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Alexander Baring, 1st Baron Ashburton

British diplomat

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Alexander Baring, 1st Baron Ashburton (1774–1848), was a prominent British financier and diplomat. He was a key figure in the Baring family, which established a leading European banking house. Alexander Baring took over leadership of the firm, Baring Brothers and Company, and significantly expanded its business in financing U.S. foreign trade and selling American bonds.1

As a diplomat, Lord Ashburton negotiated the significant Webster-Ashburton Treaty in 1842. This treaty with the United States established the northeastern boundary between Maine and New Brunswick and included provisions for cooperation in suppressing the slave trade. His marriage to Anne Bingham also connected him to a wealthy American family, further strengthening Baring Brothers' ties to the U.S..21

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