John Somers, 1st Baron Somers

The Right Honourable The Lord Somers PC FRS
Portrait by Godfrey Kneller
Lord President of the Council
In office 25 November 1708 – 21 September 1710
Preceded by	The Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery
Succeeded by	The Earl of Rochester
Lord Chancellor
In office 1697–1700
Preceded by	Himself (as Lord Keeper)
Succeeded by	In Commission
11th President of the Royal Society
In office 1698–1703
Preceded by	Charles Montagu
Succeeded by	Isaac Newton
Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England
In office 1693–1697
Preceded by	In Commission
Succeeded by	Himself (as Lord Chancellor)
Personal details
Born	(1651-03-04)4 March 1651 Claines, Commonwealth of England
Died	26 April 1716(1716-04-26) (aged 65) North Mymms, England
Political party	Whig
Alma mater	Trinity College, Oxford
Occupation	Lawyer, politician

John Somers, 1st Baron Somers, PC, FRS (4 March 1651 – 26 April 1716) was an English jurist, Whig statesman and peer. Somers first came to national attention in the trial of the Seven Bishops where he was on their defence counsel. He published tracts on political topics such as the succession to the crown, where he elaborated his Whig principles in support of the Exclusionists. He played a leading part in shaping the Revolution settlement. He was Lord High Chancellor of England under King William III and was a chief architect of the union between England and Scotland achieved in 1707 and the Protestant succession achieved in 1714. He was a leading Whig during the twenty-five years after 1688; with four colleagues he formed the Whig Junto.