for numerous State occasions. The State Apartments were opened annually to visitors from 1993.
BUCKINGHAM PALACE CONFERENCEIn Great Britain, a meeting of British and Irish political leaders at Buckingham Palace, LONDON, 21–24 July 1914. It was called by King GEORGE V, at the British government's request, in response to the situation in Ireland: supporters and opponents of Home Rule had armed themselves in anticipation of its introduction. The Conference failed because Irish nationalists (John REDMOND, John DILLON) and Unionists (E.H. CARSON, James CRAIG) could not agree a scheme for the exclusion of ULSTER (N Ireland). See also HOME RULE MOVEMENT, IRELAND.BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, 2ND EARL OF(b. 17 Aug. 1723 at Greenwich, Kent, England; d. 3 Sept. 1793 at Blickling Hall, Norfolk, England, aged 70). John Hobart succeeded as earl in 1756, and in 1777 was sent to Ireland as chief governor (lord lieutenant). He encountered unrest caused by British restrictions on food exports (imposed 1776, to help the British Army in the AMERICAN WAR OF INDEPENDENCE). The crisis worsened; Buckinghamshire faced the rise of the VOLUNTEERS and of the NON-IMPORTATION MOVEMENT (1779), and Parliament's refusal to grant new taxes (Nov. 1779). He proved unable to master the situation, and the British government was forced to lift trade restrictions (1780). Buckinghamshire was recalled in late 1780. See also PROTESTANT ASCENDANCY.BUCKINGHAMSHIRE ELECTION AFFAIRIn England, a crisis in 1604, after the accession of King JAMES VI/I, when the Court of CHANCERY annulled the election of Francis Goodwin as an MP for Buckinghamshire (because he was an outlaw). The House of Commons challenged James’s referral of the matter to the Court (March). A new election was held, with James conceding that the House was entitled to settle disputed elections (11 April). See also PARLIAMENTARY PRIVILEGE.BUILTH
A minor medieval kingdom in C WALES, first recorded c.800. In the 9th century its kings were said to rule over the neighbouring Gwerthrynion and claimed descent from VORTIGERN. Builth was ruled in the late 11th century as a CANTREF by descendants of RHODRI MAWR. Its name (Welsh, Buellt, from bu and gelt) means ‘cow pasture'.
Builth was among the first lordships established by NORMANS in Wales: it was conquered c.1095 by Philip de BRAOSE, lord of Radnor. The lordship, though small, was important: its castle guarded the route from England into C Wales along the Wye Valley. In 1228 Builth passed as dowry to DAFYDD AP LLYWELYN of Gwynedd when he married Isabel Braose.
Builth was among the first Welsh lands taken by King HENRY III of England in 1241. It subsequently passed between Henry (later EDWARD I) and LLYWELYN AP GRUFFUDD of Gwynedd according to political fortunes, until 1277 when the English established control and rebuilt the castle. Thereafter the lordship was leased to Marcher families, notably the MORTIMERS, and was included in Breconshire in 1536; see UNION OF WALES WITH ENGLAND.
BULGARIAN ATROCITIESName given to the brutal reprisals which Turkish leaders took against a revolt by Bulgarian guerrillas in May 1876. In Great Britain, reports of massacres brought the EASTERN QUESTION to the forefront of politics (1876–80). While the Conservative prime minister, Benjamin DISRAELI, persisted in supporting the OTTOMAN EMPIRE, the Liberal W.E. GLADSTONE conducted a campaign of moral outrage, demanding expulsion of the Turks from Europe.BUNYAN, JOHN
(b. Nov. 1628 at Elstow, Bedfordshire, England; d. 31 Aug. 1688 at London, England, aged 59). After fighting in a Parliamentary army 1644–6 (during the First CIVIL WAR), Bunyan became a Puritan, author, and preacher at an Independent church in Bedford in the mid 1650s. Following the RESTORATION of the monarchy (1660), he was regularly imprisoned.
Released under the 1672 Declaration of INDULGENCE, Bunyan preached widely in the Midlands and in London. His publications drew on his earlier religious conversion. They included Grace Abounding (1666) and The Pilgrim’s Progress (2 parts, 1678, 1684). The latter became one of the most influential works in the English language. See also PURITANISM, ENGLAND; NONCONFORMITY AND DISSENT, ENGLAND.
BURDETT, FRANCIS
(b. 25 Jan. 1770 at Foremark, Derbyshire, England; d. 23 Jan. 1844 at London, England, aged 73). An MP from 1796 (and baronet from 1797), Burdett was a FOXITE Whig until 1806. Increasingly radical thereafter, he became a leading national campaigner for PARLIAMENTARY REFORM (until 1820). He presented reform Bills to the UK Parliament in 1809, 1817 and 1818 (the last including manhood suffrage). He became a popular hero in 1810 when he was imprisoned for publishing a parliamentary speech (a breach of parliamentary privilege).
From 1825 Burdett campaigned for CATHOLIC EMANCIPATION. He remained an MP until his death, supporting the Conservatives from 1837.
BURGESSIn England from the late 11th century, a male inhabitant of a TOWN (from OFr. burgeis, meaning ‘town dweller’), implying the acquisition of liberties (e.g., as a tenement‐holder) and belonging to a town’s community. The term spread to other parts of the British Isles. As TOWN GOVERNMENT changed, the term acquired narrower meanings: either a man who had been admitted to a town’s body of freemen (inhabitants entitled to trade, elect town officers and hold office) or a member of a town’s self‐perpetuating authority (or ‘closed corporation’). (Non‐burgess inhabitants were sometimes called ‘foreigners’.) The term largely disappeared with the reform of town corporations, when authorities became composed of councillors – two‐thirds elected, one‐third aldermen elected by other councillors (Scotland, 1833; England and Wales, 1835; Ireland, 1840).BURGESS, THOMAS(b. 18 Nov. 1756 at Odiham, Hampshire, England; d. 19 Feb. 1837 at Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, aged 80). As bishop of ST DAVIDS 1803–25, Burgess strove to improve the Church of England in Wales. In 1822 he founded St David's College, Lampeter (Cardiganshire), which raised the educational standard of clergy. He also encouraged clergy interested in Welsh literature and supported Welsh cultural societies. He was bishop of Salisbury (England) 1825–37. See also UNIVERSITIES, WALES.BURGH
Term for an urban settlement in Scotland, with privileges of trade and self‐government; the term is derived from OE burh (see BURH).
The earliest burghs were royal foundations, started by King DAVID I (ruled 1124–53). By 1306 there were 38 royal burghs (many the heads of SHERIFFDOMS and alongside castles), and 18 non‐royal burghs (founded by churchmen or secular lords). From the late 14th century older foundations encouraged a distinction between ‘royal burghs' (including some Church burghs) and ‘burghs of barony', recent or new towns founded by secular lords. Royal burghs managed to establish monopolies of trade in their areas or ‘liberties' and of foreign trade, in return for contributions to taxation. (Baronial burghs monopolized trade only within their boundaries.) Royal burghs co‐ordinated policy, allocated taxation and encouraged uniformity in town government through the Court of the FOUR BURGHS and CONVENTION OF ROYAL BURGHS. Their independent and influential position within the political framework was unique in Europe.
New baronial burghs were founded in the 15th century, and some 270 between 1500 and c.1720, challenging the position of royal burghs; they lost their monopoly of foreign trade in 1672. In the 19th century burghs and populous places lacking burgh status could adopt powers under ‘Police Acts' (1833–67) and be classified as ‘police burghs'.
In 1929 surviving burghs were reorganized into three categories (effective from 1930): cities (ABERDEEN, DUNDEE, EDINBURGH, GLASGOW), large burghs (19), and small burghs (178). Burghs were abolished in 1975. See also TOWN GOVERNMENT, SCOTLAND; TOWN SOCIETY, SCOTLAND.
BURGH, HUBERT DE
(b. c.1170, probably in Norfolk, England; d. May 1243 at Banstead, Surrey, England, aged about 73). In the 1190s de Burgh entered the service of Prince JOHN (king from 1199) and was seneschal of Poitou 1212–15. Having remained loyal during the crisis of 1215, he was appointed CHIEF JUSTICIAR as someone acceptable to John’s opponents (by 25 June).
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