Benjamin Disraeli

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Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield by Mario Raggi, 1883
Parliament Square
London, October 2009

“Benjamin was the eldest son of Isaac D'Israeli (1766-1848), a writer, who was descended from a Jewish family who had settled in Italy, and his wife Maria Bacevi. He wrote his first story when he was fifteen years old and published many novels during his lifetime, but they were critically dismissed by writers such as Wordsworth and Anthony Trollope. He travelled widely and in the 1830s began his political career. In 1839 he married widow Mary Anne Lewis. He rose to be leader of the House of Commons and chancellor of the exchequer. In 1868 and 1874-6 he was Prime Minister and he was created Earl of Beaconsfield in 1876.” (Benjamin Disraeli, The Dean and Chapter of Westminster )