One who makes or sets up kings; spec. an epithet of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, in the reigns of Henry VI. and Edward IV.
1599. Daniel, Civ. Wars, V. xvi. That great King-maker Warwick, so far growne In grace with Fortune, that he gouerns it, And Monarchs makes.
1603. Archpr. Controv., II. 236. The kingmakers designes will come, as is the old prouerbe, from a wyndmill post to be pudding pricke.
1856. Froude, Hist. Eng., II. viii. 259. Sir Edward Poynings was sent to Dublin to put down this new king-maker.
1878. Stubbs, Const. Hist., III. xviii. 212. He [Warwick] filled … a place which never before or after was filled by a subject, and his title of King-maker was not given without reason.
1887. Dict. Nat. Biog., IX. 67/1. William Thompson, the great Maori chief and ‘king-maker.’
So King-making sb. and a.
1816. Byron, Ch. Har., III. xvii. And is this all the world has gain’d by thee, Thou first and last of fields! king-making Victory?
1865. Kingsley, Herew., I. Pref. 11. Leofric had the first success in king-making.
