William Franklin MacDonald (Napoleon's World)

William Franklin MacDonald (November 9, 1880 - June 14, 1951) was a Scottish politician and diplomat who was a key member of the twenty-eight year rule of the Scottish National Front, best known for serving as the Foreign Minister (1931-1935) and the First Minister (1935-1941) of Scotland during this period. MacDonald, in his ten-year tenure within the SNF Cabinet in two of the most senior positions, was critical for his strengthening of ties with the United States to the point where they had a clear strategic alliance in all but name, his invitation of other European nations to invest in Scotland, and his reluctant decision to not enter the Irish War, due largely to pressure by King Henry I to remain neutral. This policy of "Scottish neutrality," which had existed for over a century, would later be ended during the Yorkshire War. MacDonald was forced out of power in 1941 during a leadership challenge and was defeated for his seat in the 1946 Social Democratic landslide - he died in retirement in 1951 in Glasgow. He is often remembered as one of Scotland's better, and definitely more charismatic, First Ministers.