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2010-07-13T16:47:57Z

Dorothee Moethe:

George IV

2010-05-31T20:25:01Z

Dorothee Moethe:

* 1762 - 1830
King of England from 1820 to 1830

George IV is known for his extravagant lifestyle. The marriage with his wife [[Caroline of Brunswick]] was far from perfect and George's eating habits were a bit over the top. Sieper writes "Owing to his extravagance, his debts, his divorce suit before the [[House of Lords]], his reign marked the lowest moral standard in the modern history of British monarchy" (67) Although this quote is exaggerated, it points in the right direction.

Love life
----
He married his first wife [[Maria Fitzherbert]] in 1785 without his father's consent. [[Maria Fitzherbert]] was a Catholic, so according to the [[Act of Settlement]] he would not be able to become king. His father thus had this marriage declared illegal.
It is said that George IV became a heavy drinker and gambler afterwards with several affairs with women. His debts were as high as 650.000 Pounds by 1795. His debts were paid by the [[Parliament]] in exchange for George marrying his cousin Caroline of Brunswick. Despite their loveless marriage they managed to produce a daughter in 1796, [[Princess Charlotte]]. It is well-known that this marriage was a failure and George IV did his best to get rid of his wife, but did not succeed. Right after the wedding Caroline moved out and she and her husband lived apart from then on. Both George IV and Caroline had several affairs throughout their lives. George IV entertained a somewhat serious relationship with his former wife [[Maria Fitzherbert]] and mentioned her in his will as his wife. He had several mistresses.
Caroline moved back to England in 1820 to claim the title "Queen" and attend her husband's coronation, which she was not able to, because he had her removed from [[Westminster Abbey]].

Regency
----
George IV served as [[Prince Regent]] from 1811 onwards, when his father was declared insane. He was a strong supporter of the Whigs before, but once he was Prince Regent he seemed to have changed his mind and followed [[Tory]] principles. One could argue that he had courted [[Whig]] politicians in his youth to annoy his father.
George IV became King of England in 1820, when his father George III died. When he tried to annul his marriage with his wife Caroline, it triggered off demonstrations against the new king, which only heightened when he had her removed from his [[coronation]].
As king George IV found an increasing interest in arts. He acquired an impressive collection of art and supported architects and painters. He left an astonishing architectural legacy including the [[Royal Pavillon]].

Bibliography
----
BBC. ''Historic Figures: George IV''. 2009 <http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/george_iv_king.shtml>.

Britannia. ''Monarchs of Britain: George IV''. 2010 <http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon56.html>

Sieper, Roswitha. ''The Student's Companion to Britain''. Ismaning: Hueber, 1993.

Simkin, John. ''Spartacus Educational''. 2008 <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PRgeorgeIV.htm>

George IV

2010-05-31T20:24:11Z

Dorothee Moethe:

* 1762 - 1830
King of England from 1820 to 1830

George IV is known for his extravagant lifestyle. The marriage with his wife [[Caroline of Brunswick]] was far from perfect and George's eating habits were a bit over the top. Sieper writes "Owing to his extravagance, his debts, his divorce suit before the [[House of Lords]], his reign marked the lowest moral standard in the modern history of British monarchy" (67) Although this quote is exaggerated, it points in the right direction.

Love life
----
He married his first wife [[Maria Fitzherbert]] in 1785 without his father's consent. [[Maria Fitzherbert]] was a Catholic, so according to the [[Act of Settlement]] he would not be able to become king. His father thus had this marriage declared illegal.
It is said that George IV became a heavy drinker and gambler afterwards with several affairs with women. His debts were as high as 650.000 Pounds by 1795. His debts were paid by the [[Parliament]] in exchange for George marrying his cousin Caroline of Brunswick. Despite their loveless marriage they managed to produce a daughter in 1796, [[Princess Charlotte]]. It is well-known that this marriage was a failure and George IV did his best to get rid of his wife, but did not succeed. Right after the wedding Caroline moved out and she and her husband lived apart from then on. Both George IV and Caroline had several affairs throughout their lives. George IV entertained a somewhat serious relationship with his former wife [[Maria Fitzherbert]] and mentioned her in his will as his wife. He had several mistresses.
Caroline moved back to England in 1820 to claim the title "Queen" and attend her husband's coronation, which she was not able to, because he had her removed from [[Westminster Abbey]].

Regency
----
George IV served as [[Prince Regent]] from 1811 onwards, when his father was declared insane. He was a strong supporter of the Whigs before, but once he was Prince Regent he seemed to have changed his mind and followed [[Tory]] principles. One could argue that he had courted [[Whig]] politicians in his youth to annoy his father.
George IV became King of England in 1820, when his father George III died. When he tried to annul his marriage with his wife Caroline, it triggered off demonstrations against the new king, which only heightened when he had her removed from his [[coronation]].
As king George IV found an increasing interest in arts. He acquired an impressive collection of art and supported architects and painters. He left an astonishing architectural legacy including the [[Royal Pavillon]].

Bibliography
----
BBC. ''Historic Figures: George IV''. 2009 <http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/george_iv_king.shtml>.
Britannia. ''Monarchs of Britain: George IV''. 2010 <http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon56.html>
Sieper, Roswitha. ''The Student's Companion to Britain''. Ismaning: Hueber, 1993.
Simkin, John. ''Spartacus Educational''. 2008 <http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/PRgeorgeIV.htm>

Edward VII

2010-05-03T16:00:18Z

Dorothee Moethe: Created page with 'Albert Edward or Edward VII (1841 - 1910) was King of England from 1901-1910. He was son of Queen Victoria, who belonged to the house of Stuart and Hanover, and her …'

Albert Edward or Edward VII (1841 - 1910) was King of England from 1901-1910. He was son of [[Queen Victoria]], who belonged to the house of [[Stuart]] and [[Hanover]], and her husband [[Albert of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha]].
He married his wife, [[Princess Alexandria of Denmark]], in 1863. They had three sons and three daughters.

It is said that Edward VII felt he was a disappointment to his mother, who did not even try to hide this from him, and indulged in gambling and extramarital affairs, which included him in several divorce cases. Alexandra seemed to not mind his affairs and pretended like nothing happened. He had a series of mistresses, one of which was the actress [[Lily Langtry]].

Edward VII was, by the time he became king, an educated, worldly and polite man, who had several relations to royal houses in Europe. His characteristics made him very popular not only in Britain, but in Europe as a whole.

In his reign politics focused on social politics, for example retirements and schools. He also founded the [[Order of Merit]] in 1904, which honours people who deserve special mention in science, literature and arts.

----
Bibliography:

Britannia Staff Article. ''Edward VII''. <http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon59.html>

British Broadcasting Company. ''Edward VII''. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/edward_vii_king.shtml>

Encyclopædia Britannica. ''Edward VII''. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/179793/Edward-VII>

Mike Mahoney. ''Edward VII''. <http://www.englishmonarchs.co.uk/saxe_coburg_gotha.htm>

Pugh, Martin. ''State and Society: A Social and Political History of Britain 1870-1997''. London: Arnold,1994.