Charles James Fox and British Foreign Policyduring the Years of the Second Anti-French Coalition

The French Revolution of 1789 completely changed the European political landscape. The overthrow of the monarchy and the formation of the French Republic was a catalyst for instability and the growing popularity of radical movements in other countries. The consequence was the invasion of France by foreign countries and the formation of new political blocs in Europe. Great Britain, led by Prime Minister William Pitt, Jr. was one of the main initiators of the outbreak of hostilities. The war of the first coalition against France, allowed the British cabinet to divert the attention of Parliament from domestic problems and suppress opposition and radical movements. Thus, in 1797 the Whig leader Charles James Fox and his associates lost the support of MPs and popularity among the people. The «leader» of the British opposition withdrew from the business and for the next 3 years appeared at the parliamentary sessions only a few times, even despite the large-scale war of the second coalition against France that started in 1798. The historiography mainly studied Fox's activity as a writer and historian. The article examines in detail the political activities of the head of the British opposition and the role of his peace initiatives in 1799–1802 when the Treaty of Amiens was concluded.