Clarendon
Lord President of the Council
In office 12 June 1854 – 8 February 1855
Prime Minister	The Earl of Aberdeen
Preceded by	The Earl Granville
Succeeded by	The Earl Granville
Personal details
Born	(1792-08-18)18 August 1792 London, England
Died	28 May 1878(1878-05-28) (aged 85) Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park, Surrey
Political party	Whig and Liberal
Alma mater	University of Edinburgh
Religion	Church of England
Signature

John Russell, 1st Earl Russell, KG, GCMG, PC (18 August 1792 – 28 May 1878), known as Lord John Russell before 1861, was an English Whig and Liberal politician who served twice as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the mid-19th century.

Background and education[link]

Russell was born into the highest echelons of the British aristocracy. The Russell family had been one of the principal Whig dynasties in England since the 17th century, and were among the richest handful of aristocratic landowning families in the country, but as a younger son of the 6th Duke of Bedford he was not in line to inherit the family estates. As a younger son, he bore the courtesy title "Lord John Russell", but as he was not a peer in his own right he was entitled to sit in the House of Commons.

He was educated at Westminster School and the University of Edinburgh, which he attended between 1809 and 1812, although he left without taking a degree.^[1]

Public life[link]

Russell entered the House of Commons as a Whig in 1813. In 1819, Russell embraced the cause of parliamentary reform, and led the more reformist wing of the Whigs throughout the 1820s. When the Whigs came to power in 1830 in Earl Grey's government, Russell entered the government as Paymaster of the Forces, and was soon elevated to the Cabinet. He was one of the principal leaders of the fight for the Reform Act 1832, earning the nickname Finality Jack from his complacency pronouncing the Act a final measure. In 1834, when the leader of the Commons, Lord Althorp, succeeded to the peerage as Earl Spencer, Russell became the leader of the Whigs in the Commons, a position he maintained for the rest of the decade, until the Whigs fell from power in 1841. In this position, Russell continued to lead the more reformist wing of the Whig party, calling, in particular, for religious freedom, and, as Home Secretary in the late 1830s, played a large role in democratizing the government of British cities (other than London). During his career in Parliament, Lord John Russell represented the City of London.^[2]

In 1845, as leader of the Opposition, Russell came out in favour of repeal of the Corn Laws, forcing Conservative Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel to follow him. When the Conservatives split the next year over this issue, the Whigs returned to power and Russell became Prime Minister. Russell's premiership was frustrating, and, due to party disunity and infighting, he was unable to secure the passage of many of the measures he was interested in passing

Russell's first government coincided with the Great Irish Famine of the late 1840s. Russell's government also saw conflict with his headstrong Foreign Secretary, Lord Palmerston, whose belligerence and support for continental revolution he found embarrassing. When, without royal approval, Palmerston recognized Napoleon III's coup of 2 December 1851, Palmerston was forced to resign. In February 1852, however, Palmerston had his revenge on John Russell by voting with the Opposition on a vote of "no confidence" to bring down the Russell government.

The government introduced a militia bill in the House of Commons. The vote on the militia bill was made a "vote of confidence" on the government. Palmerston succeeded in introducing an amendment to the militia bill which passed by eleven (11) votes. Thus the majority vote in favour of the amendment to the militia bill caused the downfall of Russell's ministry, which occurred on February 21, 1852. Palmerston's amendment, thus, brought down the Russell government. This was Palmerston's famous "tit for tat" with Johnny Russell"--revenge for his dismissal by Russell as Foreign Minister.

In Opposition February 1852 until December of 1852[link]

The downfall of the Russell government set the stage for another general election to Parliament to be held in July 1852. The July 1852 general election saw the election of 330 Conservatives and 324 Whigs to the Parliament. Neither of these figures represented a majority of the House of Commons because there were also minor parties and independents elected to the House of Commons and these minor parties and independents now held the balance of power in the new House of Commons. There were 38 members who were technically Conservatives, but were actually Peelites (followers of the late Robert Peel).^[3] The Peelites had deserted the Conservatives to vote for the repeal of the Corn Laws in June 1846. The Corn Laws had imposed a tariff on all cheap imported wheat and, thus, kept the price of wheat and the bread made from wheat high. This served the interests of landed aristocracy which was the main body of support for the Conservative Party. However, the high price of wheat and bread added greatly to the desperation of poor and hungry in England and Ireland.

There were also 113 members of the new Parliament who were "Free Traders."^[4] The Free Traders, were more radical than the Peelites. They felt that the tariffs on all imported consumer goods should be removed, not just the tariff on wheat or "corn."

There were also 63 members of the "Irish Brigade" elected to the new Parliament.^[4] The Irish Brigade was made up Irish members interested in the Tenant Rights legislation for the protection of the tenant farmers in Ireland.

None of these minor groups were interested in forming a government with the Conservatives because of the bitterness left over from the repeal of the Corn Laws. However, John Russell of the Whigs could not attract enough of the minor party members to form a government either. Other issues handled during the recent Russell government had alienated these three minor groups from the Whigs also. Thus, Queen Victoria asked the Earl of Derby to form a minority government.

Portrait of John Russell by Francis Grant, 1853

However the minority Conservative government under the Earl of Derby was short lived and in December 1852, the Derby minority fell in another "no confidence vote."

Foreign Minister in the Aberdeen Government[link]

Russell, as the leader of the Whigs, then brought the Whigs into a new coalition government with the Peelite Conservatives, headed by the Peelite Lord Aberdeen. Aberdeen was the Prime Minister from the small Peelite section of coalition government. Feelings against Palmerston still ran so strong because of his letter to the French ambassador endorsing Louis Bonaparte's coup of December 2, 1852, that Palmerston could not possibly be appointed as Foreign Minister. Nonetheless, Palmerston had to be a part of the new Aberdeen government. Accordingly, on December 28, 1852, Palmerston was appointed Home Secretary. Russell continued to serve as Leader of the Whig Party in the House of Commons. As the leader of the largest party in the Aberdeen coalition government, Russell was needed in the new government. Accordingly, on December 28, 1852, Russell was appointed Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs.

The "Eastern Question"[link]

Together with Palmerston, Lord John Russell was instrumental in getting Britain involved with France in thwarting the rising power of the Russian Empire. They did so as a member of the Aberdeen government and against the wishes of the cautious, Russophile Earl of Aberdeen. The Ottoman Empire was in a state of decline and several nations in Europe sought to take advantage of that decline. The Russian Empire in particular sought to assert its territorial claims to southeastern Europe or the Balkans at the expense of Ottoman territory in Europe. However, just as soon as Louis Bonaparte had completed his coup against the Second Republic of France and assumed the title Napoleon III Emperor of France, he sent an ambassador to the Ottoman Empire with instructions to obtain from the Ottomans, a guarantee that France was to be the exclusive "protector of Christian sites" in Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Louis Bonaparte was the nephew of Napoleon I, Emperor of France, and many British public officials - like Aberdeen - felt that Louis Bonaparte was merely seeking foreign adventure and aggrandizement and would sooner or later involve Britain in another series of wars like those wars against France and Napoleon from 1793 to 1815. France had long been seen as an opponent of British interests, and that perception had not changed since 1815. Accordingly, much of the British public sided with Russia or wished to remain neutral in this dispute between Russia and France over the future of the Ottoman Empire which was now being called the "Eastern Question."^[5] However, as time passed, British public opinion would alter. The British government was worried about the outcome of the rising tensions over Eastern Question. Accordingly, Aberdeen sent, Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, a diplomat of considerable experience, to the Ottoman Empire, to oversee British interests.

When the Ottomans gave way to Louis Bonaparte's demands, Russia strongly objected and on May 7, 1853 one of Russia's leading statesmen, Prince Alexander Sergeyevich Menshikov, arrived in Turkey to work out an agreement.^[6] During the Russo-Turkish War of 1768-1774, Russia had occupied the Turkish/Ottoman-controlled provinces of Wallachia and Moldavia. Under the Treaty of Kucuk Kaynarva signed in 1774, Russia had given these Danubian provinces back to Turkey (the Ottoman Empire) in exchange for Turkish recognition of Russia's exclusive right to "protect the Christian sites in Jerusalem and the Holy Land." Menshikov worked out an agreement with Turkey and the Turks reversed themselves and agreed to the Russian agreement.^[7]

Lord John Russell, Palmerston and other public officials and an increasing number of the British public were beginning to see that the expansion of Russia was beginning to threaten British interests in India and British trade with Persia. They felt that an agreement with France and cooperation with the French on the Eastern Question was necessary to forestall Russian threats to British interests. Accordingly, they were willing to work with France even as France sent the French ship-of-the-line, Charlemagne to the Black Sea, in the spring of 1852, as a show of force against the Russians.^[8] In the face of the French show of force, the Ottomans, turned to Lord Stratford de Redcliffe for advice on the matter.^[9] Lord Stratford of Redcliffe was later accused of persuading the Ottomans to reject the Russian agreement. Accordingly, the Turks reversed themselves and signed a treaty acknowledging the French and the Vatican as the official protectors of the Christian sites in the Holy Land. The Russians responded by deploying the 4th and 5th Army Corps along the River Danube. Additionally, the Russians began to court British political opinion. However, by this time it was too late. Public opinion in Britain had begun to shift toward sympathy for Turkey. Still the Aberdeen government resisted active pursuit of the war. Lord Russell became frustrated with the lack of support for Turkey shown by the British government. After pledging himself to the integrity and independence of Turkey,^[10] Russell resigned from the government on February 21, 1853. Aberdeen replaced Lord Russell, as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs in his government with Lord Clarendon.

Finally in May 1853, Aberdeen was forced to make a show of force,^[11] by sending a fleet under Admiral Armar Lowry Corry stationed in the Bay of Biscay to the island of Malta to join up with a squadron under Admiral Sir James Whitley Deans Dundas. The combined force was sent to join the French fleet at Salamis Island near Athens, Greece.^[12] The combined Anglo-French fleet, then, sailed to a location off the coast of Turkey.^[13]

The Crimean War 1853-1856[link]

On July 2, 1853, Russian troops occupied the Turkish-controlled provinces of Wallachia and Moldavia.^[14] This brought Russian troops to the northern banks of the River Danube. On July 2, 1853, Russian troops deployed along the northern banks of the Danube, implying a threat to cross the river. In response, the Turks moved their troops up to the southern bank of the Danube and fortified the strongholds at Vidin and Silistra.

The Ottoman Empire declared war on Russia on October 23, 1853. The Russian fleet defeated the Turkish fleet at the Battle of Sinope on November 30, 1853. After Russia had ignored the Anglo-French ultimatum, both France and Britain declared war on Russia on March 28, 1854.

In September 1854, British, French and Turkish troops landed on the Crimean Peninsula and set siege to the Russian fortress of Sevastopol. On October 25, 1854 the battle of Balaklava including the famous or infamous "charge of the light brigade," was fought. On November 5, 1854, the allied victory over the Russian troops at the battle of Inkermann broke the Russian will to defeat the allied troops in the field and reduced the outcome of the war to the outcome of the siege of Sevastopol. Members of Parliament began to have doubts about the misconduct of the war. Lord Russell, too began to be concerned about the have reservations about the conduct of the war and eventually, Lord Russell resigned his position within the government.

A motion in Parliament by John Arthur Roebuck on January 29, 1855 called for an investigation into the conduct of the war by the government and, especially, an investigation of the conduct of the war by Duke of Newcastle—the Secretary for War.^[15] The motion passed the House of Commons by the large vote of 305 in favor and 148 against.^[16] to investigate the government became a vote of confidence in the Aberdeen government and in the Secretary for War. Accordingly, when the Robuck motion passed, Aberdeen treated the vote as a vote of "no confidence" on his government and resigned.

Upon the resignation of the Earl of Aberdeen, Lord Palmerston was asked formed a new government. John Russell was sent to Vienna to negotiate(accepting the Colonial Office) but sacrificed himself to protect negotiation confidentiality, and temporarily retired from politics in 1855, focusing on writing.

Foreign Minister in the Palmerston Government 1859-1860[link]

In 1859, following another short-lived Conservative government, Palmerston and Russell made up their differences, and Russell consented to serve as Foreign Secretary in a new Palmerston cabinet - usually considered the first true Liberal Cabinet. This period was a particularly eventful one in the world outside Britain, seeing the Unification of Italy, the American Civil War, and the 1864 war over Schleswig-Holstein between Denmark and the German states. His tenure of the Foreign Office was noteworthy for the famous dispatch in which he defended Italian independence: "Her Majesty's Government will turn their eyes rather to the gratifying prospect of a people building up the edifice of their liberties, and consolidating the work of their independence, amid the sympathies and good wishes of Europe" (27 October 1860).

The House of Lords 1860[link]

Russell was elevated to the peerage as Earl Russell, of Kingston Russell in the County of Dorset, and Viscount Amberley, of Amberley in the County of Gloucester and of Ardsalla in the County of Meath, and in 1861. As a peer in his own right, he sat in the House of Lords for the remainder of his career.

Prime Minister Again 1865-1866[link]

When Palmerston suddenly died in late 1865, Russell again became Prime Minister. His second premiership was short and frustrating, and Russell failed in his great ambition of expanding the franchise - a task that would be left to his Conservative successors, Derby and Benjamin Disraeli. In 1866, party disunity again brought down his government, and Russell went into permanent retirement.

Marriages and children[link]

Adelaide Lister, Russell's first wife (d. 1838)

On 11 April 1835, Russell married Adelaide, Lady Ribblesdale, the eldest daughter of Thomas Lister Esq. and the widow of Thomas Lister, 2nd Baron Ribblesdale, who had died in 1832.^[17] Her death in 1838 cut the marriage short after three years. They had two daughters, Lady Georgiana Adelaide Russell (1836–1922), who married Archibald Peel and had a daughter, Grace (1878–1973); and Lady Victoria Russell (1838–1880), who married the Rev. Henry Montagu Villiers, son of Henry Montagu Villiers, Bishop of Durham, and left many descendants.^[18]

On 20 July 1841 Russell married secondly Lady Frances Anna-Maria Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, daughter of Gilbert Elliot, 2nd Earl of Minto. Their children were John Russell, Viscount Amberley (1842–1876), George Gilbert William Russell (1848–1933); Francis Albert Rollo Russell (1849–1914) and Mary Augusta Russell (1853–1933). They lived at Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park.^[19]

After the death in 1876 of his eldest son, Lord Amberley, Russell and his second wife thereafter brought up his son's children, including Bertrand Russell (1872–1970), who afterwards became a mathematician, philosopher, campaigner against nuclear weapons, and the third Earl Russell.

Legacy[link]

He was succeeded as Liberal leader by former Peelite William Gladstone, and was thus the last true Whig to serve as Prime Minister. Generally taken as the model for Anthony Trollope's Mr Mildmay, aspects of his character may also have suggested those of Plantagenet Palliser. An ideal statesman, said Trollope, should have "unblemished, unextinguishable, inexhaustible love of country...But he should also be scrupulous, and, as being scrupulous, weak."^[20]

The 1832 Reform Act and the democratisation of the government of British cities are partly attributed to his efforts.

He also worked for emancipation, leading the attack on the Test and Corporation acts, which were repealed in 1828, as well as towards legislation limiting working hours in factories in the 1847 Factory Act, and the Public Health Act of 1848.

His government's approach to dealing with the Great Irish Famine is now widely condemned as counterproductive, ill-informed and disastrous; however, it has been argued^{[by whom?]} that Russell himself (a "Foxite" populist) was sympathetic to the plight of the Irish poor, and that many of his relief proposals were blocked by his cabinet or by the British Parliament.

Russell's governments[link]

• First Russell ministry (July 1846–February 1852)
• Second Russell ministry (October 1865–June 1866)

Literature[link]

In 1819 Lord John Russell published his book "Life of Lord Russell" about his famous ancestor. Between 1853 and 1856, he edited the Memoirs, Journal and Correspondence of Thomas Moore, which was published by Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans over 8 volumes.^[21][22]

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens was dedicated to Lord John Russell "In remembrance of many public services and private kindnesses."

See also[link]

• Principal residence and museum - Pembroke Lodge
• Internationalization of the Danube River
• Confederate States of America, International diplomacy

Wikisource has original works written by or about: John Russell, 1st Earl Russell

References[link]

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1907 edition of The Nuttall Encyclopædia.

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: John Russell, 1st Earl Russell

• Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Lord John Russell
• Lord John Russell 1792-1878 biography from the Liberal Democrat History Group
• Lord John Russell by Stuart J. Reid
• More about Earl Russell on the Downing Street website.
• Portraits of John Russell, 1st Earl Russell at the National Portrait Gallery, London

John Russell navigational boxes v t e Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom Kingdom of Great Britain Walpole Wilmington Pelham Newcastle Devonshire Newcastle Bute G Grenville Rockingham Chatham (Pitt the Elder) Grafton North Rockingham Shelburne Portland Pitt the Younger United Kingdom Pitt the Younger Addington Pitt the Younger W Grenville Portland Perceval Liverpool Canning Goderich Wellington Grey Melbourne Wellington Peel Melbourne Peel Russell Derby Aberdeen Palmerston Derby Palmerston Russell Derby Disraeli Gladstone Beaconsfield (Disraeli) Gladstone Salisbury Gladstone Salisbury Gladstone Rosebery Salisbury Balfour Campbell-Bannerman Asquith Lloyd George Bonar Law Baldwin MacDonald Baldwin MacDonald Baldwin Chamberlain Churchill Attlee Churchill Eden Macmillan Douglas-Home Wilson Heath Wilson Callaghan Thatcher Major Blair Brown Cameron Book Category Commons v t e Leaders of the Liberal Party House of Lords (1859–1916) The Earl Granville · The Earl Russell · The Earl Granville · The Earl of Kimberley · The Earl of Rosebery · The Earl of Kimberley · The Marquess of Ripon · The Marquess of Crewe House of Commons (1859–1916) The Viscount Palmerston · William Ewart Gladstone · Marquess of Hartington · William Ewart Gladstone · Sir William Harcourt · Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman · H.H. Asquith Overall Leader (1916–1988) H. H. Asquith · Sir Donald Maclean (Acting Leader) · David Lloyd George · Sir Herbert Samuel · Sir Archibald Sinclair · Clement Davies · Jo Grimond · Jeremy Thorpe · Jo Grimond · David Steel In 1988, the Party merged with the Social Democratic Party to form the Liberal Democrats. For their leaders, click here. v t e Home Secretaries of the United Kingdom Secretary of State for the Home Department Shelburne Townshend North Temple Sydney Grenville Dundas Portland Pelham Yorke Hawkesbury Spencer Liverpool Ryder Sidmouth Peel Sturges Bourne Lansdowne Peel Melbourne Duncannon Wellington Goulburn Russell Normanby Graham Grey Walpole Palmerston Grey Walpole Sotheron-Estcourt Lewis Grey Walpole Hardy Bruce Lowe Cross Harcourt Cross Childers Matthews Asquith Ridley Ritchie Akers-Douglas Gladstone Churchill McKenna Simon Samuel Cave Shortt Bridgeman Henderson Joynson-Hicks Clynes Samuel Gilmour Simon Hoare Anderson Morrison Somervell Chuter Ede Maxwell-Fyfe Lloyd George Butler Brooke Soskice Jenkins Callaghan Maudling Carr Jenkins Rees Whitelaw Brittan Hurd Waddington Baker K. Clarke Howard Straw Blunkett C. Clarke Reid Smith Johnson May v t e Foreign Secretaries of the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Fox Grantham Fox Temple Leeds Grenville Hawkesbury Harrowby Mulgrave Fox Howick Canning Bathurst Wellesley Castlereagh Canning Dudley Aberdeen Palmerston Wellington Palmerston Aberdeen Palmerston Granville Malmesbury Russell Clarendon Malmesbury Russell Clarendon Stanley Clarendon Granville Derby Salisbury Granville Salisbury Rosebery Iddesleigh Salisbury Rosebery Kimberley Salisbury Lansdowne Grey Balfour Curzon MacDonald Chamberlain Henderson Reading Simon Hoare Eden Halifax Eden Bevin Morrison Eden Macmillan Lloyd Home Butler Gordon Walker Stewart Brown Stewart Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Stewart Douglas-Home Callaghan Crosland Owen Carrington Pym Howe Major Hurd Rifkind Cook Straw Beckett Miliband Hague Book:Secretaries of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Category:British Secretaries of State Portal:United Kingdom v t e Leaders of the House of Commons Walpole Sandys Pelham Robinson H Fox Pitt the Elder Vacant (Caretaker Ministry) Pitt the Elder Grenville H Fox Grenville Conway North C Fox Townshend (C Fox/North) Pitt the Younger Addington Pitt the Younger C Fox Howick Perceval Castlereagh Canning Huskisson Peel Althorp Peel Russell Disraeli Russell Palmerston Disraeli Palmerston Gladstone Disraeli Gladstone Northcote Gladstone Hicks-Beach Gladstone R Churchill Smith Balfour Gladstone Harcourt Balfour Campbell-Bannerman Asquith Bonar Law A Chamberlain Bonar Law Baldwin MacDonald Baldwin MacDonald Baldwin MacDonald Baldwin N Chamberlain W Churchill Cripps Eden Morrison Chuter Ede Crookshank Butler Macleod Lloyd Bowden Crossman Peart Whitelaw Carr Prior Short Foot St John-Stevas Pym Biffen Wakeham Howe MacGregor Newton Taylor Beckett Cook Reid Hain Hoon Straw Harman Young

John Russell, 1st Earl Russell

Earl Russell, of Kingston Russell in the County of Dorset, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 30 July 1861 for the prominent Liberal politician Lord John Russell. He was Home Secretary from 1835 to 1839, Foreign Secretary from 1852 to 1853 and 1859 to 1865 and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1846 to 1852 and 1865 to 1866. Russell was made Viscount Amberley, of Amberley in the County of Gloucester and of Ardsalla in the County of Meath, at the same time he was given the earldom. A member of the prominent Russell family, he was the third son of John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford.

He was succeeded by his grandson, the second Earl, the eldest son of John Russell, Viscount Amberley. Lord Russell was one of the first peers to join the Labour Party and held office under Ramsay Macdonald as Under-Secretary of State for India from 1929 to 1931. He was childless and was succeeded by his younger brother, the third Earl, the famous philosopher universally known as Bertrand Russell. His younger son, the fifth Earl (who succeeded his half-brother in 1987), was a noted historian of 17th century England. Russell also sat on the Liberal Democrat benches in the House of Lords and was one of the ninety elected hereditary peers that were allowed to remain in the House of Lords after the passing of the House of Lords Act 1999. As of 2010^[update] the titles are held by his eldest son, the sixth Earl, who succeeded in 2004. As a descendant of the sixth Duke of Bedford he is also in remainder to this peerage and its subsidiary titles.

The eldest son of the earl, the heir apparent to the earldom, normally bears the junior title, Viscount Amberley, as a courtesy title. The eldest son of the first Earl died before his father and so never inherited the earldom, and when "Viscount Amberley" is used without further qualification it is often in reference to him.

Earls Russell (1861)[link]

• John Russell, 1st Earl Russell (1792–1878)
  • John Russell, Viscount Amberley (1842–1876)
• John Francis Stanley Russell, 2nd Earl Russell (1865–1931)
• Bertrand Arthur William Russell, 3rd Earl Russell (1872–1970)
• John Conrad Russell, 4th Earl Russell (1921–1987)
• Conrad Sebastian Robert Russell, 5th Earl Russell (1937–2004)
• Nicholas Lyulph Russell, 6th Earl Russell (b. 1968)

The heir presumptive is the present holder's younger brother, the Hon. John Francis Russell (b. 1971)

See also[link]

• Duke of Bedford (1694 creation)
• Baron Ampthill
• Earl of Orford (1697 creation)

References[link]

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Pages ^{[self-published source?][better source needed]}
• www.thepeerage.com

John Russell may refer to:

Politicians[link]

United States[link]

• John E. Russell (1834–1903), U.S. Representative from Massachusetts
• John Russell (New York) (1772–1842), United States Representative from New York
• John Russell (Missouri) (born 1931), Missouri state senator
• John Russell (U.S. politician), first National Committee Chairman of the Prohibition Party
• John Russell (Ohio politician) (1827–1869), Ohio Secretary of State, 1868–1869

United Kingdom[link]

• John Russell (speaker) (died 1437), MP for Herefordshire and Speaker of the House of Commons
• John Russell, 1st Earl of Bedford (c. 1485–1554/5), English royal minister
• John Russell, 1st Earl Russell (1792–1878), English Whig and Liberal politician (Prime Minister for two consecutive terms)
• Sir John Russell, 3rd Baronet (1632?–1669), of Chippenham
• John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford (1710–1771), British statesman
• John Russell, 4th Earl Russell (1921–1987), eldest son of Bertrand Russell
• John Russell, 6th Duke of Bedford (1766–1839), Knight of the Garter
• John Russell, 13th Duke of Bedford (1917–2002), British peer and writer
• John Russell, Viscount Amberley (1842–1876), progressive Liberal MP
• John Russell (bishop) (died 1494), bishop of Lincoln and Lord High Chancellor of England, 1483–1485
• John Russell (Royalist) (died 1687), English MP and soldier
• John Russell (colonial administrator), administrator of the English East India Company
• John Russell (Westminster MP), Member of Parliament for Westminster, London, 1545–1547

Elsewhere[link]

• John Charles Watts-Russell (1825–1875), New Zealand politician sometimes referred to by his old family name Russell

Sportsmen[link]

• John Russell (catcher) (born 1961), former baseball catcher and former manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates
• John Russell (pitcher) (1895–1930), baseball pitcher for the Brooklyn Robins and Chicago White Sox
• John Russell (basketball) (1902–1973), American basketball player and coach
• John Russell (rower) (born 1935), British Olympic rower
• Johnny Russell (footballer) (born 1990), Scottish footballer
• John Russell (American football) (born 1987), American football player
• John Russell (equestrian) (born 1920), American Olympic bronze medal-winning equestrian
• John Russell (Irish Footballer) (born 1985)

Artists, Musicians, and Actors[link]

• John Russell (painter) (1745–1806), English painter
• John Peter Russell (1858–1930), Australian painter
• John Russell (art critic) (1919–2008), British American art critic
• John Russell (musician) (born 1954), improvising acoustic guitarist and concert promoter
• Johnny Russell (1940–2001), American country singer
• Johnny Russell (saxophonist) (1909–1991), American jazz tenor saxophonist
• John Morris Russell, American conductor
• John Russell (actor) (1921–1991), American actor, best known for the TV series Lawman

Military figures[link]

• John H. Russell, Jr. (1872–1947), major general and 16th Commandant of the Marine Corps
• John Henry Russell (1827–1897), officer of the United States Navy
• John M. Russell, U.S. Army sergeant, perpetrator of the Camp Liberty killings (2009)
• John Russell, 3rd Baron Ampthill (1896–1973), British peer and Royal Navy officer
• John Russell (VC) (1893–1917), British Army officer who was awarded the Victoria Cross
• John Russell (Medal of Honor) (1852–?), United States Navy sailor and recipient of the Medal of Honor
• John Russell (Royalist) (died 1687), English MP and soldier

Clergy[link]

• John Russell (clergyman) (1626–1692), Puritan minister
• John Joyce Russell (1897–1993), American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church
• John Lewis Russell (1808–1854), American botanist and Unitarian minister
• John Russell (prohibitionist) (1822–1912), Methodist preacher and prohibitionist
• John Russell (parson) (1795–1883), hunter, dog breeder and cleric
• John Russell (bishop) (died 1494), bishop of Lincoln and Lord High Chancellor of England, 1483–1485

Others[link]

• E. John Russell (1872–1965), British agriculturalist
• John C. Russell, playwright
• John Scott Russell (1808–1882), Scottish naval engineer
• John Russell (screenwriter) (1885–1956), author and screenwriter
• John Russell (aviator) (1894–1960), flying ace
• John Benjamin Russell (1834–1894), New Zealand lawyer, businessman and landscape gardener
• John Russell, knight (died c. 1224), household knight of King John

See also[link]

• Jack Russell (disambiguation)
• Jon Russell (One Life to Live), fictional character in the soap opera
• Jonathan Russell (disambiguation)

This disambiguation page lists articles about people with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Nicki Minaj
Minaj at 2010 MTV Music Awards
Background information
Birth name	Onika Tanya Maraj
Born	(1982-12-08) December 8, 1982 (age 29)[1] Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago
Origin	South Jamaica, Queens, New York, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop, R&B, pop
Occupations	Rapper, singer-songwriter
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Cash Money Records, Young Money Entertainment, Universal Republic Records, Universal Motown
Associated acts	Young Money
Website	mypinkfriday.com

Onika Tanya Maraj (born December 8, 1982), known by her stage name Nicki Minaj ( /mɪˈnɑːʒ/), is a Trinidadian-born American rapper and singer-songwriter. She was born in Saint James, Trinidad and Tobago and when she was 5 years of age she moved to the New York City borough of Queens, where she grew up.

After releasing three mixtapes between 2007 and 2009 and being signed to Young Money Entertainment in August 2009, Minaj released her debut album, Pink Friday, in November 2010. It quickly became a commercial success, peaking at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and being certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) a month after its release.^[2][3] She became the first female solo artist to have seven singles on the Billboard Hot 100 at the same time.^[4] Her second single, "Your Love", reached number 1 on the Billboard Hot Rap Songs chart, making Minaj the first female artist to top the chart unaccompanied since 2002.^[5] She also became the first female artist to be included on MTV's Annual Hottest MC List.^[6] Minaj was named the 2011 Rising Star by Billboard.^[7] Her second studio album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded was released on April 3, 2012.

Early life[link]

Maraj was born in 1982^{[1][note 1]} in Saint James, a suburb of Trinidad and Tobago's capital city Port of Spain.^[8][9][10] Her parents are of mixed Indian and Afro-Trinidadian ancestry^[11][12] and she lived in Saint James with her grandmother until age five, because her parents were looking for a place to live in the Queens borough of New York City at the time. Her mother would occasionally visit, and one day, when Minaj was five, her mother picked her up to move to Queens.^[13] According to Minaj, her father drank heavily, took drugs, and once tried to kill her mother by setting the house on fire.^[14]

She attended Elizabeth Blackwell Middle School 210, where she played the clarinet.^[13] She graduated from LaGuardia High School.^[15][16] At LaGuardia, a school specializing in music and the visual and performing arts, Minaj participated in the drama program.^[15] She had initially planned to sing at LaGuardia but lost her voice on the day of the audition.^[15]

Career[link]

2007–09: Mixtapes and Young Money[link]

Minaj released her first mixtape in 2007 after releasing Playtime Is Over with Dirty Money Records. She released another mixtape on July 7, 2008, titled Sucka Free, under the label Be. On April 18, 2009, Minaj released a third mixtape and appeared in XXL magazine.^[17] She won the Female Artist of the Year award at the 2008 Underground Music Awards.^[18] Minaj released Beam Me Up Scotty, another mixtape, in April 2009 under the label of Trapaholics Records; it received positive coverage on both BET and MTV.^[19][20]

In August 2009, Minaj signed a record deal with Young Money Entertainment, with distribution from Universal Motown Records, after fellow American rapper Lil Wayne discovered her and secured the record deal.^[17][21] She then had a solo rap verse in their single "BedRock," which became a commercial success, reaching number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Minaj also appeared on "Roger That", which charted at number 56. The song, and in particular Minaj, received positive reviews from critics.^[22] Both songs were included in Young Money Entertainment's debut collaborative studio album We Are Young Money, which was released in December 2009. The album charted in the top ten on the Billboard 200, reaching number 9 and later receiving a Gold Certification by the RIAA. She was then chosen by Mariah Carey to be featured on her single and music video for "Up Out My Face". Critics praised her collaboration for helping to maintain Carey's feminine image and providing a polite track for the female R&B singer.^[23]

[edit] 2010–11: Pink Friday

Britney Spears and Minaj performing the Femme Fatale Remix of "Till the World Ends" in the Femme Fatale Tour.

After a major record label bidding war, Young Money Entertainment announced on August 31, 2009 that Minaj had been released from a 360 deal with the label in which she retains and owns all of her 360 rights – including merchandising, sponsorships, endorsements, touring and publishing.^[24] In an interview with 95.8 Capital FM, Rihanna stated that after the two collaborated on "Raining Men" from her album Loud that the duo would be teaming up together for a possible second collaboration on Minaj's Pink Friday.^[25] Hip-hop rap artist and producer Kanye West was also confirmed for the album.^[26] On August 3, 2010 Minaj revealed on a Ustream.tv channel that the album's name would be Pink Friday, in reference to Black Friday.^[27]

Pink Friday was released on November 19, 2010 in both standard and deluxe versions.^[28][29] A buzz single, "Massive Attack", was released in April.^[30] In August, Minaj released "Your Love" as the first official single from her debut album. The single peaked at 14 on the Billboard Hot 100, 7 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and topped the Rap Songs chart. Minaj became the first female artist to be included on MTV's Annual Hottest MC List^[6] and the first female artist to top the chart unaccompanied since 2002.^[31] In October 2010, Minaj became the first artist to have seven songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart simultaneously.^[4] Minaj released a joint single with The Black Eyed Peas front man, will.i.am titled, "Check It Out", which is Minaj's most successful single to date in Europe. "Right thru Me" was released September 24, 2010; the music video was released in late October. "Moment 4 Life" was released as the fourth single. The track featured Canadian rapper Drake and was released on December 7, 2010, becoming a success on the Billboard Hot 100. The single peaked at number 5 on the Hot Rap Songs.^[32] The album gained a Platinum certification in the United States a month after the release.^[3]

On January 29, 2011, Minaj appeared on Saturday Night Live as the musical guest, performing "Right Thru Me" and "Moment 4 Life". On February 9, 2011, it was announced that Pink Friday had reached number one on the Billboard 200 in its eleventh week on the chart.^[33] It was hinted by Simon Cowell that Minaj would join the judging panel of the American version of the The X Factor.^[34] Starting in June 2011, Minaj will be supporting Pink Friday by serving as an opening act along with Jessie and the Toy Boys and Nervo on Britney Spears' sixth concert tour, the Femme Fatale Tour, in support of her seventh studio album, Femme Fatale.^[35] She also was featured on the official remix of Spears' track "Till the World Ends" along with Spears and singer Kesha, which charted at number 3 in the US in April 2011.^[36] "Super Bass" was released from Pink Friday in May 2011, the single charted within the top 10 in many countries including; United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Canada and more.^[37] The song gained positive reviews from critics.^[38][39] Minaj will voice a character in the 3D animated film, Ice Age: Continental Drift, as an unknown character.^[40][41] Minaj is also featured on French DJ David Guetta's 2011 album, Nothing but the Beat on "Where Them Girls At" and "Turn Me On".

[edit] 2011–present: Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded

Minaj's second studio album, Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, was first announced through Twitter in November 2011 and was released on April 2, 2012 in the United Kingdom and April 3, 2012 in the United States. The album features collaborations with producers Hit-Boy, Dr. Luke, Rico Beats, Kenoe, RedOne and Oak. Cash Money A&R Joshua Berkman told HitQuarters that Minaj was extremely particular about the beats and music she used saying: "She wouldn't just rap or sing on anything – I could give her a thousand tracks and she may only like one or two."^[42] Preceding the album's release, three promotional singles were released: Roman in Moscow (which didn't make the final cut of the album), "Stupid Hoe," and "Roman Reloaded." The album's first single, "Starships", was released on February 14.^[43] "Starships" became Minaj's best-peaking single in the United Kingdom, when it reached a peak of 2. It has also peaked at number 5 on the US Billboard Hot 100, making it her second top 10 arrival following, "Super Bass" in 2011. The music video was released on April 26th, 2012.^[44]

On February 12, 2012, Minaj debuted her song "Roman Holiday" at the 54th Grammy Awards. It was the first song ever performed on the Grammy stage by a solo female rapper.^[45] The exorcism-themed performance drew a mixed response online.^[46][47]

She was featured on Madonna's twelfth studio album, titled MDNA, alongside M.I.A. on its lead single "Give Me All Your Luvin'", for which a music video has been directed by Megaforce.^[48] The trio performed the song for the Super Bowl XLVI halftime show.^[49] She was also featured on a song called "I Don't Give A", another track from the album.

She released her second single, "Right by My Side", which features Chris Brown, on March 27, 2012, after premiering on Minaj's website on March 20, 2012.^[50] Following the album's release, it peaked at number 24 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart. It also peaked in the lower regions of the UK singles chart, at position #101. The third single, "Beez in the Trap", which features 2 Chainz was released to U.S. Urban radio on April 24, 2012. It was premiered on DJ Flex's radio show at Hot 97 on March 20, 2012. It has peaked at number 24 on the US Billboard Rap Songs Chart.^[51] The video was premiered on April 6, 2012 on Minaj's official VEVO account.^[52]

Artistry[link]

Minaj in 2011 during Femme Fatale Tour

Image[link]

Minaj has been noted by the media for her curvaceous figure.^{[53][54][55][56]} In an interview with Vibe Minaj discussed her sexual image stating, "[w]hen I grew up I saw females doing certain things, and I thought I had to do that exactly. The female rappers of my day spoke about sex a lot... and I thought that to have the success they got, I would have to represent the same thing. When in fact I didn’t have to represent the same thing."^[57] In an interview with Interview, Minaj commented on her sexual image again stating, "I made a conscious decision to try to tone down the sexiness, I want people—especially young girls—to know that in life, nothing is going to be based on sex appeal. You’ve got to have something else to go with that.”^[58] Minaj has a tattoo in Chinese characters that reads "上帝與你常在" (shàngdì yǔ nǐ cháng zài)^[59] on her left arm, meaning, "God is always with you."^[60]

Alter egos[link]

While growing up, Minaj's home life was often chaotic, with her parents constantly fighting.^[61] As a means of escape, she would create characters and live her life through them.^[61] In an interview with New York she stated, "To get away from all their fighting, I would imagine being a new person. 'Cookie' was my first identity – that stayed with me for a while. I went on to 'Harajuku Barbie,' then 'Nicki Minaj'. Fantasy was my reality."^[61]

On November 18, 2010, Minaj assumed a different alter-ego named "Nicki Teresa".^[62] Wearing a colorful scarf around her head, she went around as the "healer to her fans" as she visited them at The Garden of Dreams Foundation at Fuse studios in New York City.^[62] Minaj made an appearance on Lopez Tonight on December 6, 2010 and presented a different alter-ego for the Spanish-inspired occasion, named "Rosa" (pronounced Rrrrrosa).^[63]

In April 2012, Minaj was asked if Roman, Martha and Rosa come out in the bedroom saying “No, they don’t come out in the bedroom, but other people come out in the bedroom,” she told Big Boy during his “Backstage Breakfast,” adding, “And there’s only one person that would know who that personality is". Minaj did not name her alter-ego.^[64]

For her debut album, Minaj created another alter-ego named "Roman Zolanski".^[65] She stated that in songs like "Bottoms Up" with Trey Songz it is not Minaj rapping, but instead Roman Zolanski, and claims that Roman is her "twin brother". She claims that he was born inside her, out of rage, and becomes him when she is angry. She has also said 'He is a demon inside her'. Roman has been compared to Eminem's alter ego Slim Shady, and on the song "Roman's Revenge" from Pink Friday, Minaj and Eminem collaborate, using these alter egos.^[66] On the collaboration, she said "The new album is going to have a lot of Roman on it ... And if you're not familiar with Roman, then you will be familiar with him very soon. He’s the boy that lives inside of me. He's a lunatic and he's gay and he'll be on there a lot."^[67] Roman also has a "mother" called "Martha Zolanski",^[68] who also appeared on the song "Roman's Revenge", with a British accent,^[69] and on "Roman Holiday", singing for the first time.^[70][71] Martha appears in the video for "Moment 4 Life" where she appears to be Minaj's magical Godmother. In songs such as "All I Do Is Win (Remix)" it is Minaj rapping.^[65] Minaj stated that on her debut album, fans will get to "meet" Nicki, Roman and Onika.^[65]

Influences[link]

Minaj has stated that artists who have influenced her musical style include Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, Lil Wayne, Lauryn Hill, Jadakiss, Natasha Bedingfield, Foxy Brown, Lil' Kim and Missy Elliott.^[72][73] She was also inspired by Janet Jackson,^[74] Madonna, Britney Spears, Marilyn Monroe, Grace Jones,^[75] M.I.A. and Cyndi Lauper.^[76][77][78]

Product and endorsements[link]

During her career, Minaj has signed contracts with a variety of corporate interests. Companies she contracted with include soft drink manufacturer Pepsi;^[79] Mattel, which produced a custom a Nicki Minaj-themed Barbie;^[80] and MAC Cosmetics, as part of an AIDS-awareness campaign in Latin America.^[81]

Personal life[link]

Minaj is a Christian, and on Christmas Day in 2011, she indicated her faith in Jesus by tweeting John 3:16.^[82][83] In addition, she states that after her father went to rehab and started attending church, "he got saved and started changing his life."^[84] Minaj states that her heroes are "God. And my mother."^[85][86]

While some songs and interviews have implied that Minaj is bisexual,^[87][88] she has said that she does not date nor have sex with women,^[15] but added in an interview with Out magazine, "I don’t date men either."^[89] In an interview with Vibe she commented, "I just embrace all people of all lifestyles and I don’t tell them they are bad people. And I say girls are beautiful and girls are sexy and they need to be told that, and if they don’t have anyone to tell them that and mean it, I’m gonna tell them that. But I feel like people always wanna define me and I don’t wanna be defined."^[90] She reiterated her dislike of being labeled in an interview with Out, saying: "The point is, everyone is not black and white. There are so many shades in the middle, and you’ve got to let people feel comfortable with saying what they want to say when they want to say it."^[89]