The government of Great Britain was under the joint leadership of William Pitt the Elder (in the House of Commons) and William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire (in the House of Lords), between November 1756 and April 1757—when Pitt was dismissed by King George. The King disliked Pitt, but Pitt's influence in the Commons had led to his key appointment as Southern Secretary in a ministry nominally headed by Devonshire.[httpsarchiveorgdetailseighteenthcentur00leonpagen73_65_][[File:Open_Access_logo_PLoS_transparent.svg|9px|link=Open_access|open_access_publication_–_free_to_read|alt=open_access]]_1-0" class="reference">