The Right Hon. BENJAMIN DISRAELI, EARL OF BEACONSFIELD, K.G. and HIS TIMES [Five Volume Set] by Ewald, Alexander Charles - 1882

London: William Mackenzie. Very Good+. 1882. Hardcover. Complete five divisions bound individually comprising the two volume set in original quarto blue cloth bindings with gilt lettering and extensive gilt decorative stamping at spines and front boards; all edges gilt; illustrated with thirty full page steel engravings with tissue guards. Former owner's name on ffep and first blank - Arthur Whittam ("presented to him in 1887"); some rubbing to cloth at spine ends and corners. Quite an attractive set. These five volumes are numbered Divisions 1 thru 5. The first two divisions comprise Volume 1 and divisions 3 thru 5 comprise Volume 2. A fascinating biography of Benjamin Disraeli (1804-81) with much contextual material about the key figures and events of his time. Disraeli was a novelist, a brilliant public speaker and debator and England's only Jewish prime minister. Disraeli, the Earl of Beaconfield, brought India and the Suez Canal under control of the British Crown. He was elected to Parliament in 1837 as a Conservative and served until Robert Peel's administration (formed a government in 1841) pushed him out until 1846. He wrote a trilogy "Coningsby", "Sybil" and "Tancred" expounding his ideas and formed the Young England group as watchdogs over Peel's brand of conservatism. When Peel's government fell, Disraeli gradually became known as the leader of the Conservatives in the Commons. Disraeli served as chancellor of the Exchequer under Lord Derby during the Conservative governments of 1852, 1858-59 and 1866-68. Parliament made the admission of Jews to Parliament legal in 1859, clearing the way for a Disraeli's prime ministership following Lord Derby's retirement in 1868, but Disraeli was defeated in a general election by William Gladstone later that year. Disraeli became prime minister for the second time in 1874. He purchased a controlling interest in the Suez Canal conferring the title of Empress of India upon the Queen and in so doing earning himself the title of Earl of Beaconfield in 1876. Large heavy set requires siginificant additional shipping charge for overseas and priority. .