Constructing Ionian identities: the Ionian Islands in British official ...

policies conflicted with Maitland’s, marking a change in the Islands associated with
Whig policies on the Empire. He discarded Maitland’s views on sovereignty and the
preservation of the prerogative. His liberal attitudes later encouraged Ionians to
openly question his successor, Douglas, and the nature of British rule in the Islands.
Douglas advocated social and economic policies to improve the Ionians. Yet he was
determined to retain his authority and control over Ionian affairs and safeguard
Britain’s influence and strategic interests in the Mediterranean. He believed his was a
civilising mission that would take many years for the British authorities to achieve.
Lord George Nugent: a new spirit of liberalism.
Lord George Nugent Grenville succeeded Adam in 1832. Nugent was a
classical scholar and historian. He entered the army and became lieutenant-colonel in
1813. He represented the Grenville pocket borough of Buckingham and Aylesbury
but made few parliamentary appearances due to ill-health. As an MP, he was
identified with liberal policies and civil liberties. When the Grenvilles, led by his
brother Richard, split from the Whigs in 1817, Nugent did not join them. Throughout
his career he advocated parliamentary reform, abolition, religious liberty and free
trade. He was a member of both the London Spanish and Greek committees. In
Grey’s government, Nugent was appointed Lord of the Treasury in 1830, but in
1832, due to financial difficulties, he accepted the position of Lord High
Commissioner in the Ionian Islands. 10
10 Seymour A. D., “George Nugent Grenville (1788-1850)” in Oxford Dictionary of National
Biography, (Oxford, 2004).
148