Book Review: The Four Georges
An awfully British kind of monarch 1714-1830
By Jeremy Black, from by Amberley Publishing.
If you want a book that introduces you to the four Georgian kings who reigned in succession over Britain from 1714, this isn't it.
A quick look at the back flyleaf tells you that author Jeremy Black, Emeritus Professor of History at Exeter University, has written over 100 books, many about 18th century British political, diplomatic and military history. He knows a thing or two about the relationship between the Georgian kings and government, and that’s really what this book is all about.
It’s a book that makes much more sense if you’re already familiar with the characters and the history of their time. The author states that it builds on his full-length biographies of George II and George III, ‘but is based on a re-examination, founded on extensive archival work and a rethinking of the period, its continuities and its changes, but, above all, the role of the rulers.’
George I - from the Painted Hall, Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich
Old monarchy, new dynasty
Because kings (and the occasional queen) have ruled over Britain for most of the last thousand years, it’s easy to forget that their position was not guaranteed. The four Georges provided a surprisingly stable line of succession after the upheavals and expulsions of the previous century. One king had been executed, another expelled, and within months of his arrival from Hanover, George I faced a rebellion from supporters of James Stuart.
The author works his way through each of the four Georges in turn, providing some biographical insights, but focusing mainly on the rulers’ relationship with the political system of the day.
The early chapters include plenty of discussion of the relationship between the king, Britain and Hanover. This became much less significant from 1760, when George III took the throne. He never travelled to his German domain.
The author acknowledges that his chapters on George III ‘have been a positive reappraisal’ of the king who is often maligned for his role in losing America. George III, he argues, ‘played a crucial role in stabilising dynasty, kingdom and empire.’
The Georges skipped a generation after George II, because Frederick, Prince of Wales, predeceased his father. The author gives ‘Frederick I’ his own short chapter, discussing his engagement with politicians, and their reaction to his untimely death.
This book includes illustrations, endnotes indicating sources, and an index. It would be a useful addition to the library of anyone interested in the relationship and role between Georgian kings and the British political system.
The Four Georges is by Jeremy Black and published by Amberley Books.
George III
Andrew Knowles researches and writes about the late Georgian and Regency period. He’s also a freelance writer and editor for business. He lives with his wife Rachel, co-author of this blog, in the Dorset seaside town of Weymouth.
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Regency History
by Andrew & Rachel Knowles
We research and write about the late Georgian and Regency period.
Rachel also writes faith-based Regency romance with rich historical detail.
