Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield, (1804-1881) was a parliamentarian, Conservative statesman and literary figure, twice serving as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Before and during his political career, Disraeli was well known as a literary and social figure, best known today for his romances, Sybil and Vivian Grey. Lothair was written after Disraeli's first term as Prime Minister, and deals with the comparative merits of the Catholic and Anglican churches as heirs of Judaism, and with the then-topical question of Italian unification. Lothair was a hugely popular work among 19th century readers.