While out of office with Pitt, Canning proved a somewhat insubordinate follower.
It was for a long time a thankless post, for St Vincent was at once half incapacitated by ill-health and very arbitrary, while Nelson, who considered that Keith's appointment was 'a personal slight to himself, was peevish and insubordinate.
The princes and kings who had consented to pay tribute were by this success encouraged to rebel, and the Servian troops who had taken part in the battle of Konia became insubordinate.
In office he continued to be insubordinate, and committed mistakes which got him into bad odour as untrustworthy.
In 193, as praetor, he carried on a successful war against the insubordinate populations of his recently constituted province of Hispania Citerior.
