The Lord Somers | |
|---|---|
 Portrait by Godfrey Kneller | |
| Lord President of the Council | |
| In office 25 November 1708 – 21 September 1710 | |
| Preceded by | The Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery |
| Succeeded by | The Earl of Rochester |
| Lord Chancellor | |
| In office 1697–1700 | |
| Preceded by | Himself (as Lord Keeper) |
| Succeeded by | In Commission |
| 11th President of the Royal Society | |
| In office 1698–1703 | |
| Preceded by | Charles Montagu |
| Succeeded by | Isaac Newton |
| Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England | |
| In office 1693–1697 | |
| Preceded by | In Commission |
| Succeeded by | Himself (as Lord Chancellor) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 March 1651 Claines, Commonwealth of England |
| Died | 26 April 1716 (aged 65) North Mymms, England |
| Political party | Whig |
| Alma mater | Trinity College, Oxford |
| Occupation | Lawyer, politician |
John Somers, 1st Baron Somers, PC, FRS (4 March 1651 – 26 April 1716) was an English jurist, Whig statesman and peer. Somers first came to national attention in the trial of the Seven Bishops where he was on their defence counsel. He published tracts on political topics such as the succession to the crown, where he elaborated his Whig principles in support of the Exclusionists. He played a leading part in shaping the Revolution settlement. He was Lord High Chancellor of England under King William III and was a chief architect of the union between England and Scotland achieved in 1707 and the Protestant succession achieved in 1714. He was a leading Whig during the twenty-five years after 1688; with four colleagues he formed the Whig Junto.