William Amherst, 1st Earl Amherst
British diplomat (1773-1857)
William Pitt Amherst, 1st Earl Amherst (14 January 1773 – 13 March 1857) was a British diplomat and colonial administrator who served as the Governor-General of the Presidency of Fort William from 1823 to 1828.
Background and education
Born at Bath, Somerset, Amherst was the son of William Amherst and Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Paterson. He was the grand-nephew of Jeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst, and succeeded to his title in 1797 according to a special remainder in the letters patent. He matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford on 13 October 1789, receiving a BA in 1793 and an MA in 1797.
Ambassador extraordinary to China
In 1816 he was sent as ambassador extraordinary to the court of China's Qing dynasty, with a view of establishing more satisfactory commercial relations between China and Great Britain. On arriving at Pei Ho (Baihe, today's Haihe), he was given to understand that he could only be admitted to the Jiaqing Emperor's presence on condition of performing the kowtow. To this, Amherst, following the advice of Sir George Thomas Staunton, who accompanied him as second commissioner, refused to consent, as Macartney had done in 1793, unless the admission was made that his sovereign was entitled to the same show of reverence from a mandarin of his rank. After a grueling journey to Peking (Beijing), during which Amherst's party was further delayed when their entry was barred by a closed city gate, Amherst was informed by Qing court officials that he would be immediately received by the emperor upon his arrival. Having had no time to change into his official regalia or prepare his party for the reception, Amherst demurred on account of his unreadiness. Desperate to avoid canceling an audience with the emperor, the Qing ministers insisted that Amherst proceed with the reception even if it meant foregoing the ceremonial kowtow, although such efforts came to naught.
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