Charles James Fox (24 January 1749 - 13 September 1806) was a prominent British Whig politician. He is noted as an anti-slavery campaigner, a supporter of American independence from Britain, and as a supporter of the French Revolution. He held several senior government offices, including being Britain's first Foreign Secretary.

Fox was the third son of Henry Fox, 1st Baron Holland, one of the older generation of self-aggrandizing Whigs. His mother was Lady Caroline Lennox, daughter of Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond. Fox was educated at Eton and Hertford College, Oxford. He was over-indulged by his father and quickly entered into an extravagant and dissolute lifestyle - in 1774 he was 140,000 in debt. Fox was also a leader of fashion early on, and after a tour of Europe brought back to London the extravagant male fashions then popular at the French court - frilly lace, brocade, cosmetics, red heels etc. This was the costume of the 'maccaronis', and at nineteen Fox was the acknowledged leader of this group. He was married to Elizabeth Armistead, a former courtesan.

In 1768, Fox became MP for Midhurst although he was legally too young. He supported Grafton and his attacks on the radical John Wilkes. A staunch supporter of Britain's North American colonies, the town of Foxborough in Massachusetts was named in his honour. Fox was made a junior Lord of the Admiralty by Lord North in 1770, but he resigned in January 1772 in order to vote against the Royal Marriages Act, although he was reappointed to a government post at the Treasury in December. He was finally dismissed by North in February 1774, following pressure from George III.

Out of government, Fox became more radical, progressing from his friendship of Edmund Burke to becoming a leader of the Rockingham Whigs. Fox won the seat of Westminster in 1780 and showed his support for Parliamentary reform.

By 1780, Fox had become the real leader of the Opposition to, and the greatest enemy of, King George III. The king was approach

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