Kings and Queens of England: Part III

George III (1738-1820)
Reign: 1760-1820
House: Hanover

  • While George I and George II traveled extensively outside England, George III never traveled more than 100 miles from London
  • He suffered from mental illness later in life, and posthumous accounts often refer to him as the “Mad King”
  • The Great Recoinage of 1816 was enacted to stabilize British currency after the taxing Napoleonic Wars

 

William IV (1765-1837)
Reign: 1830-1837
House: Hanover

  • He ascended to the throne at age 64, the oldest person to become British monarch
  • The “New” London Bridge over the River Thames opened in 1831; the bridge was disassembled in 1967 and reconstructed in Lake Havasu City, Arizona
  • He had ten children with actress Dorothea Bland, but produced no legitimate heirs and was succeeded by his niece, Victoria
 

George IV (1762-1830)
Reign: 1820-1830
House: Hanover

  • He was a fervent supporter of the arts; The Royal Academy of Music was established during his reign
  • He banned his own wife, Queen Caroline, from attending his inauguration 
  • The Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829, which George opposed but conceded approval, granted Catholics the right to serve in Parliament

 

Victoria (1819-1901)
Reign: 1837-1901
House: Hanover

  • She spoke German, French, Italian, Latin and Hindustani, and wrote about 2,500 words each day through letters and her diary
  • After control of British India was transferred from the East India Company to the Crown in 1857, Victoria was proclaimed Empress of India in 1876
  • The Victoria Cross is the highest award in the British honours system; it was introduced in 1856 to honor gallantry during the Crimean War (1853-1856) 
 
Did You Know?

George III believed that keeping the American colonies under British control was integral to the health of the Empire. The Declaration of Independence includes a list of 18 abuses imposed by him, including “He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.”

 

 

 

 

Click on the items in the case image below for an enhanced view

 

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