The caretaker ministry was the government of Great Britain for a short time in 1757, during the Seven Years' War. In 1756, King George II of Great Britain was reluctantly compelled to accept a ministry dominated by William Pitt the Elder as Secretary of State. The nominal head of this ministry, as First Lord of the Treasury, was William Cavendish, 4th Duke of Devonshire. One of the major problems of the caretaker ministry was that it included no figure capable of taking the lead in the House of Commons. It also lacked the support of the most significant factions in the House of Commons.