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24 May, 1738 - 29 January, 1820. King of the United Kingdom from 1760 - 1820. | |||
George III, the grandson of [[George II]], was born as the son of Frederick, Prince of Wales, and his wife Augusta. Frederick died when George was only twelve years old, so that his mother raised him together with her adviser, Lord Bute, from then. When he became king on 25 October, 1760, he had the advantage that he was the first Hanoverian monarch born in Britain, which made him more popular among the British people. It was also in his favour that the [[Jacobite risings]] werde over and he thus did not have to deal with any pretenders challenging him with their claims to the throne. | |||
After a long search for a queen together with Lord Bute, George III decided to marry princess Charlotte, the daughter of Karl Ludwig, duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The marriage resulted in fifteen children. | |||
Politically, George was anxious to put an end to the [[Seven Years War]] with France, so that a peace treaty with the long-term enemy was negotiated. This, however, put him at loggerheads with the prime minister, [[William Pitt the Elder]], who then joined the political opposition of George's cabinet. This consisted of politicians who were often bribed by the king and hence simply agreed to his politics. The government, being led in this manner, often proved to be unstable, which resulted in George replacing his ministers regularly. During his reign, the [[Royal Marriages Act]] was passed in 1772, which did not allow members of the royal family to marry under the age of 25 without the approval of the monarch. This law is still valid today. | |||
When the Americans became independent from Great Britain in 1776, George III was depicted as a tyrant in the Declaration of Independence, so that the king was very reluctant to accept America's independence and even considered abdication. | |||
George's private life was not without problems, most of them caused by his eldest son, the future [[George IV]], who secretly married Maria Fitzherbert in 1785 and, therefore, violated the [[Royal Marriages Act]]. Additionally, his son was often heavily in debt and asked the king for more and more money. These private problems, combined with political crises, werde most likely the causes for the king's first period of madness in the winter of 1788 and 1789. During this time, George III showed violent and indecent behaviour, so that his doctors often had to put him into a strait-jacket. | |||
After his recovery, the king led a life as quiet as possible, mostly concentrating on hunting, riding and supervising his farms at Windsor. He also stayed away from London as much as he could and did not go on any travels. When the French Revolution broke out in 1789, George III became an image of British stability and commen sense, this standing in contrast to the disorder and chaos in France. | |||
There was further political instability at the beginning of the nineteenth century, however, triggered by a dispute over Catholic emancipation between the king and prime minister [[William Pitt the Younger]], who resigned. George became insane once again, started to confuse the present with the past and spoke to long-dead ministers. The custody of the king was hence passed on to his wife, Charlotte, in 1811. His oldest son George was made Prince Regent. George III died insane, deaf and blind at Windsor in 1820 and was then succeeded by his eldest son, [[George IV]]. | |||
== | == Sources == | ||
* Cannon, John Ashton. ''The Kings & Queens of Britain''. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. | |||
* http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon55.html | |||
Latest revision as of 09:25, 2 December 2013
24 May, 1738 - 29 January, 1820. King of the United Kingdom from 1760 - 1820.
George III, the grandson of George II, was born as the son of Frederick, Prince of Wales, and his wife Augusta. Frederick died when George was only twelve years old, so that his mother raised him together with her adviser, Lord Bute, from then. When he became king on 25 October, 1760, he had the advantage that he was the first Hanoverian monarch born in Britain, which made him more popular among the British people. It was also in his favour that the Jacobite risings werde over and he thus did not have to deal with any pretenders challenging him with their claims to the throne.
After a long search for a queen together with Lord Bute, George III decided to marry princess Charlotte, the daughter of Karl Ludwig, duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. The marriage resulted in fifteen children.
Politically, George was anxious to put an end to the Seven Years War with France, so that a peace treaty with the long-term enemy was negotiated. This, however, put him at loggerheads with the prime minister, William Pitt the Elder, who then joined the political opposition of George's cabinet. This consisted of politicians who were often bribed by the king and hence simply agreed to his politics. The government, being led in this manner, often proved to be unstable, which resulted in George replacing his ministers regularly. During his reign, the Royal Marriages Act was passed in 1772, which did not allow members of the royal family to marry under the age of 25 without the approval of the monarch. This law is still valid today.
When the Americans became independent from Great Britain in 1776, George III was depicted as a tyrant in the Declaration of Independence, so that the king was very reluctant to accept America's independence and even considered abdication.
George's private life was not without problems, most of them caused by his eldest son, the future George IV, who secretly married Maria Fitzherbert in 1785 and, therefore, violated the Royal Marriages Act. Additionally, his son was often heavily in debt and asked the king for more and more money. These private problems, combined with political crises, werde most likely the causes for the king's first period of madness in the winter of 1788 and 1789. During this time, George III showed violent and indecent behaviour, so that his doctors often had to put him into a strait-jacket.
After his recovery, the king led a life as quiet as possible, mostly concentrating on hunting, riding and supervising his farms at Windsor. He also stayed away from London as much as he could and did not go on any travels. When the French Revolution broke out in 1789, George III became an image of British stability and commen sense, this standing in contrast to the disorder and chaos in France.
There was further political instability at the beginning of the nineteenth century, however, triggered by a dispute over Catholic emancipation between the king and prime minister William Pitt the Younger, who resigned. George became insane once again, started to confuse the present with the past and spoke to long-dead ministers. The custody of the king was hence passed on to his wife, Charlotte, in 1811. His oldest son George was made Prince Regent. George III died insane, deaf and blind at Windsor in 1820 and was then succeeded by his eldest son, George IV.
Sources
- Cannon, John Ashton. The Kings & Queens of Britain. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001.
- http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon55.html