Edward Monson
Encyclopedia
Sir Edward Monson was a British
diplomat.
He entered the diplomatic service in 1856, and served as diplomatic agent at Ragusa
(then part of Austria-Hungary
in the 1870s.
He then served in Copenhagen
, Denmark
, and was British Minister to Athens
, Greece
in the 1880s.
In 1888 Queen Victoria
appointed him arbitrator in the Carlos Butterfield claim between an American shipping company and the government of Denmark. Monson reviewed the legal statements of both sides and made his recommendations to the Queen, who decided in favour of Denmark, settling a dispute that had lasted 30 years.
Monson served as British Ambassador
to France
from 1896 to 1905. Relations between the two countries where rather strained, and this was not helped when Monson made a speech in 1897, in which he accused the French officials and press of anti-British bias. The French responded with predictable outrage and demanded his recall. Despite this Monson was able to procure a convention with the French Foreign Ministry
in June 1898 that settled the vexed question of Nigeria
n boundaries, and later worked to repair Anglo-French relations
after the Fashoda incident
of September 1898.
His most significant role was in the signing of the 1904 Anglo-French Entente Cordiale
, which settled outstanding disputes in West Africa
, Siam
, Madagascar
, the New Hebrides
and over Newfoundland fishing rights. Above all, it allowed Britain a free hand in Egypt
in return for
giving France a free hand in Morocco
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
diplomat.
He entered the diplomatic service in 1856, and served as diplomatic agent at Ragusa
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, positioned at the terminal end of the Isthmus of Dubrovnik. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations on the Adriatic, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva county. Its total population is 42,641...
(then part of Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
in the 1870s.
He then served in Copenhagen
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, and was British Minister to Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
in the 1880s.
In 1888 Queen Victoria
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
appointed him arbitrator in the Carlos Butterfield claim between an American shipping company and the government of Denmark. Monson reviewed the legal statements of both sides and made his recommendations to the Queen, who decided in favour of Denmark, settling a dispute that had lasted 30 years.
Monson served as British Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
from 1896 to 1905. Relations between the two countries where rather strained, and this was not helped when Monson made a speech in 1897, in which he accused the French officials and press of anti-British bias. The French responded with predictable outrage and demanded his recall. Despite this Monson was able to procure a convention with the French Foreign Ministry
Minister of Foreign Affairs (France)
Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs ), is France's foreign affairs ministry, with the headquarters located on the Quai d'Orsay in Paris close to the National Assembly of France. The Minister of Foreign and European Affairs in the government of France is the cabinet minister responsible for...
in June 1898 that settled the vexed question of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n boundaries, and later worked to repair Anglo-French relations
Anglo-French relations
United Kingdom – French relations are the relations between the governments of France and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland . In recent years the two countries have experienced a very close relationship....
after the Fashoda incident
Fashoda Incident
The Fashoda Incident was the climax of imperial territorial disputes between Britain and France in Eastern Africa. A French expedition to Fashoda on the White Nile sought to gain control of the Nile River and thereby force Britain out of Egypt. The British held firm as Britain and France were on...
of September 1898.
His most significant role was in the signing of the 1904 Anglo-French Entente Cordiale
Entente Cordiale
The Entente Cordiale was a series of agreements signed on 8 April 1904 between the United Kingdom and the French Republic. Beyond the immediate concerns of colonial expansion addressed by the agreement, the signing of the Entente Cordiale marked the end of almost a millennium of intermittent...
, which settled outstanding disputes in West Africa
French West Africa
French West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger...
, Siam
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
, the New Hebrides
New Hebrides
New Hebrides was the colonial name for an island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu. The New Hebrides were colonized by both the British and French in the 18th century shortly after Captain James Cook visited the islands...
and over Newfoundland fishing rights. Above all, it allowed Britain a free hand in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in return for
giving France a free hand in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
.