Today's British Monarch is the cranky, brash, hot-headed King George II. The second King of House Hanover (Brunswick-Luneberg), and the second of the "Georgian" kings of Great Britain.
From angry boy to warrior king to petty tyrant to his completely embarassing death, Ol' George did it all. And yet, he was mocked and hated by his own people. Let's take a look at this rather peculiar and often overlooked Monarch of Great Britain!
- Born in Hanover in 1683, George Augustus (Georg August) was the oldest child, and the son of the man who would become king George I. He was a lonely child. As the only son, George Augustus was sheltered. His mother and father both openly commited adultery, and prince George was close to neither of them. His mother was forcibly sent away when he was 11 years old, after a long affair with the Swedish Count Konigsmarck. George would never see his mother again in his life. He never forgave his father for the murder of Konigsmarck and the imprisonment of his mother. He also hated his father for openly living with mistresses, and having kids with them.
- Even so, George Louis wanted his son to avoid a loveless marriage like he had entered. So, George Augustus was allowed to meet his prospective wives, incognito, before choosing. He was also allowed to marry for love. George Augustus married Caroline of Ansbach, and they had a son, Frederick. When Caroline caught smallpox, George Augustus refused to leave her bedside. He even caught smallpox himself! They both recovered, and went on to have 3 more children, all daughters.
- When George Augustus was 32, his father became King George I. George Augustus was now the Prince of Wales. He and Caroline left Hanover, leaving their son, Frederick, in the care of tutors. They wouldn't see him again for 14 years. The Prince, unlike his father, spoke SOME English, and when he was given estates in Scotland, he proudly gave a speech in front of the throng of people gathered. He proudly stated, in a heavy German accent, that there was "Not a drop of blood in me that is not English!" This did nothing to impress the Scots, and soon, the Prince was just as mocked as his poor father.
- This started to turn around as people saw that, unlike his father, he seemed to have a happy marriage. (Though he had mistresses, as well, he was devoted to his wife.) When George I went back to Hanover, Prince George was allowed to have VERY LIMITED control of the country as regent. Prince George was upset that his father appointed a council to rule, rather than just him, but set about trying to do his best to manage in his father's stead. He took a tour of the countryside, allowing people to watch him dine, meeting with common folk, and generally working on his public image. THIS was the sort of king that the English people liked!
- One night, an assassin tried to shoot the Regent Prince in Drury theatre. Prince George got away, but a bystander was killed. This improved his image as a dashing prince, and when King George I returned, he found that the people still hated him with a passion, but were beginning to warm up to his son. This INFURIATED George I, who felt that his son was trying to usurp his power. (Which was fairly true. Remember, the two despised each other.)
- In 1717, Prince George and Caroline gave birth to a son, George William. King George refused to let Prince George pick a baptismal sponsor, sending his own man, the Duke of Newcastle, instead. Prince George openly shouted derision at Newcastle, resulting in the duke thinking the prince had challenged him to a duel. After this humiliating public scene, King George separated the two, and kicked the Prince and Princess of Wales out of the palace. Neither were allowed to see their children for months. A servant sneaked the prince and princess into the palace for a time, where it is said Prince George "wept like a baby" when he saw his daughters and baby son. The king allowed the children to see their mother, but still limited the prince. Prince George was only allowed to see his baby son once a week. However, he was allowed to be at the boy's bedside when young George William died. Again, the Prince of Wales never forgave his father for this.
- By 1719, Prince George had moved to Liecester House, since he was banned from living in the same building as his father. Soon, Liecester House became the headquarters for anyone opposed to the king, including Robert Walpole, the most powerful man in England. King George deeply resented this "Rival Court" and did everything he could to stop it. But the prince was gaining in popularity and political power every day. Walpole was on the outs with the government for a time, and though Prince George did not overtly engage in politics, it was well known that Walpole and the prince were working together. During this time, the prince had three more children, including a son, William.
- As his father grew older, prince George saw his fortunes rise. Walpole rose like a phoenix after the South Sea Bubble incident, the Whigs were in charge, and his father was again away in Hanover. When the prince received word that his father had died in Hanover, he honestly thought it was a trick to get him to poke his head out politically. "THAT IS ONE BIG LIE!" he exclaimed, ranting about his father's trickery. But it was no trick... George I was dead, and now George Augustus was George II.
- George II refused to go to his father's funeral in Hanover. In fact, he laughed at the notion, cursing his father. The Germans were shocked, but the British loved it. They remarked that George II was actually English, after all. When the royal will was presented to George II, he didn't bother to even read it. (This was amazing, as royal wills were the most important documents of their era...) he simply stuffed it in his coat pocket. It was never seen again....
- Most knew that George I didn't want his son to inherit his beloved Hanover, and intended to give Hanover to Frederick, his grandson. By destroying the will, George II effectively blocked this action. This, of course, infuriated his son, Frederick, who had not even met his parents in his youth. He was German, and felt closer to his grandfather than he ever had toward his father. The hatred between father and son passed down to George II and his own son.
- George II was crowned with great fanfare in 1727. Hendel wrote his famous "Zadok the Priest" for the coronation. It would become the coronation theme for every monarch after George II.
- Walpole was now in a fix. He had angered George II by returning to the government of his father. Many thought Walpole would be dismissed. However, George II couldn't fire Walpole for fear of instability, and Walpole gave the royal family a very large allowance as an apology. With this issue smoothed over, things could continue.
- George, like many European Monarchs, wanted to start or join a war. Walpole, ever the economist, tried to talk him out of it. For years, they bickered about this... but Walpole was often able to talk the king out of squabbles.
- To help mollify his son, George II brought Frederick to England. This was a terrible move. Frederick, like his father before him, set up a rival court, in direct opposition to his father and all his policies. The elites were once again taking sides, and where you went to take in the theatre, music, or food became just as politically important as who you talked to.
- Frederick, the Prince of Wales, set about destroying all the popularity his father had gained when HE was the Prince of Wales. When George II went on holiday to Hanover, Frederick spread the rumor that he had grown to love Germany more than England. When the people demanded the king return to England, he was held up by a storm. Frederick helped spread the rumor that George II had drowned en route. When this turned out to be false, Frederick pretended to be relieved... but the king immediately got sick. Frederick spread the rumor that George II was dying, and tried to set himself up as regent. Stubborn "Old George" got up from his sickbed and attended court functions while deathly ill, just to spite his son.
- The Prince asked for a larger allowance, which of course the King flatly refused... this led to a public shouting match that embarrassed everyone. Walpole convinced the King to capitulate. However, now angered, Frederick refused his father the opportunity to see the birth of his grandson by sneaking the family out in the middle of the night before his wife could give birth. George was so angry he banned his son from all court functions, just as his father had done to him. (Although he didn't keep Frederick from his children... George II knew all too well that pain.)
- George was then dealt a blow when his wife took ill. Queen Caroline begged her husband to remarry after her death, but he refused, saying "I will only have mistresses!" Caroline knew of all his mistresses, and accepted them. However, it became clear that George II only loved his wife. He did keep mistresses, but never remarried, as per his word.
- The next year, the very oddly named "War of Jenkins's Ear" broke out with Spain. A Spanish pirate hunter had caught an English smuggler, Robert Jenkins, and cut off one of his ears, saying "If the King of England does the same, he will get the same treatment!" Jenkins was outraged, and demanded that Parliament declare war on Spain... over his ear. He kept the ear in a pickle jar, and showed it to everyone, including Robert Walpole. Walpole of course, ignored this. However, war hawks in Parliament latched on to this as a nationalistic cause. (When in fact, it was all about lining their pockets by hurting Spanish trade, and Walpole knew it.) Still, Jenkins was allowed to address the House of Commons, where he made a very impassioned and dramatic speech while brandishing his pickled ear and showing off his scar. England went to war, much to the chagrin of Walpole, and the glee of king George II... he finally had his war!
- This war expanded and grew as it became the War of Austrian Succession. (which would eventually become the seven years' war... in a way the first 'world war.') Walpole headed the anti-war faction of the Whigs, which George opposed. George went to Hanover to get "Stuck in" the war, leaving Frederick in charge. Frederick, who agreed with his father for once in his life, campaigned against Walpole, who was finally unseated after 20 years in office. George and Frederick then stacked Parliament with others who favored the war, and Great Britain was soon fighting wars all over the world, and expanding its territory considerably.
- In 1743, George II led his troops into battle at the Battle of Dettingen... while not a major battle, George conducted his troops well... he would be the last British Monarch to lead troops in battle.
- As the war ground on, it became more and more unpopular with the people. Soon, they were clamoring for George to return to England and to pull England out of the hostilities. This was generally impossible at this point, but it did pave the way for William Pitt the elder, an opponent of the King, to take power in Parliament.
- Soon, George was forced to return... the French had given support to the son of the "Old Pretender" and grandson of James II, "Bonnie Prince Charlie." Bonnie Prince Charlie landed in Scotland, and once again, the Jacobites were trying to bring back the Stuart line. George II and his military minded son William soon brought the French, Scottish, and rebel forces to heel. The opposition was crushed, and Charlie would die a drunkard overseas. The Stuarts were finished.
- After that crisis, father and son continued to bicker, but things were relatively civil between them. Frederick, now 43, had fallen in love with cricket, and was trying very hard to make it the national sport. Sadly, this would prove to be his undoing. The prince had taken a particularly hard hit to his lung from a cricket ball (or perhaps a tennis ball, it's unclear,) and though he seemed fine at first, he developed an abscess in his lung, which killed him. George II was actually happy to have his son gone, and said as much. His daughter died later the same year... this double blow seems to have moved the stubborn old man, and he was seen to grieve... though not all that much.
- This put Frederick's 12 year old son, George William, in line for the throne. George II looked after the new Prince of Wales, but was not all that close to him.
- George II's other son, William of Cumberland, was in charge of the German side of the kingdom when the 7 years war broke out. George didn't love his younger son any more than the older, and when William gave up to the French, George was livid. Fat, simple William was recalled and rebuked, and George spat on the peace with France, renewing the war. As you may know, this was a good thing, as England wound up on top of the world after that war.
- Now in his late 70s, George II had lived longer than any former monarch of Britain. He was blind in one eye, nearly deaf, and obstinate and cantankerous in the extreme. One day, he decided to gorge on tropical fruit and other foods. He wound up with a bad case of constipation. The next morning, he rose, drank his normal breakfast drink of hot chocolate, then went to the toilet. His attendants heard a great crash, and rushed in to find the king, trousers around his ankles, bare ass sticking up, dead as a doornail. It turns out he had strained so hard in his constipation that his heart had burst, and the massive heart attack killed him. So ended the stubborn old George II. The kingdom passed to the fresh, vibrant 21 year old George III.... who would go down in history as one of the strangest kings ever.
From angry boy to warrior king to petty tyrant to his completely embarassing death, Ol' George did it all. And yet, he was mocked and hated by his own people. Let's take a look at this rather peculiar and often overlooked Monarch of Great Britain!
- Born in Hanover in 1683, George Augustus (Georg August) was the oldest child, and the son of the man who would become king George I. He was a lonely child. As the only son, George Augustus was sheltered. His mother and father both openly commited adultery, and prince George was close to neither of them. His mother was forcibly sent away when he was 11 years old, after a long affair with the Swedish Count Konigsmarck. George would never see his mother again in his life. He never forgave his father for the murder of Konigsmarck and the imprisonment of his mother. He also hated his father for openly living with mistresses, and having kids with them.
- Even so, George Louis wanted his son to avoid a loveless marriage like he had entered. So, George Augustus was allowed to meet his prospective wives, incognito, before choosing. He was also allowed to marry for love. George Augustus married Caroline of Ansbach, and they had a son, Frederick. When Caroline caught smallpox, George Augustus refused to leave her bedside. He even caught smallpox himself! They both recovered, and went on to have 3 more children, all daughters.
- When George Augustus was 32, his father became King George I. George Augustus was now the Prince of Wales. He and Caroline left Hanover, leaving their son, Frederick, in the care of tutors. They wouldn't see him again for 14 years. The Prince, unlike his father, spoke SOME English, and when he was given estates in Scotland, he proudly gave a speech in front of the throng of people gathered. He proudly stated, in a heavy German accent, that there was "Not a drop of blood in me that is not English!" This did nothing to impress the Scots, and soon, the Prince was just as mocked as his poor father.
- This started to turn around as people saw that, unlike his father, he seemed to have a happy marriage. (Though he had mistresses, as well, he was devoted to his wife.) When George I went back to Hanover, Prince George was allowed to have VERY LIMITED control of the country as regent. Prince George was upset that his father appointed a council to rule, rather than just him, but set about trying to do his best to manage in his father's stead. He took a tour of the countryside, allowing people to watch him dine, meeting with common folk, and generally working on his public image. THIS was the sort of king that the English people liked!
- One night, an assassin tried to shoot the Regent Prince in Drury theatre. Prince George got away, but a bystander was killed. This improved his image as a dashing prince, and when King George I returned, he found that the people still hated him with a passion, but were beginning to warm up to his son. This INFURIATED George I, who felt that his son was trying to usurp his power. (Which was fairly true. Remember, the two despised each other.)
- In 1717, Prince George and Caroline gave birth to a son, George William. King George refused to let Prince George pick a baptismal sponsor, sending his own man, the Duke of Newcastle, instead. Prince George openly shouted derision at Newcastle, resulting in the duke thinking the prince had challenged him to a duel. After this humiliating public scene, King George separated the two, and kicked the Prince and Princess of Wales out of the palace. Neither were allowed to see their children for months. A servant sneaked the prince and princess into the palace for a time, where it is said Prince George "wept like a baby" when he saw his daughters and baby son. The king allowed the children to see their mother, but still limited the prince. Prince George was only allowed to see his baby son once a week. However, he was allowed to be at the boy's bedside when young George William died. Again, the Prince of Wales never forgave his father for this.
- By 1719, Prince George had moved to Liecester House, since he was banned from living in the same building as his father. Soon, Liecester House became the headquarters for anyone opposed to the king, including Robert Walpole, the most powerful man in England. King George deeply resented this "Rival Court" and did everything he could to stop it. But the prince was gaining in popularity and political power every day. Walpole was on the outs with the government for a time, and though Prince George did not overtly engage in politics, it was well known that Walpole and the prince were working together. During this time, the prince had three more children, including a son, William.
- As his father grew older, prince George saw his fortunes rise. Walpole rose like a phoenix after the South Sea Bubble incident, the Whigs were in charge, and his father was again away in Hanover. When the prince received word that his father had died in Hanover, he honestly thought it was a trick to get him to poke his head out politically. "THAT IS ONE BIG LIE!" he exclaimed, ranting about his father's trickery. But it was no trick... George I was dead, and now George Augustus was George II.
- George II refused to go to his father's funeral in Hanover. In fact, he laughed at the notion, cursing his father. The Germans were shocked, but the British loved it. They remarked that George II was actually English, after all. When the royal will was presented to George II, he didn't bother to even read it. (This was amazing, as royal wills were the most important documents of their era...) he simply stuffed it in his coat pocket. It was never seen again....
- Most knew that George I didn't want his son to inherit his beloved Hanover, and intended to give Hanover to Frederick, his grandson. By destroying the will, George II effectively blocked this action. This, of course, infuriated his son, Frederick, who had not even met his parents in his youth. He was German, and felt closer to his grandfather than he ever had toward his father. The hatred between father and son passed down to George II and his own son.
- George II was crowned with great fanfare in 1727. Hendel wrote his famous "Zadok the Priest" for the coronation. It would become the coronation theme for every monarch after George II.
- Walpole was now in a fix. He had angered George II by returning to the government of his father. Many thought Walpole would be dismissed. However, George II couldn't fire Walpole for fear of instability, and Walpole gave the royal family a very large allowance as an apology. With this issue smoothed over, things could continue.
- George, like many European Monarchs, wanted to start or join a war. Walpole, ever the economist, tried to talk him out of it. For years, they bickered about this... but Walpole was often able to talk the king out of squabbles.
- To help mollify his son, George II brought Frederick to England. This was a terrible move. Frederick, like his father before him, set up a rival court, in direct opposition to his father and all his policies. The elites were once again taking sides, and where you went to take in the theatre, music, or food became just as politically important as who you talked to.
- Frederick, the Prince of Wales, set about destroying all the popularity his father had gained when HE was the Prince of Wales. When George II went on holiday to Hanover, Frederick spread the rumor that he had grown to love Germany more than England. When the people demanded the king return to England, he was held up by a storm. Frederick helped spread the rumor that George II had drowned en route. When this turned out to be false, Frederick pretended to be relieved... but the king immediately got sick. Frederick spread the rumor that George II was dying, and tried to set himself up as regent. Stubborn "Old George" got up from his sickbed and attended court functions while deathly ill, just to spite his son.
- The Prince asked for a larger allowance, which of course the King flatly refused... this led to a public shouting match that embarrassed everyone. Walpole convinced the King to capitulate. However, now angered, Frederick refused his father the opportunity to see the birth of his grandson by sneaking the family out in the middle of the night before his wife could give birth. George was so angry he banned his son from all court functions, just as his father had done to him. (Although he didn't keep Frederick from his children... George II knew all too well that pain.)
- George was then dealt a blow when his wife took ill. Queen Caroline begged her husband to remarry after her death, but he refused, saying "I will only have mistresses!" Caroline knew of all his mistresses, and accepted them. However, it became clear that George II only loved his wife. He did keep mistresses, but never remarried, as per his word.
- The next year, the very oddly named "War of Jenkins's Ear" broke out with Spain. A Spanish pirate hunter had caught an English smuggler, Robert Jenkins, and cut off one of his ears, saying "If the King of England does the same, he will get the same treatment!" Jenkins was outraged, and demanded that Parliament declare war on Spain... over his ear. He kept the ear in a pickle jar, and showed it to everyone, including Robert Walpole. Walpole of course, ignored this. However, war hawks in Parliament latched on to this as a nationalistic cause. (When in fact, it was all about lining their pockets by hurting Spanish trade, and Walpole knew it.) Still, Jenkins was allowed to address the House of Commons, where he made a very impassioned and dramatic speech while brandishing his pickled ear and showing off his scar. England went to war, much to the chagrin of Walpole, and the glee of king George II... he finally had his war!
- This war expanded and grew as it became the War of Austrian Succession. (which would eventually become the seven years' war... in a way the first 'world war.') Walpole headed the anti-war faction of the Whigs, which George opposed. George went to Hanover to get "Stuck in" the war, leaving Frederick in charge. Frederick, who agreed with his father for once in his life, campaigned against Walpole, who was finally unseated after 20 years in office. George and Frederick then stacked Parliament with others who favored the war, and Great Britain was soon fighting wars all over the world, and expanding its territory considerably.
- In 1743, George II led his troops into battle at the Battle of Dettingen... while not a major battle, George conducted his troops well... he would be the last British Monarch to lead troops in battle.
- As the war ground on, it became more and more unpopular with the people. Soon, they were clamoring for George to return to England and to pull England out of the hostilities. This was generally impossible at this point, but it did pave the way for William Pitt the elder, an opponent of the King, to take power in Parliament.
- Soon, George was forced to return... the French had given support to the son of the "Old Pretender" and grandson of James II, "Bonnie Prince Charlie." Bonnie Prince Charlie landed in Scotland, and once again, the Jacobites were trying to bring back the Stuart line. George II and his military minded son William soon brought the French, Scottish, and rebel forces to heel. The opposition was crushed, and Charlie would die a drunkard overseas. The Stuarts were finished.
- After that crisis, father and son continued to bicker, but things were relatively civil between them. Frederick, now 43, had fallen in love with cricket, and was trying very hard to make it the national sport. Sadly, this would prove to be his undoing. The prince had taken a particularly hard hit to his lung from a cricket ball (or perhaps a tennis ball, it's unclear,) and though he seemed fine at first, he developed an abscess in his lung, which killed him. George II was actually happy to have his son gone, and said as much. His daughter died later the same year... this double blow seems to have moved the stubborn old man, and he was seen to grieve... though not all that much.
- This put Frederick's 12 year old son, George William, in line for the throne. George II looked after the new Prince of Wales, but was not all that close to him.
- George II's other son, William of Cumberland, was in charge of the German side of the kingdom when the 7 years war broke out. George didn't love his younger son any more than the older, and when William gave up to the French, George was livid. Fat, simple William was recalled and rebuked, and George spat on the peace with France, renewing the war. As you may know, this was a good thing, as England wound up on top of the world after that war.
- Now in his late 70s, George II had lived longer than any former monarch of Britain. He was blind in one eye, nearly deaf, and obstinate and cantankerous in the extreme. One day, he decided to gorge on tropical fruit and other foods. He wound up with a bad case of constipation. The next morning, he rose, drank his normal breakfast drink of hot chocolate, then went to the toilet. His attendants heard a great crash, and rushed in to find the king, trousers around his ankles, bare ass sticking up, dead as a doornail. It turns out he had strained so hard in his constipation that his heart had burst, and the massive heart attack killed him. So ended the stubborn old George II. The kingdom passed to the fresh, vibrant 21 year old George III.... who would go down in history as one of the strangest kings ever.