Georgian Britain (1714 ~ 1837)
The Georgian Era is roughly the equivalent of the 18th century in English history, when the western world moved from Reformation to Enlightenment and took its first steps into the Modern Era. It was a period of brilliant achievement in music, design, writing, and architecture, and it witnessed the development of democracy and the modern British government. It was during this period that the English aristocracy reached the height of its power, so the era has also been called the Age of Aristocracy. The Georgian Period comprised the reigns of the "four Georges", from the accession of George I in 1714 to the death of his great great-grandson George IV in 1830. It was a period of social, economic, and political change, when Great Britain and Ireland emerged from the Napoleonic Wars, as a great power with a worldwide empire.
The Georgian period was a period of change. There was a new dynasty on the throne and, before long; the very infrastructure of Britain was changing. Agricultural developments were followed by industrial innovation and this, in turn, led to urbanisation and the need for better communications. Britain became the world's first modern society. With these changes came increased population and increased wealth. Politically, the Georgian period was a period of confrontation. This came, initially, at home in terms of the Jacobite rebellions but, as the eighteenth century progressed, the theatres of war expanded and Britain became involved in conflicts with India, her American colonies and continental Europe. Because of their financial, naval and military strength, the British government tended to prevail.
Learn More About: the hanoverians
1. George I
As Sophia, Electress of Hanover, had died two months before Queen Anne who died in 1714, Sophia's eldest son George, Elector of Hanover, inherited the throne under the Act of Settlement of 1701. His claim was challenged by James Stuart, Roman Catholic son of James II, who landed in Scotland in 1715, following a rising of Scottish clans on his behalf; this was unsuccessful and he soon withdrew. George I (reigned 1714 - 27) spoke German and French and a little English; he regularly visited Hanover to fulfil his duties there. Family tensions (George imprisoned his wife in 1694) and political intrigue (opposition gathered round the Prince of Wales) led to differences and intense dislike between George and his son, George. In 1719 and 1720, and during most of the King's absences in Hanover, power was delegated to Regency Council and not to the Prince of Wales. Unfamiliar with the customs of the country and lacking fluent English, George was dependent on his ministers - the Whigs dominated Parliament during his reign. After 1717, George rarely attended Cabinet meetings. This allowed the Cabinet to act collectively and formulate policies, which, provided they were backed by a majority in the Commons, the king was usually powerless to resist. After the South Sea Bubble crisis of 1720, - when the South Sea Company, with heavy government and royal investments, crashed, Robert Walpole took over. The most able of George's ministers, and known as the first “Prime Minister”, Walpole's was the longest running administration in British history (1721 - 42). George died in 1727, during a visit to Hanover. |
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2. George II
George II (reigned 1727 - 60), at the age of 60, was the last British sovereign to fight alongside his soldiers, at the Battle of Dettingen in 1743 in Germany, against the French. Like his father, for much of his reign George's political options were limited by the strength of the Jacobite cause (James Stuart the Old Pretender, and then his son, Charles Edward Stuart), with which many of the Tories were linked. George's reign was threatened in 1745 when Charles Edward Stuart, the Young Pretender, landed in Scotland. After some initial success, which led to the national anthem in its current form becoming popular among the Hanoverian loyalists, Charles was defeated at the Battle of Culloden in April 1746 and the Jacobite threat was over. The foundations of the industrial revolution were laid during George's reign, with new levels of production in industries such as coal and shipbuilding and also in agriculture, together with a rapid rise in population. Overseas, trade was boosted by successes such as Clive's victories in India at Arcot (1751) and Plassey (1757), which placed Madras and Bengal under British control, and Wolfe's capture of French-held Quebec in 1759 - part of a successful campaign which transferred Canada with its wealthy trade in fish and fur from French to British rule. As the country prospered and George's reign lengthened, his early unpopularity changed into a general respect. The King's eldest son, Frederick, died in 1751. George's grandson therefore inherited the throne, on George's death in 1760. |
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