Robert Harley (1661-1724), English statesman, who gained great popularity as a critic of the ministry for the costliness of the war with France (see Spanish Succession, War of the). He was born in London. He entered Parliament as a Whig member in 1689 and remained in the House of Commons until his elevation to the nobility in 1711. In 1701 he became Speaker of the House of Commons, and three years later, through the influence of John Churchill, 1st duke of Marlborough, he was made a secretary of state for the northern part of the country. Although Harley was at this time ostensibly a supporter of the Whig ministry, he began to influence Queen Anne against two of her principal ministers, Sidney Godolphin and Marlborough. In 1707 they became suspicious of his activities and early the next year forced him out of the government.

Harley was successful in influencing public opinion by employing the English writers Daniel Defoe and, later, Jonathan Swift as political propagandists. In 1710, when Marlborough and his party lost favor with the queen, Harley was appointed chancellor of the Exchequer. He tried unsuccessfully to form a coalition ministry of both parties, but in 1711 his popularity was entirely restored after a refugee from France attempted to assassinate him. Harley was created earl of Oxford and appointed lord treasurer.

He reformed the finances of the country and in 1713 forced the Peace of Utrecht (see Utrecht, Peace of) through the House of Lords by the creation of 12 new peers. He soon lost his influence with the queen, however, and the next year was replaced in office by a former friend, the statesman Henry St. John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke. Harley retired from public life, but in 1715, after the death of Queen Anne, the new king of Great Britain and Ireland, George I, imprisoned him in the Tower of London on suspicion of plotting for the return of the Stuart dynasty. He was released in 1717, and the charges against him were dismissed. Harley, assisted by his son Edward Harley, spent his last years collecting books and manuscripts. The so-called Harleian Collection was purchased by the government in 1753 for £10,000 and given to the British Museum, which was founded that year. The collection consisted of 7639 volumes and 14,236 original rolls, charters, deeds, and other legal documents.